How to write a review?
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Structure
We are going to have a look at the typical requirements, structure and other little things you should include, leave out and/or be careful with, so let’s start by having a look at an example task that could be part of your writing test.
What?
The first thing you should check when looking at a writing task is: what to include?
What to include?
explain what the main character did
what you liked about the main character
What to include?
what surprised you the most about the book
why it was suprising what the main character did
What to include?
what your favourite film genre is
whether or not you would recommend this film to other people
What to include?
Besides the title and introduction there are always three things the assignment tells you to write about. These are:
a description (What did the main character do? / What was the film about? / What was the restaurant like?)
a discussion (Why was it surprising? / What did you like and dislike about it? / What makes the film different?)
a recommendation (Would you recommend the book to other people? / Would you advise watching the film? Would you recommend going there for dinner? ).
Structure
The structure of our review (and every review, really) looks like this:
1. Title
2. Introduction
3. Description (In this case: What did the main character do?)
4. Discussion (In this case: Why was it surprising?)
5. Recommendation (Would you recommend the film to other people?)
How many items should you include in your review?
3
4
5
6
What is the correct structure of a review? Drag and drop!
Title
Introduction
Description
Discussion
Recommendation
What is the correct structure of a review?
Title
Make sure you have a title to attract the reader's attention.
Structure
The structure of our review (and every review, really) looks like this:
1. Title
2. Introduction
3. Description (In this case: What did the main character do?)
4. Discussion (In this case: Why was it surprising?)
5. Recommendation (Would you recommend the film to other people?)
Introduction
Goal:
Create interest so the reader wants to find out what you have to say about the book, film, restaurant or whatever you have to write about.
Tricks:
Start with a question.
This connects the reader to your review and makes them want to continue reading
Secondly, don’t give away the surprise but only give a little hint at it. This way, you can create even more excitement.
In your introduction you give a description of the film.
True
False
Starting your introduction with a personalised question is a good idea
True
False
Description
Here, you give a description.
If you read the assignment carefully, you know what kind of information you have to give.
In our example you have to describe what surprising thing the main character did.
The best part about the description is that you don’t have to do anything special – just answer the question and move on.
Description
1. Stick to the assignmetn and don’t talk about unrelated things.
2. Give some support to your answer (related details)
3. Use adjectives and adverbs to make it more interesting to read.
Include some descriptive adjectives and adverbs to make this paragraph a little bit more interesting (mysterious, ragged, exact, eventually, unexpected,
brutally).
In your description you describe whatever you feel like
True
False
In your description you use lots of descriptive adjectives
True
False
Discussion
The next step is the discussion.
There is usually some part in which you have to give your opinion in every review writing task (that’s what discussion really means.)
Read the instructions and discuss what you have to discuss!
Discussion
2. Use specific language to give your opinion:
o In my opinion/view, …
o For me, …
o I think/believe/feel that …
o I would say that …
o It seems to me that …
Discussion
It is really important to keep the following things in mind:
1. Don’t write about things that are not in the task.
2. Use specific language to give your opinion.
In your discussion you give your opinion
True
False
Recommendation
The last part of your review is a recommendation for your readers.
Again: you have to use specific language to please the reader and to make it clear to the reader that you are recommending something (or not).
Recommendation
1. Don’t mix up the recommendation with the other parts of your review.
2. Use specific language to give recommendations:
3. Write a final sentence to conclude the review.
Recommendation
2. Use specific language to give recommendations:
o I really recommend reading this book.
o I really suggest reading this book.
o I recommend that you read this book.
o I suggest that you read this book.
o You should read this book.
o You might want to read this book.
Write down one or more ways to recommend reading a book.