Write a B2 First review with ease

You have mastered the B2 First essay in Writing part 1, now it is time to turn your attention to part 2. Well, you have a lot of options – an email, an article, a review and a report. Let’s start with reviews. I find them quite entertaining to write. So, here is my take on them.

First things first. What is a review?

It is a semi-formal piece of writing where you describe a book, film, experience, product or place. Express your opinion about it and then recommend it or not to your readers. The style needs to be engaging so make sure you come up with a good title.

Let’s talk about its structure.

Title

As I mentioned before, you need a title. This is something that makes it different from the essay, for example.

In terms of paragraphs. You can write 4 or 5 of them. Let’s break them down.

Introduction

Say what you are reviewing and why. A good strategy here is to start with a question.

Example: Have you ever read a book that transported you into an entirely new world? Well, that’s how I felt when I read Dune.

If coming up with questions isn’t your thing. Try something along those lines.

Example: I’m not the kind of person who would go to musicals but when a friend suggested going to Lion King I jumped on the opportunity. To tell the truth, it didn’t disappoint.

Remember to keep your style friendly and conversational. Not too informal, though. It’s not an informal email. But definitely stay away from the neutral style used in essays.

Description

Now, you need to tell your readers what the thing that you are reviewing is about. If it is a book or a film, describe briefly the plot. If it is a place let’s say a hotel, tell us where it is located, the type of hotel, etc. Include details about where and when you experienced this thing or product.

In this paragraph, take advantage of the opportunity to showcase some vocabulary on the topic.

A film – main character, love story, based on, set in, etc.

A website – features, it helps you do A or B, click, download, etc

Example: It is a science fiction film about a desert planet called Arrakis where a substance called the spice is produced. Paul Atreides is the main character. He is about to become a Messiah for the local people by ingesting the spice and then the leader of the rebels.

Likes and Dislikes

This can be 1 or 2 paragraphs according to your preferences. It is time to express your opinion. Usually task questions are provided to guide you in writing this part. Say what you liked and what you didn’t like by talking about specific scenes, characters, features or experiences. Make sure you use opinion adjectives and more topic vocabulary.

Example: Having read the book, I was amazed by the accuracy of the film and the quality of the special effects. The highlight was the scenes in the desert and how they depicted the worms. If I had to point out something negative about it, I might say it felt a bit slow at times. However, this doesn’t change my mind that it is a must-see.

Recommendation

So we don’t have a traditional conclusion here. In the last paragraph, you have to say if you recommend or not the thing that you were writing about. You can also mention what kind of people you find it suitable for.

Example: If you are a sci-fi fan like me, then you’ll definitely enjoy watching Dune in the cinema. It is much better than earlier versions and I believe it will become a classic and it’s totally worth seeing.

In a nutshell

Writing a review doesn’t have to be stressful. Think of it as sharing your opinion with a friend, just in a bit more structured way.

So to help you with organising your thoughts, I have created a B2 First review template and checklist. There are some useful phrases, too. You can download it here.

If you want to work on your Writing skills more in depth, check out my B2 First Writing skills course. And if you want to study accompanied by a teacher and get your B2 First certificate, my Boost your B2 First skills programme might be for you.

Need advice on the best course of action? Contact me!