What 'entertainment' covers: Entertainment is part of the theme Human Ingenuity. You need vocabulary to talk about it — and to give your opinion about it.
What you need words for
- films
- music
- concerts
- TV
- video games
- going out
Use the list as a glossary: The words below are common English B vocabulary. Treat the list as a glossary: learn each term with its meaning and a synonym, then reuse them in the reading and writing sections.
- entertainment
- things that amuse or interest people in their free time — films, music, games, shows
- a show / a performance
- an event put on for an audience — a play, a concert, a comedy night
- a gig / a concert
- a live music event
- to stream / streaming
- to watch or listen online without downloading; the activity of doing so
- a (TV) series / a box set
- a set of episodes of one TV show
- to binge-watch
- to watch many episodes of a series one after another
- a video game / gaming
- an electronic game; the hobby of playing them
- the audience
- the people watching or listening to a performance
- to release / a release
- to make a film, song or game available to the public; the thing released
- entertaining
- enjoyable and interesting to watch, listen to or play
- dull / tedious
- boring; not interesting at all
- to recommend
- to suggest something to someone because you think they will like it
- a pastime / a hobby
- an activity you do for pleasure in your free time
| Useful expression | What it means |
|---|---|
| I love going to the cinema at weekends. | Going to see films is something I really enjoy doing. |
| That gig was a great night out. | The live concert was a really enjoyable evening. |
| I'd really recommend this series — it's gripping. | I think you should watch it; it holds your attention. |
| I spend too much time gaming. | I play video games more than I probably should. |
| I found the film a bit dull. | The film wasn't very interesting to me. |
Why this matters: This vocabulary turns up in every skill — a reading text about a show, a listening interview about a concert, a Paper 1 review or blog about a film, or your oral. Reusing precise topic words is how you score Criterion A (Language).
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Reading it is one thing — hearing it is another
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Have something to say: Examiners reward developed ideas, not just vocabulary. Take a position and back it up.
The common debates on entertainment
- Live shows vs streaming at home.
- Whether video games are a waste of time or a valuable pastime.
- How entertainment should respect other people.
Opinion phrases (use these to introduce a view)
- In my opinion… / From my point of view… — to introduce what you think
- It seems to me that… / I'd argue that… — a slightly softer way to give a view
- The best thing about it is… — to highlight your main point
- On the one hand… on the other hand… — to weigh up two sides
- I completely agree that… / I'm not convinced that… — to react to an idea
Too much screen time (drawbacks)
- We spend our free time in front of a screen instead of going out.
- Bingeing on a series can cost us hours of sleep.
- Very loud music can disturb the neighbours.
Creative entertainment (benefits)
- A good show helps us switch off and enjoy ourselves.
- Team video games can be a valuable, social pastime.
- Cinema and music bring us together with other people.
Games
- What video games teach: problem-solving, teamwork
- E-sports: a real career?
- Pitching a new game idea to a company
Screens and stages
- Streaming at home or a live show?
- Drive-in and outdoor cinemas are back
- Podcasts and audio drama
Making your own
- Starting a podcast with a friend
- A village film night, a school band
- Auditions and first big breaks
- e-sports
- video games played as competitive events, often watched online
- a pitch
- a short talk or text that tries to persuade someone to support your idea
- a target audience
- the group of people something is made for
- to stream (a film, a match)
- to watch or broadcast it over the internet as it plays
- an audition
- a short performance to show you are good enough for a role
- to sell out
- when every ticket for a show has been sold
Link your ideas: Connectors lift your answer from a list into an argument: moreover (to add), however (to contrast), therefore (to conclude), although (to concede). Use at least two or three in any written answer.
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Read like Paper 2: Here is a short blog post — the kind of text Paper 2 (Reading) gives you. Read it once just for the general idea; don't worry about every word. Then we'll work through one exam question together.
A night at the silent disco (1 of 3): Last Saturday I went to a silent disco in the village square — and it completely changed what I think entertainment can be.
Instead of loudspeakers, everyone wore wireless headphones and chose between three different music channels.
A night at the silent disco (2 of 3)
At first I felt strange dancing without hearing any noise around me, but I soon realised something lovely: we could enjoy the music without disturbing a single neighbour. The older people chatted quietly on the benches while we danced, and nobody complained.
A night at the silent disco (3 of 3)
I came home delighted and convinced that having fun doesn't have to mean making noise — entertainment can be respectful of other people too.
- a silent disco
- a dance event where music is played through headphones, not loudspeakers
- wireless headphones
- headphones with no cable, that receive sound by radio signal
- to disturb
- to interrupt or bother someone
- to complain
- to say you are unhappy or annoyed about something
- respectful (of others)
- considerate towards other people; not bothering them
IB-style task — one Paper 2 question
One question, step by step
- The question — "According to the text, what did people wear instead of using loudspeakers?"
- Find it in the text. Look for the words "instead of loudspeakers": "Instead of loudspeakers, everyone wore wireless headphones and chose between three different music channels."
- The answer — They wore wireless headphones. The words are right there in the text, so no outside knowledge is needed.
Reading technique: For an "according to the text" question, find the exact line that proves your answer — don't rely on memory or general knowledge.
The task: Your school magazine is running a culture-and-entertainment week. Write an interview with a student who tried an unusual night out: ask about the experience and include her advice for having fun in a different way.
Write 250–400 words.
Interview structure — 4 steps
1
Introduction
A title, then who the person is and why you talked to them. "This week we talked to Maya Jones, Year 12…"
2
Question and answer 1
Ask about the experience; let the answer give detail. "Q: What exactly is a silent disco? A: Everyone wears headphones…"
3
Question and answer 2
Ask for their opinion or advice. "Q: What advice would you give…? A: Choose a show…"
4
Closing
Thank the person and add a final detail. "Thank you, Maya."
Introduction → Q&A → Q&A → Closing
Model: the 4 steps in ~100 words
The interview, step by step
- A silent night out. This week we talked to Maya Jones, Year 12, about the most unusual party in town: a silent disco.
- Q: Maya, what exactly is a silent disco? A: Everyone wears headphones and dances to the same music, but the square stays completely quiet. Honestly, it was the most original night out I've had in ages.
- Q: What advice would you give students who want to try something new? A: Choose a show that's a bit different from what you usually do. And be considerate of the people around you when you go out — not a single neighbour complained that night.
- Thank you, Maya. The next silent disco is on 3 May in the village square.
Why it works: A strong interview does this for each of the three Paper 1 criteria:
A — Language /12
- Range of tenses: present perfect "I've had", past "complained", conditional "would you give"
- Connectors: "but", "and", "when"
- Topic vocabulary: night out, headphones, considerate
B — Message /12
- Task fully done: covers the experience AND her advice
- Answers give detail, not one-word replies
C — Conceptual /6
- Interview conventions: a title and an introduction of the person
- Question-and-answer layout
- A closing with thanks and a final detail
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How listening is tested: Paper 2 also tests listening: you hear short clips, each played twice, and you never see the words.
The listening method
- Read the questions first.
- Listen for the key idea.
- Then answer.
Practising with a transcript: Here we'll use a transcript so you can practise the technique on the page. Read the questions, then find the answer in the speaker's words.
Transcript — Leah's recommendations (1 of 2): Hi, I'm Leah, and here are two things to watch this week. The first is a quiz show called "Word by Word": it lasts an hour and the aim is to guess words faster than the other team.
Transcript — Leah's recommendations (2 of 2)
The second is a brand-new series about a band that starts out busking on the street and, little by little, ends up filling huge arenas. I love it because it mixes humour and emotion. One tip, though: watch it with friends — it's always more fun to talk about each episode together.
IB-style task — two listening questions
Two questions, step by step
- Q1 — How long does the quiz show "Word by Word" last? Listen just after the title: "it lasts an hour and the aim is to guess words faster than the other team." Answer: an hour.
- Q2 — What tip does Leah give for watching the series? She gives it at the end: "watch it with friends — it's always more fun to talk about each episode together." Answer: watch it with friends.
Listening technique: Read the questions before the clip plays. Each question usually points to one short part of the recording — listen for the words around it, not the whole thing.