A review
________
0. Title (be original)
1. Introduction to the item to be reviewed
2. The plot and main characters (including villains) <--- SPOILER FREE
3. Strengths (+)
4. Weaknesses (-)/FLAWS/shortcomings
5. Recommendation
footage (image & video)
BOOK & FILMS/TV SERIES
plot and characters, settings and locations, special effects, fun facts,
soundtrack, photography, editing, twists and cliffhangers, red herrings, length,
action, based on fact or fiction, cast and acting performances.
VIDEO GAMES/COMPUTER GAMES
story and characters, the visuals (graphics), online and offline modes, solo and
coop modes, additional content (DLC), degree of difficulty, playability, length,
soundtrack, private or public servers, audio and subtitles, crashes and glitches.
RESTAURANTS
cuisine, decor, service (staff), menu, prices, location, food quality, size,
portions, cleanliness, other people's reviews and comments, atmosphere, background
music, live music, waiting time, bookings (reservation), children area, waiting
room, toilets, comfort (seats), views.
HOTELS
quality of the buffet, views, location, service (staff), rooms (space +
cleanliness), welcome packs*, pillows and the mattress, bathrooms, air
conditioning/heating, facilities (gym, swimming pool, sauna), check in/out times,
prices, leaflets with activities in the area, parking.
MUSIC FESTIVALS & CONCERTS
location, security and safety, space, access to the festival, prices, food and
drinks (and prices), music genres, service (staff), use of screens and size of the
stage, seats or standing areas, toilets, areas in the shade, first aid kits, line
up, acoustics.
WEBSITES
how intuitive the website is, user-friendly, useful information, search engine,
collating and comparing alternatives, pop-up ads, the visuals (interface), unbiased
information (objective), costumer service (chat, phone number, email), available
destinations (locally, nationally or worldwide) and information on them, real
comments by former users, people's reviews (how reliable the site appears to be),
whether they include tour guides or not, available discounts and promotions,
payment methods, cancellations and refunds, pictures and illustrations.
Example of an intro:
A month ago, I was asked to read East 43rd Street for my English lessons. Written
by Alan Battersby, the book is a thriller set in modern-day New York a few days
before Christmas and focuses on detective Marley.
bestseller (books)
blockbuster (films)
a massive hit (+)
a massive flop (-)
Tease readers:
there is an unexpected plot twist at the end of the story.
red herrings (a tool to distract reader/viewer from the main idea/from the culprit)
denouement <---
The way the story UNFOLDS...
the story takes a u-turn towards the end, when...
ADEQUATE VOCABULARY FOR C1 REVIEWS
----------------------------------
GOOD -> stunning, remarkable, outstanding, astounding, superb,
astonishing,mindblowing, exceptional, marvellous, excellent, haunting, delightful,
terrific, captivating/enticing.
BAD -> dreadful, appalling, horrible, subpar, atrocious, lousy,
substandard,mediocre, terrible, lackluster.
it's all doom and gloom (the future seems really dark/pessimistic)
PLOT* -> intriguing, gripping/captivating (when the story grabs you so you can't
put the book down), light-hearted (it's a simple read, humorous), thought-
provoking, moving/touching, haunting, far-fetched/implausible, hackneyed,
predictable, clich�d, stereotypical, dull (boring).
depict
revolve around
tell
"the book tells the story of..."
"the story revolves around a couple that..."
"the book depicts a couple that..."
"the book focuses on the lives of..."
"the story includes the characters of A +B, who..."
+
The highlight was definitely...
What struck me (the) most was...
What surprised me (the) most was...
What I truly enjoyed was...
What I liked best was...
What grabbed me was...
What really caught my eye/attention was...
What I was drawn to was...
What got me hooked on the story was...
It was the... that I...
STH exceeded my expectations
OR INVERSION: ADV + S+ AUX
'Never before had I watched a film with such a monumental soundtrack.'
'Not only was the editing brilliant, but the special effects seemed to be extremely
realistic'
What I found underwhelming/disappointing was...
What didn't live up to my expectations...
The most underwhelming/disappointing aspect/feature of it was...
It was the... that I...
I found the... to be the most disappointing/underwhelming aspect of it.
What I really disliked was...
I wasn't particularly keen on...
OR INVERSION
'Seldom/Rarely have I seen such a far-fetched plot, so much so that it was
laughable at times'.
'Not a single time/Not once did I believe that the acting was impressive'.
5. Recommendation
All in all,
In brief,
All things considered,
On the whole,
In a nutshell,
I can't think of a single reason why anyone would want to read this terrible novel.
To be avoided at all costs. NEGATIVE
The novel is definitely worth reading, since it appeals to all ages. If you are a
thriller buff/fan/enthusiast, you can't miss it! POSITIVE
The film is definitely worth watching/giving it a try.
The restaurant is really good value for money.
I strongly/thoroughly recommend reading the book, especially if you are into
history and warfare.
Unless you are really into warfare, I strongly/thoroughly recommend giving the
novel a miss/pass.
Unless you happen to be fully invested in horror, I wouldn't bother giving it a
whirl/go. There are definitely much better alternatives in the genre out there.
NEGATIVE
TITLE (original) WRITE A REVIEW about a film.
paragraph 1 - intro
paragraph 2 - plot + characters
paragraph 3 - strengths (+)
paragraph 4 - weaknesses (-)
paragraph 5 - recommendation
