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6C Everyday English

Visit a bookshop

Unit 6

  • I CAN ask for recommendations in a bookshop
  • I CAN write a book review
Visit a bookshop
Everyday English

Everyday English

5 cards

When you walk into a bookshop in the UK, a few polite phrases will help you find what you want. The shop assistant is usually friendly and happy to recommend something, but you need to start the conversation. The key is to be clear about what you like and polite in your request.

Below are the most useful phrases for this lesson. Notice the structure: many of them start with Excuse me or Could you… to sound polite. In British English, we use recommend (not suggest) when we ask a shop assistant.

English phrase When to use it
Excuse me, do you have…? Asking if a book is in stock.
Could you recommend…? Asking for a suggestion.
I'm looking for… Saying what you want.
Do you have anything similar? Asking for alternatives.
How much is this? Asking the price.
I'll take it, please. Deciding to buy.

Here is a small vocabulary table with the key words you will hear in the dialogue:

Word Meaning
recommend to suggest something good
thriller an exciting, suspenseful book
mystery a book about a crime or puzzle
aisle a long gap between the shelves
paperback a book with a soft cover
hardback a book with a hard cover

In the UK, bookshops are usually quiet places. People speak softly, and they often start a request with Excuse me before asking a question. If the assistant recommends a book, a common reply is That sounds great or I'll take it, please. If you only want to look, you can say I'm just browsing, thanks — meaning I'm just looking, thank you.

In the next steps, you will hear these phrases in a real conversation, match them to their functions, and then put a sentence in the right order. Finally, you will say one of the key phrases out loud.

سياق الدرس: زيارة كتاب (Bookshop)

في الدرس ده هنتعلم إزاي تتكلم مع البائع في كتاب بإنجليزي، إيه الجمل اللي بتستخدمها لما تدخل وتسأل عن رواية، وإزاي تطلب توصية. الحوار اللي جاي بين Tom و Emma هيعرض عليك مواقف حقيقية بتحصل كل يوم في أي كتاب.

أول حاجة: تفتح الكلام بأدب

في الإنجليزي، لما تيجي تكلم حد غريب، خصوصاً البائع، لازم تبدأ بـ "Excuse me"، دي زي ما بنقول "لو سمحت" أو "عذراً". بعدها بتسأل:

  • "Excuse me, do you have any mystery books?" = لو سمحت، عندك روايات غموض؟
  • "Could you recommend a good mystery?" = ممكن ترشحلي رواية غموض كويسة؟

لاحظ إن "any" بتستخدم في الأسئلة والنفي. وفي الإنجليزي، بنستخدم "recommend" مع البائع أكتر من "suggest" لأنها أدب أكتر.

تاني حاجة: توضح للبائع ذوقك

عشان البائع يساعدك، لازم تقوله أنت بتدور على إيه:

  • "I'm looking for something exciting but easy to read." = أنا بدور على حاجة مثيرة بس سهلة القراءة.

لاحظ القاعدة: "something" + adjective = حاجة + صفة.

  • something exciting = حاجة مثيرة
  • something easy = حاجة سهلة

تالت حاجة: السؤال عن السعر والعرض

لما تلاقي الكتاب اللي عاجبك، بتسأل عن سعره:

  • "How much is it?" = بـ كام ده؟
  • "It's eight pounds." = بثمانية جنيه إسترليني.

لو في عرض حلو، ممكن البائع يقول:

  • "Two books for the price of one." = كتابين بسعر كتاب واحد.

رابع حاجة: قرار الشراء

لو العرض عجبك، بتقول:

  • "That's a great deal. I'll take it." = ده عرض رائع. هشتريه.
  • "I'll take it" معناها "هاخده" أو "تمام، عايزه".

ولو مش عايز تشتري، تقول: "I'm just browsing, thanks" يعني "بتفرج بس، شكراً".

كلمات مهمة لازم تحفظها

  • mystery = رواية غموض (جريمة أو لغز)
  • thriller = رواية إثارة وتشويق
  • recommend = يرشح / ينصح
  • selection = تشكيلة أو اختيارات
  • special offer = عرض خاص
  • great deal = صفقة ممتازة

خد بالك إن في الإنجليزي البريطاني، الناس بتتكلم بهدوء في الكتاب، فمحتاج تكون مهذب وبصوت خافت.

Scene: Tom walks into a bookshop and asks the assistant for help. Listen to the useful phrases in context.

  1. T
    Tom Excuse me, do you have any mystery books?
  2. E
    Emma Yes, we have a great selection. What kind do you like?
  3. T
    Tom I'm looking for something exciting but easy to read.
  4. E
    Emma I'd recommend 'The Silent Patient'. It's a thriller, and it's very popular.
  5. T
    Tom How much is it?
  6. E
    Emma It's eight pounds, but today we have a special offer — two books for the price of one.
  7. T
    Tom That's a great deal. I'll take it. Thank you!
  8. E
    Emma You're welcome. Enjoy your reading!
Required

Match each function (what you want to do) to the correct bookshop phrase.

Match each function (what you want to do) to the correct bookshop phrase.

  • You want to know if they have a book.
  • You want the assistant to suggest a book.
  • You want to know the price.
  • You have decided to buy the book.
  • Excuse me, do you have any mystery books?
  • Could you recommend a good thriller?
  • How much is this?
  • I'll take it, please.
Required

Put the words in the correct order to make a polite bookshop request.

  1. I'm
  2. looking
  3. for
  4. a
  5. good
  6. mystery
  7. to
  8. read
Required

Read this question aloud. Speak politely and clearly, as you would in a real bookshop.

Excuse me, could you recommend a good mystery?

Listening

Listening

5 cards

In this listening task, you will hear two friends, Emma and Tom, talking in a bookshop. They are looking for books to read on holiday. Listen carefully — you will answer three different kinds of questions afterwards.

Listening strategy: gist first, then detail.

When you listen in English, it is normal to miss some words. Good listeners do not panic. They use a three-step process:

  1. Gist — listen for the general idea. Where are the speakers? What are they talking about? You do not need to understand every word.
  2. Specific information — listen for names, places, or numbers. Who is mentioned? What kind of book? How much does it cost?
  3. Detail — listen for exact words or phrases. The answer to a fill-in-the-blank question is usually a word you heard clearly.

Before you listen, predict: if two friends walk into a bookshop, what will they probably talk about? Books, authors, prices, and recommendations are the most common topics. The conversation is short — about eight lines — and the speakers speak at a normal speed. You will hear the recording twice.

In the steps that follow, you will first hear the full dialogue, then answer a question about the gist (the general topic), then a true/false question about specific information (a name or a fact), and finally a fill-in-the-blank question about a detail (one exact word you heard).

في الدرس ده هنتكلم عن تمرين listening بسيط وجميل، سياقه إن اتنين أصحاب، Emma و Tom، داخلين bookshop بيدوروا على حاجات يقرروها وهم في holiday.

الجوا العام للموقف

Emma بتفتح الكلام بجملة حماسية: "Tom, look at all these books! I love this bookshop."، الجملة دي بتدي الـ vibe الحلو للموقف. بعدها Tom بيقول: "I'm looking for something to read on holiday. Any ideas?"، ودي جملة ممتازة عشان تتعلم إزاي تطلب اقتراح من حد بطريقة مهذبة.

استراتيجية الاستماع (Gist → Specific → Detail)

الدرس ده بيعلمك ٣ مراحل مهمة في الاستماع:

  • Gist (الفكرة العامة): اسمع الأول عشان تفهم الموضوع الأساسي. هنا الفكرة واضحة: صحاب بيدوروا على كتب.
  • Specific information (معلومات محددة): ركز على أسماء وأماكن، زي اسم الكاتب Agatha Christie، ونوع الرواية mystery و romance.
  • Detail (تفاصيل دقيقة): اسمع تاني مرة عشان تسمع كلمات بالظبط زي اللي هتحتاجها في fill in the blank.

كلمات وتراكيب مفيدة من الحوار

  • "What about a mystery?" → معناها "إيه رأيك في رواية غموض؟"، ودي طريقة طبيعية تقترح بيها حاجة.
  • "You always enjoy those." → لاحظ استخدام always للتعبير عن عادة، والضمير those بيرجع على mysteries.
  • "Her books are exciting and easy to read." → الضمير her هنا بيرجع على Agatha Christie. الصفة easy to read معناها إن اللغة مش صعبة، وده مهم لما تدور على كتاب.
  • "Why don't you ask the assistant for a recommendation?" → تركيب Why don't you + verb ده اقتراح غير مباشر، و recommendation يعني اقتراح أو توصية.

نصيحة قبل ما تسمع

قبل ما تدوس play، حاول تتوقع: لو دخلت bookshop هتتكلم في إيه؟ غالبًا كتب، مؤلفين، أسعار، أو توصيات. توقع الموضوع بيساعدك تلتقط الإجابات أسرع. الحوار قصير، حوالي ٨ جمل، وهتسمعه مرتين.

Listen to Tom and Emma talking in a bookshop. They are looking for books to read on holiday.

  1. E
    Emma Tom, look at all these books! I love this bookshop.
  2. T
    Tom Me too. I'm looking for something to read on holiday. Any ideas?
  3. E
    Emma What about a mystery? You always enjoy those.
  4. T
    Tom True. Do you know any good British mystery writers?
  5. E
    Emma I really like Agatha Christie. Her books are exciting and easy to read.
  6. T
    Tom Perfect. I'll ask the assistant for one of her books.
  7. E
    Emma Good idea! I want something different though — maybe a romance.
  8. T
    Tom Why don't you ask the assistant for a recommendation? They usually know the best new books.
Required

What is the main topic of the conversation?

  • Two friends choosing books to read on holiday
  • A teacher talking to students about a book
  • Two shop assistants talking about their day
  • A customer complaining about a bookshop
Required

Emma recommends the writer Agatha Christie to Tom.

Required

Tom is looking for a book to read on his ___.

Pronunciation

Pronunciation

6 cards

English has many consonant sounds that don't exist in Arabic, and two of the most common ones in bookshop vocabulary are /ʃ/ (the 'sh' sound) and /tʃ/ (the 'ch' sound). Saying them correctly will make you sound much clearer when you ask for a book or talk about a story.

The /ʃ/ sound is made by placing the tip of your tongue close to the back of your top teeth, but not actually touching them. Round your lips slightly forwards, as if you are about to say 'oo'. Now push a long, steady stream of air through the narrow gap between your tongue and your teeth. Your voice is OFF — put your hand on your throat while you say it: no vibration. Hold the sound for one second: shhhhh. In English spelling, /ʃ/ is written as sh (shop), ti (station), ci (special) and s (sure). Useful bookshop words with /ʃ/ include: shop, shelf, share, special, and even the word English itself.

The /tʃ/ sound is similar, but it has a small 't' at the beginning. Quickly press the tip of your tongue against the roof of your mouth, just behind your top teeth, then release it straight into the /ʃ/ position. Your lips stay rounded. Practise: tch-ch-ch. Common spellings are ch (cheap), tch (watch) and t before u (picture). Bookshop words with /tʃ/ include: check, chapter, choose and chair.

Here is a quick comparison of the two sounds:

/ʃ/ words /tʃ/ words
shop chop
share chair
wash watch
shoe chew

To make the difference clearer, hold the /ʃ/ a little longer: shhhh-op. For /tʃ/, keep the 't' very short and quick, and let the 'sh' come straight after. English speakers will usually understand you either way, but the right sound makes you sound more confident and natural. In the next steps, you will listen to a minimal pair, then repeat some key words yourself.

عندي ليك النهاردة درس مهم جدًا عن صوتين من أصوات اللغة الإنجليزية اللي مش موجودين في العربي وهتلاقيهم كتير في موضوع الـ bookshop. الصوتين دول همّوا /ʃ/ (ش) و /tʃ/ (تش)، ومعرفتهم صح هتخلّيك تطلب أي كتاب وأنت واثق من نفسك.

صوت الـ /ʃ/ (sh)

الصوت ده بيطلع لما تحط طرف لسانك قريب من ضهر أسنانك العلوية من غير ما يلمسهم خالص. شفايفك يبقوا مضمومين شوية لقدام، زي ما هتقول "oo"، وبعدين ادفع هوا ثابت من المكان الضيّق اللي بين لسانك وسنانك. صوتك يبقى مطفي — يعني لو حطيت إيدك على زورك مش هتحس بأي رجفة. قولها كده وامسكها ثانية كاملة: shhhhh.

في الكتابة الإنجليزية، الصوت ده ممكن يتكتب بأكتر من طريقة:

  • sh زي في shop و shelf
  • ti زي في station
  • ci زي في special
  • s زي في sure — وده غريب شوية بس مهم تعرفه

كلمات مفيدة في الـ bookshop فيها الصوت ده: shop، shelf، share، special، وكمان كلمة English نفسها!

صوت الـ /tʃ/ (ch)

الصوت ده قريب من الأول، بس بيبدأ بـ "t" صغيرة وسريعة. اضغط بسرعة بطرف لسانك على سقف بوقك ورا سنانك الأمامية، وبعدين سيبه على طول يطلع في وضع الـ /ʃ/. شفايفك تفضل مضمومين، والهوا بيعدّي بنفس الطريقة. جرب قولها كده: tch-ch-ch.

في الكتابة الإنجليزية، الصوت ده ممكن يتكتب كالتالي:

  • ch زي في cheap و check
  • tch زي في watch
  • t قبل u زي في picture

كلمات مفيدة في الـ bookshop فيها الصوت ده: check، chapter، choose، و chair.

الفرق بين الصوتين

عشان تفرّق بين الاتنين بكل سهولة، خلّي الـ /ʃ/ أطول شوية في النطق: قول shhhh-op. أمّا الـ /tʃ/ فخلّي الـ "t" قصيرة وسريعة وسيب الـ "sh" تيجي وراها على طول من غير أي وقفة. اسمع الـ minimal pairs دول وانتبه للفرق:

  • shop و chop
  • share و chair
  • wash و watch
  • shoe و chew

لو ركّزت على الفرق ده في تمارين الاستماع والتكرار الجاية، هتلاقي نفسك بتتكلم بثقة ووضوح زي الـ native speakers.

How to make the sounds:

/ʃ/ — tongue near the top teeth, lips rounded, no voice, long steady air: shhhhh.

/tʃ/ — quick tongue-tap at the top, then release into the /ʃ/ shape: tch-ch-ch.

Required

Listen carefully to the word. Which one do you hear?

  • share
  • chair
Required

Say this word. Hold the /ʃ/ sound a little longer than usual.

shop

Required

Say this compound word. Notice the /ʃ/ at the end.

bookshelf

Required

Now practise the other sound. Quick tongue-tap, then /ʃ/: tch-eck.

check

Reading

Reading

5 cards

In this reading task, you will read a short book review from a personal blog. The review is about a popular modern novel. Before you read, let's look at a useful reading strategy and learn some key words.

STRATEGY BOX — Skimming

When you skim a text, you read it quickly to get the general idea. You do not stop for every new word. Instead:

  • Read the title and any headings first.
  • Read the first sentence of each paragraph.
  • Read the last sentence of the text.
  • Ignore small words and look for content words (nouns, verbs, adjectives).

Skimming is perfect for the first time you meet a book review. After skimming, you should know: what the book is, what the writer thinks, and whether they recommend it.

Key words to learn before you read:

  • painter — a person who paints pictures.
  • psychotherapist — a doctor who helps people with mental health problems.
  • thriller — an exciting book or film, usually about crime.
  • twist — a surprising change in a story, usually at the end.
  • plot — the story or main events in a book.

In the steps that follow, you will read the full review, then answer a question about the gist (general idea), and finally two true/false questions about the detail (specific facts in the review).

ياهلاً بيكم في جزء الـ Reading النهارده! هنقرأ review قصير على مدونة شخصية بتتكلم عن رواية حديثة مشهورة. قبل ما نبدأ في القراءة، لازم نعرف كام كلمة مهمة ونفهم استراتيجية القراءة اللي هنستخدمها.

استراتيجية الـ Skimming (القراءة السريعة للاستيعاب العام)

الـ skimming دي طريقة بتقرأ بيها بسرعة عشان تاخد الـ general idea أو الفكرة العامة من أي نص. يعني انت مش هتقف عند كل كلمة جديدة أو كل تفصيلة. الخطوات بسيطة ومهمة:

  • اقرأ الـ title (العنوان) وأي headings (عناوين فرعية) الأول.
  • اقرأ الـ first sentence من كل paragraph.
  • اقرأ الـ last sentence من النص كله.
  • تجاهل الكلمات الصغيرة زي (the, a, is, are) وركز على الـ content words زي الـ nouns والـ verbs والـ adjectives.

الفكرة إنك في دقيقتين أو تلاتة تطلع بـ main points من غير ما تقرا النص كلمة كلمة.

كلمات لازم تعرفها قبل ما تقرأ الـ review

عندنا خمس كلمات أساسية هتساعدك تفهم النص:

  • painter — يعني رسام، شخص بيشتغل بالرسم وبيلون صور.
  • psychotherapist — يعني معالج نفسي، دكتور متخصص بيساعد الناس في المشاكل النفسية زي القلق والاكتئاب.
  • thriller — يعني رواية أو فيلم إثارة وتشويق، غالباً بيكون عن جريمة أو غموض.
  • twist — يعني مفاجأة أو التواء في القصة، وغالباً بتيجي في الآخر وبتغير كل حاجة.
  • plot — يعني حبكة أو القصة الرئيسية واللي بيحصل في الكتاب.

خطوات الجزء ده

بعد ما تخلص قراءة الكلمات، هنمشي بترتيب بسيط:

  1. نقرأ الـ review كامل ونعمل له skim.
  2. نجاوب على سؤال عن الـ gist (الفكرة العامة).
  3. نجاوب على سؤالين true/false على الـ detail (تفاصيل محددة من النص).

الفرق بين الـ gist والـ detail

لما تيجي تجاوب على سؤال عن الـ gist، لازم تفتكر انك عايز الفكرة العامة بس، مش كل تفصيلة. مثلاً لو السؤال قالك "What is the book about?" انت مش هتعيد القصة، انت هتقول في جملة أو اتنين الفكرة الرئيسية. أما سؤال الـ detail، فهو بيسألك على معلومة محددة من النص. يعني مثلاً "Did the writer recommend the book?" أو "Is the book a thriller or a romance?" هنا لازم ترجع للنص وتلاقي الإجابة بالظبط.

خد وقتك في الـ skimming، ولما تخلص هتلاقي الأسئلة سهلة إن شاء الله!

Book Review Blog — 'The Silent Patient' by Alex Michaelides

I just finished reading 'The Silent Patient' by Alex Michaelides, and I have to share my thoughts. The story is about a famous painter who stops speaking after she shoots her husband. A psychotherapist tries to discover why she never speaks again.

The book is a thriller with a shocking twist at the end. I really enjoyed the short chapters — they made the plot move quickly. The writing is simple but clever, perfect for B1 readers.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves mysteries. I'd give it four stars out of five. The ending surprised me completely! Don't miss it.

Required

What is the main purpose of this text?

  • To tell a story about the writer's life
  • To review a book and give an opinion
  • To teach readers how to paint
  • To advertise a film
Required

The main character in the book is a famous singer.

Required

The writer gives the book four stars out of five.

Speaking

Speaking

6 cards

Now it is your turn to speak. In this section, you will learn how to ask for a book recommendation in a real bookshop. The key is to say what you like, ask politely, and react to the answer.

Useful phrases for asking in a bookshop:

English When to use it
Excuse me, could you recommend…? Starting your request politely.
I like / I don't like… Saying what kind of book you enjoy.
I'm looking for something… Describing what you want.
That sounds great! Reacting positively.
How much is it? Asking the price.
I'll take it, please. Deciding to buy.

Tips for clear speaking:

  1. Start politely — almost every request in a UK bookshop starts with Excuse me.
  2. Say the genre — thriller, mystery, romance, or something else. The assistant needs to know what kind of book you want.
  3. Add one detail — say if you want it exciting, easy to read, short, or not too long. This helps the assistant a lot.
  4. React naturally — say That sounds great! or I'll take it, please when you are ready to buy.

In the steps that follow, you will first hear a short model conversation, then repeat the key model phrase, then practise two useful sentences out loud. Finally, you will do a live roleplay with the AI, who will play the role of a bookshop assistant.

إزاي تطلب توصية من موظف الكتب

في الجزء ده هنتعلم إزاي تتكلم في مكتبة بالإنجليزي بطريقة طبيعية ومهذبة. الفكرة بسيطة: لازم تبدأ بأدب، تقول نوع الكتب اللي بتحبها، وبعدين تتفاعل مع الرد.

أول حاجة: الافتتاحية المهذبة

في أي مكتبة في بريطانيا، أول جملة بتقولها دايمًا بتبتدي بـ Excuse me. الجملة الكاملة هي: Excuse me, could you recommend a good book? دي زي المفتاح اللي بيفتح المحادثة كلها. لاحظ إن كلمة recommend معناها يوصي أو يقترح، وده أهم فعل في الموقف ده.

ثاني حاجة: قول ذوقك

بعد ما الموظف يسألك What kind do you like?，لازم تجاوب بعبارة زي: I like thrillers, something exciting but not too long. هنا بنستخدم I like وبعدين نوع الكتاب. ممكن تقول:

  • I like thrillers — بحب روايات التشويق
  • I like mystery — بحب الغموض
  • I like romance — بحب الرومانسية
  • I like fantasy — بحب الفانتازيا

والصفة اللي بعدها زي exciting أو not too long بتخلي الموظف يفهم بالظبط إنت عايز إيه.

ثالث حاجة: رد الفعل

لما الموظف يقترح عليك كتاب، محتاج ترد بإحدى جملتين مهمين:

  • That sounds great. I'll take it, please. — ده لما يعجبك الاقتراح وتقرر تشتري
  • How much is it? — لو عايز تعرف السعر الأول قبل ما تقرر

في الحوار اللي هتسمعه، الموظف بيقول إن سعر الكتاب eight pounds وفيه special offer يعني عرض خاص، فـ Tom بيرد Perfect, I'll take it. Thanks for your help!. لاحظ كلمة Perfect هنا قوية وودودة.

نصايح مهمة للمحادثة

  • ابدأ دايمًا بـ Excuse me — ده أدب أساسي في بريطانيا
  • اذكر النوع (genre) — thriller, mystery, romance, fantasy
  • ضيف صفة واحدة — زي exciting, easy to read, short, not too long
  • اختم بعبارة شكر — You're welcome من الموظف و Thanks for your help! منك

الجملة المفتاحية اللي هتكررها في التسجيل هي: Excuse me, could you recommend a good thriller? ركز على النطق الواضح لكلمة recommend لأنها طويلة شوية. لما توصل للخطوة الأخيرة، هتعمل roleplay مع الـ AI اللي هيبقى دوره موظف المكتبة، وإنت الزبون اللي بيدور على كتابه المفضل.

Listen to this short model conversation. Tom is a customer, and Emma is the bookshop assistant.

  1. T
    Tom Excuse me, could you recommend a good book?
  2. E
    Emma Of course! What kind do you like?
  3. T
    Tom I like thrillers, something exciting but not too long.
  4. E
    Emma I'd recommend 'The Silent Patient'. It's eight pounds today — special offer!
  5. T
    Tom Perfect, I'll take it. Thanks for your help!
  6. E
    Emma You're welcome. Enjoy your reading!

Excuse me, could you recommend a good thriller?

This is the key model phrase. It is polite, clear, and starts almost every bookshop request in English.

Required

Practise this sentence. It tells the assistant exactly what you enjoy. Speak at a natural speed.

I like thrillers, something exciting but not too long.

Required

Practise this reply. Use it when you have decided to buy a book.

That sounds great. I'll take it, please.

Required

You are a customer in a British bookshop. Greet the assistant, say what kind of book you like (for example: thriller, mystery, or romance), ask for a recommendation, ask the price, and finish the conversation politely.

Writing

Writing

6 cards

In the last section, you will write a short book review of your own. A good book review has three clear parts:

  1. What the book is about — title, author, and a short summary of the story (2–3 sentences).
  2. What you think — your opinion, using adjectives like funny, exciting, slow, clever, or boring.
  3. Your recommendation — a sentence saying who would enjoy the book, and a star rating.

Here is a model text to study. Read it carefully — you will answer questions about the language in it afterwards.

Book Review: 'The Thursday Murder Club' by Richard Osman

I just finished this book. It's about four older friends who solve cold cases together. When a real murder happens near their home, they investigate too.

The story is funny and clever, with surprising moments. I loved the characters — they feel like real people. The writing is simple but witty.

I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys mysteries. Four and a half stars out of five!

STRATEGY TIP — Using opinions and recommendations

In a book review, the most important words are your opinions and your recommendation. The model text uses these useful phrases:

  • I just finished this book. (talking about when you read it)
  • It's about… (a short summary)
  • The story is / I loved / I didn't like… (your opinion)
  • I would recommend it to… (who would enjoy it)
  • X stars out of five. (your rating)

In the steps that follow, you will first learn the strategy tip, then check that you can spot the opinions and recommendations in the model. After that, you will write your own short book review and read it out loud. The lesson ends with a self-assessment of what you can now do in English.

إزاي تكتب Book Review ناجح

كلمنا النهارده عن الـ writing section، يعني هتكتب review قصير على كتاب قرأته. الـ review الكويس لازم يكون فيه تلات حاجات أساسية متربطين ببعض في flow طبيعي.

1- إيه موضوع الكتاب (What the book is about)

هتبدأ بالـ title والـ author، وبعدين تكتب summary قصير في 2 أو 3 sentences. الجملة السحرية هنا هي 'It's about…'، وبعدها بتحط الـ main idea. مثلاً: 'It's about four older friends who solve cold cases together.'

2- رأيك الشخصي (Your opinion)

دي أهم part في الـ review، وهنا بتستخدم adjectives تعبّر عن إحساسك. خليني أديك أمثلة:

  • لو الـ book فيه مواقف مضحكة: 'The story is funny.'
  • لو فيه action وsuspense: 'The story is exciting.'
  • لو الـ pacing كان ثقيل: 'The story is slow.'
  • لو الكاتب كان ذكي في أسلوبه: 'The writing is clever.'
  • لو الكتاب ما أثّرش فيك: 'I found it boring.'

كمان تقدر تتكلم عن الـ characters: 'I loved the characters — they feel like real people.'

3- التوصية (Your recommendation)

في الآخر بتقول مين هيعجب بالكتاب وبتديله rating من 5. الجملة المفيدة هنا هي 'I would recommend it to anyone who…'، وبعدها بتحط النوع، مثلاً: '…enjoys mysteries' أو '…loves a good story' أو '…likes clever plots'.

Grammar مهم تاخد بالك منه:

  • جملة 'I would recommend' دي modal verb بتدّي إحساس بالـ politeness، يعني 'كنت هأنصح' أو 'بنصح'.
  • كلمة 'anyone who' معناها 'أي حد بيحب'، ودايماً بتتجي بعدها verb في الـ present simple زي 'enjoys' أو 'loves' أو 'likes'.
  • لما تكتب الـ rating، بنقول: 'Four and a half stars out of five!' أو 'Three stars out of five.'

نصيحة أخيرة

متكترش في الـ sentences، وخلّي الـ review قصير ومباشر. استخدم الـ phrases اللي اتعلمتها كـ building blocks، بس اكتب بأسلوبك الشخصي. الـ teacher مش بيدوّر على grammar مثالية، بيدوّر على رأي صادق وnatural.

Writing strategy: Using opinions and recommendations

In a book review, use clear opinion phrases to tell the reader what you think. Useful phrases:

  • I think / I really think…
  • In my opinion, …
  • I'd recommend it to…
  • I'd give it X stars out of five.

These phrases make your review sound personal and useful to other readers.

Required

In the model review, the writer uses the phrase 'I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys mysteries.'

Required

The model review says the writing is 'complicated and boring'.

Required

Now write your own short book review (40–60 words) on a book you have read. Use the model as a guide. When you have finished, read your review aloud. Use the sentence above as a model for your final sentence.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good mystery. I'd give it four stars out of five.

Required