Review

What a 'review' is: A review is part of the media text types you can be asked to write in Paper 1. Its job is to describe a film, book, series, game, restaurant or event, evaluate it (good and bad points), and recommend it (or not) to a reader.

The words below are the building blocks of a review. Treat the list as a glossary: learn each term with its meaning and a synonym, then reuse them in the reading and writing sections.

review

a piece of writing that describes something and gives a judgement on it

to recommend

to tell someone something is worth seeing, reading or doing

plot / storyline

what happens in a story — the sequence of events

to be set in

to take place in a particular time or place

a strength / strong point

a good quality; something done well

a weakness / a flaw

a bad point; something that lets the work down

a spoiler

a detail that gives away the ending and ruins the surprise

the cast

the actors who appear in a film, play or series

gripping

so exciting that you can't stop watching or reading

predictable

easy to guess; with no surprises

overrated

praised more than it deserves

to be worth (watching / reading)

to be good enough to deserve your time

a cliffhanger

a tense, unresolved ending that makes you want more

Why this matters: A review has its own conventions: a catchy title, a brief description, a balanced judgement and a recommendation. Hitting those conventions is exactly what earns Criterion C (conceptual understanding), while reusing precise evaluative vocabulary earns Criterion A (language).

Why register matters in a review: Before you write, decide who you are writing for. A review usually appears in a magazine, blog or website for a general reader, so the register is semi-formal and evaluative, written in the first person ("I"). You describe, you judge, and you recommend — all in a lively but careful voice.

Describe, then judge: A common mistake is to only describe the plot. The marks come from the judgement: every point you describe should be followed by what you think of it and why. "The pace is fast — and that's exactly what keeps you hooked."

Read like Paper 2: Here is a short review — the kind of media text Paper 2 (Reading) gives you. Read it once just for the general idea, then we'll work through one exam question together and pick out the conventions of the text type.

Model review — "Mist on the Coast": A series that grips you from the very first minute

I have just finished "Mist on the Coast", a six-part mystery series directed by Lucia Ferran. Without giving anything away, it follows a young journalist who returns to her seaside village to investigate a disappearance.

The best thing, by far, is the atmosphere: the grey skies and empty beaches make every scene feel tense. The pace is excellent too — each episode ends on a cliffhanger. The only thing that lets it down is that a couple of the secondary characters are barely developed, so you never really care about them.

All in all, I would strongly recommend it, especially to anyone who enjoys a well-told mystery. Just don't start it on a school night — you won't be able to stop watching!

to give something away

to reveal a secret, e.g. the ending

to follow (a character)

to be about; to centre on

tense

full of anxious anticipation; nerve-racking

to let something down

to be the disappointing part of it

well-told

told skilfully, in an engaging way

Spot the conventions: Notice how the model works: a catchy title, a brief description ("it follows a young journalist…"), a balanced judgement (the best thing… the only thing that lets it down…), and a closing recommendation. Those four moves ARE the review.

The task: Your school magazine publishes reviews for students. Write a review of a film, book or series you have seen or read recently: describe it briefly, give your opinion with strengths and weaknesses, and recommend it (or not) to your classmates.

Use a semi-formal, lively register in the first person. Write 250–400 words.

Why it scores: This answer hits all three Paper 1 criteria — here's what earns each one:

Write the review in three moves: A long review can feel overwhelming. Break it into three short moves — opening, body, closing — and write each one well. Get all three right and you have a complete review that hits every criterion.

Here we'll plan a review of a concert you went to, one move at a time.

Why build by parts: Writing the review in three moves means you never forget the judgement or the recommendation — the two things students most often leave out. That alone protects your Criterion B and C marks.