2. Exam information
You may be asked to write a review as one of the tasks in the Level 2
Writing Exam.
It could be a review of an item you purchased or a leisure experience.
The purpose for writing a review is to give a detailed opinion. But
you may also have to give information or a description.
Pearson Edexcel format requirements for a review are that you
include a title saying what is being reviewed.
3. What is a review?
A review is an evaluation of an experience: a movie, play or
TV programme you’ve seen, a book you’ve read, a meal you’ve
eaten or music you’ve listened to.
Reviews are subjective because they always contain opinions.
Critics make a living by writing reviews for newspapers or
magazines.
4. Let’s take a look at an exam writing task for a review...
5. You can select one of the suggestions from the
Information box or choose to write about a choice
of your own.
Your audience is a community website. This
means that you are writing for people you may not
know personally. You may also be writing for a wide
range of ages.
The bullet points tell you that need to write three
paragraphs.
6. Reviews usually contain a mixture of
information, description and
opinion.
Try to incorporate some of the
following language features when
writing a review...
7. Giving information
When you are asked to give information, you might use:
Facts
Dates
Figures or numbers
Times (e.g. opening/closing times)
Statistics (e.g. percentages)
8. Expressing an opinion
When you are asked to express your opinion, you might use:
Opinion phrases such as “In my opinion...”, “I honestly feel...”,
“I believe...”, “Trust me...”, “Take my word for it...”
Hyperbole (deliberate over-exaggeration), e.g. “the best in the
world...”, “an unbeatable experience...”, “the greatest movie ever
made...”
9. Writing to describe
When you are asked to describe, you might use:
Adjectives (words that describe nouns)
Similes (comparing one thing to another thing using “like” or
“as”
Onomatopoeia (a word that imitates a sound, e.g. crunch,
smash, crisp, snap)
Alliteration (two or more words, next to or close to each other,
beginning with the same letter, e.g. crumbly cake, drums in the
distance, sing any song you select)
Superlatives (e.g. best, greatest, happiest, cleanest, brightest)
We will be looking at some of these language features in more detail in a later class covering the Reading Exam.
10. You can also use...
Direct address - addressing the reader directly (e.g. you, your)
Rule of three - using three words (e.g. friendly, courteous and
welcoming staff; a warm, pleasant and relaxing atmosphere; the
service was prompt, efficient and polite)
Rhetorical questions - a question asked for effect rather than a
Yes or No answer (e.g. What are you waiting for? Isn’t it time you
switched to a healthier diet? Shouldn’t we all care more about
the environment?)
We will be looking at some of these language features in more detail in a later class covering the Reading Exam.
11. Let’s now look at how to plan a review for the writing task...
12. Purpose - to inform, to describe, to explain
Audience - community website
Takeaway food - Fish and chips
Title - “The best fish and chips in the world!”
Paragraph 1
where - 21 High Street, Castletown
how often - visit 3 times a week
Paragraph 2
food - cooked to perfection, melts in your mouth,
crispy chips, golden batter
staff - welcoming, always a smile
service - second to none
Paragraph 3
top quality of food, staff and service
How the plan relates to the task
13. The best fish and chips in the world!
The Golden Fish is the must-go-to takeaway for the most delicious fish and chips you’ll ever
have the pleasure of eating! You can find it on High Street in the heart of Newtown. Opening
times are 11 a.m. until 12 p.m. Monday to Friday, 12 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m.
until 5 p.m. on Sunday. I have been a devoted customer since The Golden Fish first opened
two years ago. I usually visit three times a week because fish and chips is absolutely my
favourite takeaway food.
You have a choice of cod or haddock and the fish is always cooked to perfection — it melts in
your mouth, so fresh you can almost smell the sea! The batter is light and golden, never
overcooked, but simply perfect every time. As for the chips, they are freshly cooked to order, so
you never get chips that have been warmed up. They couldn’t be any better — beautifully crisp
on the outside and as soft and fluffy as a cloud on the inside. The staff are so welcoming and
always greet you with a smile. Going to The Golden Fish is like visiting friends you have known
for years, while the service is second to none!
The top quality of the food and service, along with the friendliness of the staff, are the reasons I
keep returning to The Golden Fish. So what are you waiting for? Try the best fish and chips in
the world for yourself! Take my word for it, you won’t be disappointed!
266 words
14. The best fish and chips in the world!
The Golden Fish is the must-go-to takeaway for the most
delicious fish and chips you’ll ever have the pleasure of eating!
You can find it on High Street in the heart of Newtown. Opening
times are 11 a.m. until 12 p.m. Monday to Friday, 12 p.m. until 8
p.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. on Sunday. I have
been a devoted customer since The Golden Fish first opened
two years ago. I usually visit three times a week because fish
and chips is absolutely my favourite takeaway food.
You have a choice of cod or haddock and the fish is always
cooked to perfection — it melts in your mouth, so fresh you can
almost smell the sea! The batter is light and golden, never
overcooked, but simply perfect every time. As for the chips, they
are freshly cooked to order, so you never get chips that have
been warmed up. They couldn’t be any better — beautifully crisp
on the outside and as soft and fluffy as a cloud on the inside.
The staff are so welcoming and always greet you with a smile.
Going to The Golden Fish is like visiting friends you have known
for years, while the service is second to none!
The top quality of the food and service, along with the
friendliness of the staff, are the reasons I keep returning to The
Golden Fish. So what are you waiting for? Try the best fish and
chips in the world for yourself! Take my word for it, you won’t be
disappointed!
Appropriate title
Factual information
Use of adjectives (e.g. delicious, devoted,
favourite, fresh, light, golden, perfect,
welcoming)
Use of similes (e.g. as soft and fluffy as a
cloud, like visiting friends)
Use of exclamation marks for emphasis
Use of rhetorical question (e.g. So what are
you waiting for?)
Use of opinion phrases (e.g. must-go-to
takeaway, couldn’t be any better, second to
none, Take my word for it, you won’t be
disappointed)
15. To recap...
Reviews usually contain a mixture of information, description and
opinion.
If you have to write a review in the Pearson Edexcel Writing Exam,
you must include a title appropriate to what is being reviewed.
Use language features such as adjectives, similes, superlatives,
facts and opinion phrases.
16. Homework
Practice writing your own review.
Try using some of the language features
referred to.
Don’t forget to include all the required
details highlighted by the bullet points.
It is a Task 1 so you will be writing three
paragraphs - one for each bullet point.
