23 Films and books

A Talking about films and books

When a new book or film comes out, newspapers and websites, like BookLikes and IMDb,
will review it. The people who review the book/film are called book reviewers / film critics
and they write book/film reviews. If they don’t like a book/film they give it a bad review.
We can say that a novel or film is based on a true story. We say that a book/film captures
an atmosphere or that a book/film deals with a topic. We talk about the opening/closing
scenes of a film and the opening/closing chapters of a book. We talk about the beginning
and end of a book/film (NOT start and finish). If everything works out well for the central
characters, we say that the book/film has a happy ending. You may recommend a book/film
that you enjoyed to a friend. If a lot of people have enjoyed it, it is highly recommended.

b Just about films and acting

I’ve never had any desire to go on the stage1 myself but I’d love to produce a film. I think
historical dramas work particularly well on the big screen2 and I’d love to make a film about
Vikings in Britain. There’d be plenty of opportunities to use special effects3 during battle
scenes. I’d want the male lead4 to be played by Hugh Jackman, while Jennifer Lawrence
could have the female lead. Liam Neeson could play the role of a Viking warrior and I’d like
Judi Dench to take on a cameo role5. I’m sure that, as always, she would give an excellent
performance. My dream is to make a film that would be nominated for an Oscar6. Of course,
I’d also like it to be an immediate box-office hit7, playing to full houses8 worldwide.
1 5
become an actor small but special part
2 6
the cinema put on the official list of people in the film world
3
powerful visual effects,  who may receive a special prize (an Oscar)
7
often created using technology extremely successful with audiences
4 8
main male part cinemas/theatres with no empty seats
Other strong collocations are cast a film [select the actors for a film], star in a film, shoot a film,
make a film.

c Just about books, audiobooks and e-books

collocation example
be engrossed/absorbed Claudia was so engrossed/absorbed in her book that she didn’t hear me.
in a book
compulsive reading Many people find articles about the private lives of film stars compulsive
reading. [so interesting you can’t stop reading]

bedtime reading I don’t think a horror story makes good bedtime reading.
an easy read Detective stories are good for train journeys as they’re an easy read.
download an audiobook / You can look up the latest book releases and download an audiobook
an e-book reader app from the iTunes store. I've just helped my mother download an e-book reader
app on her tablet.

flick/skim through a book Mona flicked/skimmed through the book without reading it in detail.
beautifully written The book is beautifully written – I highly recommend it.

Common mistakes
Critics review books and films, NOT criticise them. To criticise a book or film means to say negative
things about it.
Remember that you watch television, NOT see television, but you can see or watch a film or
programme on television. We usually say see a film at the cinema.

50 English Collocations in Use Intermediate

 Exercises
23.1 Use collocations from A opposite instead of the underlined words in this conversation.
The conversation has no errors, but the changes will improve it.
Matthew: Have you downloaded that new e-book that has just appeared about Ireland?
Camilla: No, I don’t use my e-book reader app much and I don’t visit websites with
articles discussing new books. What’s it about?
matthew: Well, it concerns the Irish War of Independence. It’s very authentic and it
manages to give the atmosphere of Ireland at the beginning of the 20th century.
camilla: Is it just historical facts, then?
matthew: No, the main people are two brothers who have different opinions about the
war and this divides their family. In the first chapters they’re happy and do
everything together, but by the last chapter they have become enemies.
camilla: Mm, it sounds a bit depressing to me.
Matthew: Well, it certainly doesn’t finish in a happy way, but I liked it, and it’s
recommended very much by all the critics.
camilla: So, a book with a pleasant start and a sad finish. Not for me, I’m afraid.
I prefer the opposite.
23.2 Complete the crossword.
1 2 Across
3 I was completely in my book and
3 4 didn’t realise how late it had got.
5 An alternative to 3 across.
6 He wants to go on the . He’s always
wanted to be an actor.
7 Who played the male in Destination
5 Saturn?

Down
1 role means ‘small but special part
6 in a film/play’.
2 The film was for an Oscar but it
didn’t win.
4 It was an amazing film about space
7 travel, with fantastic special .

23.3 Match the words in the box on the left with their collocations on the right.

full    big    bedtime screen    reading
female    box-office lead    hit    house

23.4 Complete these collocations.

1 shoot / star in / make a ..............................................
2 download an ..............................................
3 flick / skim through a ..............................................
4 compulsive / bedtime ..............................................

Over to you
Online bookshops, as well as book and film review websites, often have mini-reviews and descriptions
of books and films. Find a review of a book or film that you know and note down any interesting
collocations in it.

English Collocations in Use Intermediate 51