Copy Editor practice interview
Clear, accurate copy, strong headlines, consistent style and sound editorial judgement under deadline. Practise the 5 questions interviewers ask for this role with follow-ups. Paid plans add scored feedback on every answer.
Free with an Intaviu account: 320 credits a month, at 10 credits a minute of practice. Private: interview creators never see them.
- Junior
- 15 minutes
- 5 questions
- Scored feedback on paid plans
About the role
A copy editor makes stories accurate, clear, consistent and ready for publication without flattening the writer's voice. The panel wants to see language control, alertness to factual and editorial risk, concise headline writing and calm prioritisation near deadline.
How to prepare
- Edit a short article for structure, grammar, repetition, consistency and unsupported claims.
- Practise explaining each substantial change rather than relying only on instinct.
- Review common headline problems, including ambiguity, exaggeration and missing context.
- Prepare examples of factual queries that are precise and easy for a reporter to answer.
- Think through how you would triage copy when several stories arrive together.
Common mistakes
- Rewriting every sentence into your own voice.
- Correcting grammar while overlooking a factual contradiction.
- Writing a clever headline that promises more than the story supports.
- Leaving broad queries that do not tell the writer what must be checked.
What to expect
A real first-round interview
5 questions the way interviewers ask for this role, with follow-ups when an answer needs more.
Spoken, like the real thing
Speak your answers in your browser or the free desktop app, with live captions. You can ask the interviewer to repeat anything.
Scored on 4 areas
The things this interview weighs most. With a paid plan, your report shows how you did on each one.
A private report
On Plus, Pro and Premium: every answer scored, your strongest lines quoted and what to say differently next time. Interview creators never see it.
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