Now that Christmas is coming the school has asked students to write a contribution for the school blog. On one of your Whatsapp groups some members are sharing Christmas adverts. After watching the two adverts below (Hafod Hardware & John Lewis),you decide to write a review for the school blog describing and comparing them. You can also recommend readers to watch them or not.
Write a blog entry using about 200 words.
Useful vocabulary here:
Descriptive language:
Positive descriptions
It has a catchy slogan
The advert offers alluring images of It’s fairly entertaining
I found it very absorbing.
The ad is completely engrossing from start to finish.
I found the storyline so intriguing – I had absolutely no idea what was going to happen next.
The advert has a gripping storyline. It is gripping to the very end and also brilliantly acted.
You’ll love the ad – it’s riveting stuff. The boy gives a riveting performance.
I find adverts like these compulsive viewing.
I found the advert very compelling. It is hands down (easily and without any doubt) the best ad this year.
The kid gives a compelling/ memorable/ stunning performance.
Her performance is mesmerizing.
The acting is very convincing.
The advert is intense and exciting from beginning to end.
The acting is excellent and it is beautifully filmed with close-ups of...
It is both entertaining and educational.
It is highly enlightening/inspiring/ Nevertheless, it's an original, thought-provoking advert and certainly worth seeing. It is food for thought.
The advert provides a fascinating insight (understanding,vision) into the lifestyle in small villages.
No wonder the film has captured the imagination of audiences all over the world.
It's a deeply moving advert.
I admire the outstanding performance of the kid.
The ad conveys a powerful message
It's an innovative ad. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in human values. One particular strength of the advert is... The design/production/ performance/ advert is second to none (the best). I would strongly advise you to see it. Do not be put off (to make sb lose interest in or enthusiasm for sth.
Sp. Desanimar)by the topic/critics/song. It will have you roaring with laughter (laugh very loudly). Hats off to the kid who gives a stunning performance. He is remarkably convincing For me, The strength of this ad lies in its powerful acting
and mundane (ordinary) realism. This ad is a definite must-see.
You won't be disappointed.
I would urge you to watch it.
Don't miss it!
As a Christmas fan... Beinga mad Christmas enthusiast...
I am especially pleased with...
The highlight for me is...
What catches my attention in particular is...
It is certainly worth seeing.
It's well worth a watch. It certainly made me look at Christmas in a different way!
Negative descriptions
The only drawback is...
I feel less happy about...
It doesn't live up to expectations
It probably won't appeal to...
I found the advert rather underwhelming It's a clichéd /ˈkliːʃeɪd/ Christmas ad. There are
two versions of this excruciating/ɪkˈskruːʃieɪtɪŋ/ ad. The ad is
excruciatingly boring. Implausible: Not seeming reasonable or probable; failing to convince;
not believable. Sp. Inverosímil. E.g. A rather implausible story. Overhyped: promoted or publicized to excess exaggerating its good
qualities, in order to get a lot of public attention for it: Influencers
overhyped the ad. Sentimental: producing emotions such as pity, romantic love or sadness,
which may be too strong or not appropriate; feeling these emotions too much.
Sp. Sensiblero: a slushy, sentimental story Slushy: stories, films / movies or feelings that are considered to be
silly and without value because they are too emotional and romantic. Corny. Sp. Sensiblero: e.g. a slushy Christmas ad cheesy: 1. not very good or original, and without style, in a way that is embarrassing but amusing. E.g. a cheesy ad.That’s the cheesiest storyline I’ve ever seen. 2. too emotional or romantic, in a way that is embarrassing. E.g.a cheesy love song.a cheesy ad. drippy: boring, stupid and weak or sentimental. E.g.her drippy boyfriend. A drippy advert. Tedious: lasting or taking too long and not interesting. Boring. E.g. A
very long and tedious advert. Unconvincing: not seeming true or real; not making you believe that sth
is true: e.g.
I find the characters in the ad very unconvincing.
However, I found the plot rather predictable/disappointing. I felt dissatisfied and slightly depressed by the advert's message. I found the plot a little too simple. The girl's character is too over-the-top to be convincing. The advert has an unusual and rather old-fashioned message. One particular weakness of the film is... The music is not its best feature I would strongly advise you not to see it. I would definitely give it a miss (decide not to do sth.) Don't waste your time!
Conclusion:
Finally,... Lastly,…To sum up,... All things considered,... All in all,…(with everything considered) In conclusion,... In general,…On
the whole…
Expressing personal opinion:
For my part,... In
my view… As I saw it,... To my mind,...
Sample sentences to describe it:
Here’s what happens. A little boy wakes up. He brushes his teeth, eats his breakfast and goes to work. He opens the shop, fixes a broom; he cleans the counter and restocks the shelves. He serves a customer, does a bit of accounting, serves another customer. At the end of the day he switches off the light, bends down to pick up a Christmas tree and – PLOT TWIST! – he’s actually a 30-year-old man. The message comes up: ‘Be a kid this Christmas’. The end
Read more about it: https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/dec/04/the-100-christmas-ad-that-blows-john-lewis-out-of-the-water
Watch the John Lewis advert:
Sample sentences to describe it:
This advert
features a young girl, Ava, and a dragon who cannot stop himself
spurting fire, disrupting Christmas fun by melting a snowman and
burning down a Christmas tree. The story has a happy ending when Edgar uses his fiery breath to light the Christmas pudding for the village feast.
Read more about it here: https://www.theguardian.com/media/2019/nov/14/john-lewis-christmas-ad-excitable-dragon-edgar-waitrose
Aldi Christmas ad
Sample sentences to review this advert:
We see Kevin’s wife Katie and kids Jasper, Chantenay and Baby preparing for Christmas at home, with little carrot Baby announcing: ‘It’s not Christmas until my daddy gets home.’
Kevin is helped out by a hedgehog
Santa comes to save the day
Kevin meets a hedgehog, Harry, who attempts to help him by giving him a piggy back (to the theme of Pirates Of The Caribbean), but their madcap race is thwarted by ice and a big fall. But do not worry, as Santa is here to come to the rescue. Father Christmas finds Kevin and his hedgehog pal in the snow, and instead of taking them home in his sleigh, he hops onto his bicycle and flies through the air, ET style, with Kevin’s kids seeing the silhouette across the full moon. Kevin is reunited with his family in time for dinner, with Santa reading: ‘The magical moment was finally here, Christmas together with those you hold dear.
The ad is littered with cinematic references
While the ad steers clear of any mentions of Covid-19 and lockdown, the ‘getting home for Christmas’ message is sure to resonate at a time when the usual family festivities are up in the air. The ad instead opts for plenty of references to classic films – and you may notice another starry cameo in the form of the man in the big red suit.
- In this task you are going to have a natural conversation with your partner.
- Your examiners will evaluate to what extent you can hold a conversation and collaborate with a partner. Remember to organise your message well. Use a wide range of vocabulary and grammar structures as well as linking devices. Pay attention to your pronunciation and fluency. Avoid mistakes!
-Here are some tips to improve your communicating skills.
Common words and expressions for interaction:
GIVING YOUR OPINION
I think / feel / believe that...
As far as I'm concerned...
As I see it...
To my mind...
In my view / opinion...
From my point of view / perspective...
I tend to think that...
It seems to me that...
To my knowledge...
I have the impression that...
I reckon... (informal)
For my part...
I'm of the mind that...
The way I see it...
I look at it like this...
I'm a firm / big believer in...
Look, here's what I think...
If you ask me...
I hold the view that...
I'd personally say that...
In all honesty, my view is that...
Personally, I feel that...
Note on usage: We use "from my point of view" to express how we see something or how it affects us personally. When expressing beliefs or general opinions, we use "in my opinion" or "in my view".
Example 1: From my point of view, driving is not a good option. I get very tired if I drive more than about two hours.
Example 2: I spent two months working in England. From my point of view, that was the easiest way to learn English. (How the speaker is personally affected)
Example 3: In my opinion / In my view, in 100 years' time people will still be wearing jeans.
Example 4: In my view, everyone should stay in school until they are 18.
GIVING A STRONG OPINION
I'm absolutely convinced that...
I'm sure that...
I strongly believe that...
I have no doubt that...
There's no doubt that...
My own view is that...
I'm absolutely certain that...
If you want my honest opinion...
To tell you the truth / to be honest / frank...
I feel very strongly that...
EXPRESSING UNCERTAINTY & SOFTENING OPINIONS
I definitely doubt if that...
I'm uncertain / not sure that...
As far as I know...
It is very doubtful whether...
I don't know about you, but I...
It is questionable whether...
I am inclined to believe that...
I guess on the other side of the coin, you could argue that...
I guess on the other side of that, though, you could argue that if...
GIVING OPINIONS USING IMPERSONAL LANGUAGE
It is vital that more is done to prevent the illegal trade in wild animals. (Compare: We have to do more to stop people trading wild animals illegally.)
Journalists play a vital / crucial / essential role in educating the public.
The ability to write well is essential for any journalist.
The Internet has become an indispensable tool for reporters.
In journalism, accuracy is paramount / is of paramount importance.
It is imperative that journalists maintain the highest possible standards of reporting.
This case emphasizes / highlights the importance of honest communication between managers and employees.
It should be noted that / It is important to remember that / An important point to remember is that...
I would like to draw attention to the role of listening in effective communication.
MAKING AN OPINION SOUND LESS DEFINITE (HEDGING)
Most cybercrime involves traditional crimes, such as theft and fraud, being committed in new ways. Phishing is perhaps / possibly / probably the best-known example of this.
It seems / appears that the more personal data which organizations collect, the more opportunity there is for this data to be lost or stolen.
It seems clear that introducing national ID cards would do little to prevent identity theft.
It could be argued that the introduction of national ID cards might actually make identity theft easier.
It is possible that / It may be that the only way to protect ourselves against DNA identity theft is to avoid the creation of national DNA databases.
PERSONALISING THE TOPIC
As far as I'm concerned...
Speaking from personal experience I'd say that...
In my experience...
I often find that...
In my case...
Speaking for me personally...
From what I've seen...
I can't speak for anyone else, but in my case...
This is a topic that is close to my heart because...
This really resonates with me personally because...
OPINION, SPECULATION AND JUSTIFICATION
Personally I feel that... Let me explain why.
As I see it... The reason is...
It seems to me that... This is because...
This issue appears / seems to be... I would argue that for the following reasons:
It is likely to be...
It might be...
It could be described as...
I am convinced that...
I am of the opinion that...
The reasons why I believe that are as follows:
I think it is true that...
It beggars belief how our world has changed in such a short time.
It happened in such a way that beggars belief. (beggar belief: to be too extreme to believe)
This is really unusual in the sense that...
I am sure / I doubt whether...
BALANCING & CONTRASTING ARGUMENTS
It is true that... On the other hand,...
While nobody can deny that..., I would like to point out that...
At first sight it seemed to be..., but in fact it was...
I agree that... But for all that, it... (for all that: in spite of something just mentioned)
Although it is true that..., we must take into account that...
It could be argued that... However, I would like to point out that...
Despite all the arguments, I still feel that...
Notwithstanding the present circumstances, there is a lot we can still do.
What is particularly spectacular / interesting is...
What is interesting about this, though, is that...
I would like to stress that...
It should be noted that...
It is worth bearing in mind that...
I was rather disappointed by...
My overall impression was that...
I was less happy with...
Her reaction / behaviour struck me as odd. She struck me as being... (strike somebody as something: to give somebody a particular impression)
GENERALIZING
On the whole, it appears / seems that...
In general...
Generally speaking...
Broadly speaking...
By and large...
ATTITUDE ADVERBS & CONNECTORS
Annoyingly...
Naturally...
Strangely...
Interestingly... (in a way that attracts attention because it is special or unusual. E.g., Interestingly, there are very few recorded cases of such attacks.)
Surprisingly...
Evidently...
Indeed...
In fact...
Admittedly... (used when accepting that something is true. E.g., Admittedly, it was a risky decision.)
Presumably...
I am sure that you would thoroughly enjoy...
While some people will love..., others may feel less happy.
Having said that, though, I would like to add / point out that...
A major problem is that...
REFLECTING WITH HINDSIGHT
On reflection, I think that...
With hindsight it is easy to say that...
What looks obvious in hindsight was not at all obvious at the time.
It's easy to criticize with the benefit of hindsight. (hindsight: understanding a situation only after it has happened)
In retrospect, I think that it was wrong.
The decision seems extremely odd, in retrospect. (in retrospect: thinking about a past event with a different perspective)
It is clear that...
We must take into account the fact that...
It goes without saying that...
Needless to say...
It seemed...
This means that...
This is largely due to the fact that it might have happened...
SHOWING INTEREST & ACTIVE LISTENING
NEUTRAL & PASS-THROUGH RESPONSES (Keeping the conversation flowing)
Uh-huh
Right! / Right, right.
I see!
Gotcha.
Fair enough.
Mm-hmm.
Totally.
SHOWING COMPREHENSION & EMPATHY
I know. / I know (just) what you mean.
I understand that.
I hear you! / I hear what you're saying.
I get you. / I get where you're coming from.
I can relate to that.
That makes complete sense.
PROMPTING FOR MORE INFORMATION
Really?
Why was that?
Tell me more!
What happened next?
How so?
And then what?
What made you say/do that?
POSITIVE & ENTHUSIASTIC REACTIONS
That's interesting!
That's amazing!
That sounds great / amazing!
How wonderful / exciting!
You're so lucky! / Lucky you!
That must have been lovely!
That sounds like so much fun!
That's incredible!
Wow, that's awesome!
SYMPATHETIC & COMPASSIONATE REACTIONS
That's a pity! / That's a shame! / What a pity! / What a shame!
What a nightmare! What an ordeal!
That sounds awful / horrible / depressing / embarrassing.
How terrible / awful / frustrating!
Oh no, I'm so sorry to hear that.
That must have been tough / hard.
SURPRISE, DISBELIEF & INTENSE REACTIONS
I can't believe it! / I don't believe it!
No!? / No way!
You're having me on! (informal: to try to make someone believe something untrue, usually as a joke)
Oh my goodness!
How ironic!
Are you serious? / Serious?
You're joking! / You must be joking!
Shut up! (very informal, used to express friendly shock)
You've got to be kidding me!
CONVERSATIONAL ANCHORS (Showing active listening)
As you said before, ... (referring back to what the other speaker said)
Tag questions (e.g., "You like science fiction films, don't you?" / "She didn't, did she?")
Speaking of which, ...
That reminds me of what you were saying about...
Like you mentioned earlier, ...
SEQUENCING & ORDERING POINTS
BEGINNING & INTRODUCING THE FIRST POINT
Firstly, ...
In the first place, ...
To begin with, ...
To start with, I should point out that...
First and foremost, ...
To kick things off, ... (Informal)
For a start, ...
By way of introduction, ...
CONTINUING & ADDING SUBSEQUENT POINTS
Secondly, I would like to say that...
Thirdly, ...
Another point to remember is...
On top of that, ...
Following on from that, ...
Secondary to this is the fact that...
Equal in importance is...
FINAL POINTS IN A SEQUENCE
Last but not least, I would like to add that...
To finish with, I would like to say that...
Finally, ...
As a final point, ...
Last of all, ...
ADDING INFORMATION & BUILDING AN ARGUMENT
FORMAL & ACADEMIC ADDITIONS
In addition, ...
Furthermore, ...
Moreover, ...
What is more, ...
Besides, ...
Not only that, but...
Along with this, ...
USING GERUNDS / PARTICIPIAL STRUCTURES (High-level sentence variety)
In addition to being challenging, it...
As well as being interesting, it...
Apart from being expensive, it...
Besides providing great benefits, it also...
On top of being time-consuming, it...
REINFORCING A PREVIOUS POINT
Crucially, it should also be noted that...
Indeed, ... / In fact, ...
To reinforce this point, ...
Equally important is the fact that...
What makes this even more significant is...
CONCLUDING, SUMMARIZING & WEIGHING UP
WEIGHING UP ARGUMENTS (Balanced conclusions)
On balance, it seems to me that...
All things considered, I believe that...
All in all, I think that...
Weighing up both sides, ...
Taking everything into account, ...
SUMMARIZING & CONCLUDING
To sum up, I believe that...
In conclusion, ...
To conclude, I'd like to mention that...
To put it in a nutshell, ... (Idiomatic/Conversational)
In short, ... / In brief, ...
Ultimately, ...
The takeaway point here is that...
DIRECTING & SHIFTING THE CONVERSATION
INTRODUCING A RELATED TOPIC (Natural Transitions)
Speaking of [topic]...
That reminds me of...
On that note,...
Funny you should mention that, because...
Speaking of which,...
While we're on the subject of [topic]...
That brings to mind...
INTRODUCING A NEW TOPIC OR CHANGING DIRECTION
By the way,...
Incidently,...
Changing the subject slightly,...
On a completely different note,...
Before I forget,...
Oh, while I have you,...
That's interesting, but on a separate point,...
STEERING THE CONVERSATION BACK TO A PREVIOUS TOPIC
As you said before,...
Going back to what you were saying about [topic]...
To get back to what we were talking about earlier,...
As we were saying,...
Coming back to your earlier point,...
To circle back to [topic] for a second,...
DIRECTLY BRINGING UP A SPECIFIC SUBJECT
I wanted to ask you about...
Have you heard about...?
Did you happen to see/read about...?
What are your thoughts on...?
I've been meaning to talk to you about...
On the topic of [topic],...
FILLER EXPRESSIONS & HESITATION STRATEGIES
BUYING TIME & THINKING ALOUD (Gaining a moment to process your thoughts)
So,...
Well,...
Let me see...
Let's see now...
How can I put it? / How shall I put this?
Let me think for a second...
What's the word I'm looking for...?
To be honest,... / Honestly,...
Truth be told,...
CLARIFYING, EXPLAINING & REPHRASING
I mean,...
..., you see, ...
What I'm trying to say is...
What I mean is...
In other words,...
Or rather,...
To put it another way,...
Like,... (Very informal)
CHECKING UNDERSTANDING & ENGAGING THE LISTENER
You know,...
You know what I mean?
Right?
..., if you know what I'm saying.
Mind you,...
Don't get me wrong,...
As you can imagine,...
SOFTENING CLAIMS & HEDGING (Making statements less direct)
Sort of... / Kind of...
Somewhere around...
Pretty much...
More or less...
I guess... / I suppose...
In a way... / In a sense...
Basically,...
Actually,...
RESUMING OR RESETTING YOUR TRAIN OF THOUGHT
Anyway,...
Anyhow,...
At any rate,...
Where was I?
As I was saying,...
KEEPING YOUR LISTENER ENGAGED
RHETORICAL QUESTIONS (Prompting the listener to think without expecting an instant answer)
What do I mean by that?
Is smoking dangerous? Of course it is.
Isn't it extraordinary how / that...?
Doesn't it make you feel more optimistic about your own future?
Wouldn't you agree that...?
Who wouldn't want to...?
Why does this matter? Because...
What's the takeaway here?
INVITING REFLECTION & IMAGINATIVE SCENARIOS
Have you ever wondered why...?
Have you ever wondered...?
Have you ever had a secret ambition?
What would your life be like if...?
What would you do if...?
Are you one of those people who tend to...?
How would you feel if...?
Picture this: ...
Have you ever found yourself in a situation where...?
USING IMPERATIVES (Direct commands to guide attention)
