Ready, set, action:

Talking about movies in English.

by Muireann Prendergast

Talking about movies is a great way to practice informal English. It is also a

good way to learn to speak about your interests and pastimes. Let’s look at

some of the vocabulary involved as well as some possible question and answer-

style scenarios.

What’s your favorite genre?

Romantic comedy (also called rom-com), Comedy, Science Fiction (also called sci-fi), Horror, Foreign language, Animated movies, Documentaries, Action, Western, Political, Independent.

Why do you like this genre?

If it is because these movies are exciting you can say:

They keep me at the edge of my seat.

They are fast-paced and I am never bored.

If it is because you like the music you can say:

I generally like the soundtrack to these movies.

If it is because you like to see the technology used to make them you can say:

I think the special effects used to make these movies are very impressive.

If you like the issues they raise you can say:

I can relate to the subject-matter of these movies.

Or

I think the issues they raise are realistic.

Or

I like them because they are frequently controversial.

If you like the movies that you can watch with your whole family, you can say:

I like them because they are family-orientated.

How did your favorite movie do at the box office?

Very well. It was a/an:

Major Blockbuster; An academy-award (Oscar) winner; Critically-praised; Not so well. It was a: Flop; Straight to-DVD movie.

Who is your favorite actor?

Vocabulary to describe your favorite actors and actresses includes the following:

Handsome (or pretty is you are talking about a woman), Cute, Attractive, Good-looking, Beautiful, Glamorous, Funny, Humorous, Quirky, Versatile.

Vocabulary to describe your least favorite actors and actresses includes the following:

Plain, Unattractive, Silly, Too extrovert, Overrated, Dull.

If you want to talk about the important actors in the film you can use the terms:

Lead actor/actress, Villain, Bad-guy, supporting role or character.

Some useful vocabulary to describe character traits of protagonists and supporting actors/actresses is:

Ambitious, Arrogant, Childish, Cruel, Feminine, Foolish, Hostile, Indifferent, Irresponsible, Intense, Loyal, Manipulative, Needy, Open-minded, Pathetic, Shy, Social, Sympathetic, Trusting, Unconventional, Vulnerable.

Activity:

Think about your favourite movie. Now, answer the following questions. This will help you plan your speaking task about movies.

What words from the list of possible character traits above would you use to

describe:

1. The female protagonist?

2. The male character?

3. What do you think is the genre of this movie?

4. What do you like/dislike about this movie?

5. How do you think it performed at the box office?

Adapted  from:  http://www.skypeenglishclasses.com  FTellez_2014