HOW TO WRITE A REVIEW

A review is usually written for an English-speaking newspaper, magazine or website. The main
purpose is to describe and express a personal opinion about something which the writer has
experienced (e.g. a film, a holiday, a product, a website etc.) and to give the reader a clear
impression of what the item discussed is like.

● Use a personal or more neutral style according to the target reader.

● Show a range of structures in the language of opinion, description and recommendation.

POSSIBLE PARAGRAPH PLAN

It´s a good idea to give your review an interesting title

PARAGRAPH 1: Say what you are reviewing and try to get the reader's interest.

Useful phrases: What a …! Have you ever seen/heard/read …?

It was/is the best … I have ever …

PARAGRAPH 2: Give a brief description of what you are reviewing . Don´t go into much detail.

PARAGRAPH 3: Give extra points (e.g. Say what you like.)

Useful phrases: The best thing about … is … I love the way… I was pleasantly surprised by…

What I like/love about … is … … would appeal to….

PARAGRAPH 4: Say what you don´t like (if there is something).

Useful phrases: The only thing I am not/wasn't happy about is/was ….

I must admit that …. Unfortunately, …

PARAGRAPH 5: Give an overall assessment of what you are writing about and/or a
recommendation, usually with justification.

You may also be asked to give reasons why someone should see the film/ play or read the book,
how it has influenced you, etc.

Useful phrases: If you like … you will love ….. Judging from this CD / show …

Overall, if you like …, you’ll love / you should … Although some of … he/she/it’s still a great…

You really must/should buy/see/read/visit …

I would definitely recommend seeing/visiting/reading/having a look at …

BOOKS: a worldwide best seller from …. author ; the book is set in… ; the main character(s)… ;
full of atmosphere and is part thriller/detective story/adventure, part love story; both the
descriptions and dialogue are beautifully written ; the plot is a real page-turner ; take one's
breath away ; the ending feels rather sudden ; couldn't put it down

FILMS: …based on the books by … ; tells the story of…. ; the film is set in … ; … plays the
role of … ; … stars as … ; hero/heroine ; sequel to the first film ; the film seems to be
aimed (very much) at … ; romantic/violent scenes ; dull/wooden/brilliant/amazing
performances ; leading characters ; the plot ; the soundtrack/melody/lyrics

WRITING TASK

You have seen this advert on an English language website.

Attention! Game reviews needed

We want to hear your opinion of the best digital games out there.

In your review, we’d like you to:

⮚ Describe a game that you’ve really enjoyed. Explain the main idea and how to play it.

⮚ Give us all the details so our readers have a clear impression of what it is like.

⮚ Let us know your own personal opinion – would you recommend it?

SAMPLE ANSWER

RING TWIST

If you want to play a great game, try Ring Twist. It’s bright, it’s fun, it’s addictive!

When you start, a series of different rings appear on the screen. The aim is to get three or more in
a line – it can be vertical, horizontal or diagonal. When you get a line of three, they disappear, and
the rings above fall into that space and you win some points. Thousands of points are given for
these moves, so you can get a massive score as you move up the levels.

If you’re clever, you can match four or more in a line. When this occurs, special magic rings are
created, which have different powers. It’s tricky at first, but you can click on Hint for extra help.

Few games are able to appeal to so many different gamers and that’s what makes Ring Twist
such a success. Best of all, more game modes will be added soon. If you ask me, this is one of the
best games available. Personally, I’d definitely recommend it to people of all ages. Try it!