How to Write a Review (Edexcel IGCSE English Language A)
Revision Note
Written by: Deb Orrock
Reviewed by: Kate Lee
Question 6 or 7 will ask you to write for a specific purpose and in a specific format. It is important to use the correct conventions of the format and directly focus your writing to its purpose, as the mark scheme rewards adapting tone, style and register for different forms, purposes and audiences.
This means:
The tone (the sound of the writer’s “voice”) is appropriate and convincing
The register (vocabulary and phrasing) is appropriately formal or informal, and suitable for the purpose
The style of the writing (sentence structure and overall structure) is dynamic and effective
The following guide will detail how to structure your response in the style of a review. It is divided into:
Key features of a review
Review structure
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 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 has different purposes, but its primary aim is to inform and describe. It may also:
Entertain, in that it provides opinion in a way 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
Some of the key features of a review include:
Review |
In a review you should:
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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 structure
As this is a longer writing question, and you should allocate 45 minutes to complete it. Spend about 5 minutes planning your answer, 35 minutes writing and 5 minutes at the end to re-read to check for any obvious errors.
To plan a range of points, you can:
Mind-map or write a list of points and techniques to use:
It can also be helpful to number your ideas to structure your answer in a specific order
It is important to use the bullet points given to you in the task to structure your response
Mention the name of the author/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 immediately know what it 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
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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