Review: useful language
Adjectives and phrases to describe films, books, places and events – and to recommend them (or not).
A review tells the reader what something is like and whether they should try it. You need precise adjectives – 'good' and 'bad' tell the reader nothing – and a clear recommendation at the end. The style is usually neutral and can be quite personal.
Describing films, books and series
Describing places and events
Recommending
Make it better
The same idea, first in basic English, then in the kind of language that gets a higher mark.
- Basic: The film was good.Better: The film was gripping, with a clever plot.Say exactly what was good about it.
- Basic: The restaurant was expensive and bad.Better: The restaurant was overpriced, and the service was painfully slow.Precise adjectives give the reader useful information.
- Basic: I recommend it.Better: I would highly recommend it, especially to families.Say who it is for.
- Basic: The book is about a boy.Better: It tells the story of a boy who…A standard phrase to introduce the plot.
Organise your review in four parts: what it is, what was good, what was not so good, and your recommendation. Never tell the whole story of a film or book – a review should make people want to find out for themselves.
Quick check
Choose the best answer.
🇪🇸 Guía en español: Los 40 phrasal verbs más útiles para el B2 First →