How to write a review?

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• mavo, havo
• Leerjaar 2,3

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?

1. explain what the main character did
2. what you liked about the main character

What to include?

1. what surprised you the most about the book
2. why it was suprising what the main character did

What to include?

1. what your favourite film genre is
2. 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?

1. 3
2. 4
3. 5
4. 6

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?)

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.

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.

1. True
2. False

Starting your introduction with a personalised question is a good idea

1. True
2. 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

1. True
2. False

In your description you use lots of descriptive adjectives

1. True
2. 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

1. True
2. 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.