How to Write a Review (WJEC Eduqas GCSE English Language)

Revision Note

Deb Orrock

Written by: Deb Orrock

Reviewed by: Kate Lee

How to Write a Review

Writing a review is the least common option on the Component 2, Section B exam, but you should still be prepared for it to come up.

The following guide to writing a review in your Eduqas GCSE exam includes:

  • Key features of a review

  • Review tips

Key features of a review

A review is a format of writing in which you consider an event, experience, service or something watched or read, describe it and then provide opinions or judgements about it. A critic might write reviews for a living, and we may decide to watch or read something because they persuade us to do so.

A review may have different purposes, but its primary aim is to inform and describe. It may also:

  • Entertain, in that it provides opinion in a way that the reader enjoys

  • Analyse, weighing up whether the thing being reviewed is good or bad

  • Advise, recommending to the reader whether or not they should view, read or experience the subject of the review for themselves

See the below table for what to include in a review:

Review

In a review you should:

  • Use a clear, informative heading:

    • This could be as simple as the name of the thing being reviewed, such as the name of a film or book

  • Include an introduction that summarises what the review is about, including a brief description

  • State your opinions with supporting reasons:

    • Consider if it was effective — did you love it or hate it? Why?

    • You may use sub-headings in order to structure this part of your response

    • Use the bullet points in the task to guide you

  • Address your audience directly throughout:

    • Make it clear to the examiner that you have understood who your intended audience is

    • You can also do this by suggesting whether or not the intended reader would appreciate or like it

  • Be light-hearted and entertaining

  • Use topic sentences to begin each paragraph, and then develop that point appropriately and in detail

  • Ensure that each paragraph makes sense on its own — do not repeat points you have already made

  • Avoid beginning your review with “I’m writing this because...” or “In this review I shall be discussing…”

  • Make sure your review explains how you feel and why, not just what it is about:

    • A good review should clearly express your opinion

Because a review is intended for publication, it is important to use Standard English and to vary your sentence and paragraph lengths to keep your audience engaged.

Review tips

Once again, you should spend a few minutes planning the key points you are going to make in your review, before spending a maximum of 25 minutes writing. It can be helpful to number your ideas to structure your answer in a specific order.

Some key tips for writing a review in the exam include:

  • Mention the name of the author or director (if a film, TV programme or book) or anything specific, and clearly name the thing being reviewed in the title and first paragraph

  • Ensure you have conveyed the main theme or idea of the thing you are reviewing in your introduction:

    • Your reader should know immediately what your review is about

  • Consider the wider aspects of what you are reviewing:

    • Consider things such as actors, sequels, music or similarities to other things

  • Include what you like or dislike about it

  • Try to use a few short “quotes” or examples to illustrate your points:

    • These can be made up, but ensure they are credible

  • Justify your views

  • Organise your response into clear paragraphs

  • Finish with a conclusion, suggesting whether or not your intended audience will like the thing you are reviewing

Rеmеmbеr that to produce an effective response, you should aim to develop your points carefully in each paragraph, using language features and techniques to highlight ideas and emphasise your points. 

You can find a full worked example on our Review Model Answer page.

Examiner Tips and Tricks

A review should offer some kind of judgement and informed opinion. Weaker responses tend to be narrative and spend too long on background information or just describing the thing being reviewed, and not enough time on giving justified opinions. You can also include suggestions or advice about how the thing being reviewed could be made better.

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Deb Orrock

Author: Deb Orrock

Expertise: English Content Creator

Deb is a graduate of Lancaster University and The University of Wolverhampton. After some time travelling and a successful career in the travel industry, she re-trained in education, specialising in literacy. She has over 16 years’ experience of working in education, teaching English Literature, English Language, Functional Skills English, ESOL and on Access to HE courses. She has also held curriculum and quality manager roles, and worked with organisations on embedding literacy and numeracy into vocational curriculums. She most recently managed a post-16 English curriculum as well as writing educational content and resources.

Kate Lee

Author: Kate Lee

Expertise: English and Languages Lead

Kate has over 12 years of teaching experience as a Head of English and as a private tutor. Having also worked at the exam board AQA and in educational publishing, she's been writing educational resources to support learners in their exams throughout her career. She's passionate about helping students achieve their potential by developing their literacy and exam skills.