Films and TV shows are a favorite IELTS Speaking topic because almost everyone has something to say about them. You might be asked what you like to watch in Part 1, to describe a film you enjoyed in Part 2, or to discuss how streaming has changed entertainment in Part 3. Here you'll find twenty phrases with meanings and example sentences, sorted by how you'll use them, plus phrases for recommending a film, sample answers for each part, and the mistakes that cost learners marks on this topic.
Table Of Contents
Video Lesson: Talking About Movies and TV Shows
Watch the lesson to hear how each phrase sounds in a natural answer. Pause after every new phrase and repeat the example out loud, so the words are easy to reach for when you're speaking under time pressure.
How Movies and TV Come Up in IELTS Speaking
In Part 1 the questions are about your own habits. Part 2 usually asks you to describe a film or a show, and Part 3 turns to the bigger picture: the film industry, streaming and the influence of what we watch.
Part 1 questions
- How often do you watch movies?
- Do you prefer watching films at home or at the cinema?
- What kind of TV shows do you enjoy?
- Did you watch a lot of TV when you were a child?
- Do you ever watch films in English?
Part 2 cue card
Describe a film you enjoyed watching.
You should say: what the film was, when and where you watched it, and what it was about.
And explain why you enjoyed it.
Part 3 questions
- Why do you think some films become huge box office hits?
- Has streaming changed the way people watch films?
- Should governments support their country's film industry?
- Do films and TV shows have a strong influence on young people?
Vocabulary for Movies and TV Shows
Every card has the phrase, a short meaning and three example sentences. Learn the group you need most first: if you're nervous about Part 2, start with the phrases for describing a film.
Types of films and shows
Use these when the examiner asks what you like to watch. Naming the type of film is far more precise than saying "movies" every time.
Science fiction
Movies or shows about advanced science or the future.
- Science fiction is my favorite movie genre.
- Many science fiction films explore future technology.
- I enjoy science fiction because it is imaginative.
Historical drama
A story set in the past.
- My parents enjoy watching historical dramas.
- Some historical dramas are based on true events.
- I learned a lot from a recent historical drama.
Documentary film
A movie that provides factual information.
- I prefer watching documentary films about nature.
- A good documentary film can teach people many things.
- Last week, I watched a fascinating documentary film.
Reality show
A program showing real people in real situations.
- My sister enjoys watching reality shows.
- Some people think reality shows are unrealistic.
- Reality shows are very popular among young audiences.
Comedy series
A TV show designed to make people laugh.
- I like watching comedy series after work.
- Comedy series help people relax and reduce stress.
- My favorite comedy series has been running for years.
Live broadcast
A program shown in real time.
- I watched the award ceremony through a live broadcast.
- Sports events are often shown via live broadcasts.
- A live broadcast feels more exciting than recorded content.
Family-friendly
Suitable for all ages.
- I prefer watching family-friendly movies with my relatives.
- Animated films are usually family-friendly.
- The TV show is popular because it is family-friendly.
Describing a film
These help you talk about the story, the acting and how a film made you feel, which is exactly what a Part 2 cue card asks for.
Plot twist
An unexpected change in a story.
- The movie had a surprising plot twist at the end.
- I enjoy films with unpredictable plot twists.
- The plot twist made the story much more interesting.
Leading actor
The main actor in a movie or show.
- The leading actor gave an outstanding performance.
- Many people watched the film because of the famous leading actor.
- The leading actor won several awards for the movie.
Character development
How characters change throughout a story.
- The series had excellent character development.
- I enjoy stories with strong character development.
- Good character development makes movies more realistic.
Special effects
Visual or sound effects used in movies.
- The movie had amazing special effects.
- Modern films rely heavily on special effects.
- Good special effects can make movies more exciting.
Background music
Music played during scenes.
- The background music made the movie more emotional.
- Good background music can improve a film significantly.
- I sometimes remember movies because of their background music.
Emotional scene
A part of a movie that creates strong feelings.
- The movie had several emotional scenes.
- I cried during one particularly emotional scene.
- Actors need strong skills to perform emotional scenes.
Suspenseful scene
A scene that creates tension or excitement.
- The movie included several suspenseful scenes.
- I enjoy thrillers with suspenseful scenes.
- The director used music to create a suspenseful scene.
Thought-provoking
Making people think deeply.
- I enjoy watching thought-provoking documentaries.
- The film was very thought-provoking and emotional.
- Some TV shows can be both entertaining and thought-provoking.
Award-winning film
A movie that has received awards.
- I recently watched an award-winning film.
- Award-winning films usually have excellent acting.
- The director became famous after making an award-winning film.
Box office hit
A movie that is very successful financially.
- The movie became a huge box office hit worldwide.
- Many action films turn into box office hits.
- The director was surprised that the film became a box office hit.
How you watch
Use these for questions about your viewing habits and how entertainment is changing.
Binge-watch
To watch many episodes continuously.
- I often binge-watch TV series during weekends.
- Many people like to binge-watch shows on streaming platforms.
- Last month, I binge-watched an entire comedy series.
Streaming platform
An online service for watching videos.
- Many people now watch movies on streaming platforms.
- Streaming platforms have changed the entertainment industry.
- I subscribe to several streaming platforms.
Film industry
The business of making movies.
- Technology has changed the film industry significantly.
- Many young people dream of working in the film industry.
- The film industry creates jobs for millions of people.
Useful Phrases for Talking About a Film
When you describe a film, you need to sum up the story, give your opinion and say whether you'd recommend it. These sentence starters give your answer a clear shape.
| Phrase | Use it to | Example |
|---|---|---|
| It's about… who… | Sum up the plot | It's about a poor family who slowly take over a rich family's home. |
| Without giving too much away, … | Avoid spoilers | Without giving too much away, there's a huge plot twist halfway through. |
| What really stood out for me was… | Name the best part | What really stood out for me was the background music. |
| It's the kind of film that… | Describe its effect on you | It's the kind of film that stays with you for days. |
| If you haven't seen it, I'd really recommend it, because… | Recommend a film | If you haven't seen it, I'd really recommend it, because the acting is superb. |
| I'm not a big fan of…, but… | Give a balanced opinion | I'm not a big fan of reality shows, but I can see why people enjoy them. |
| These days, more and more people… | Describe a trend | These days, more and more people binge-watch series instead of going to the cinema. |
Sample Answers
Here's how the vocabulary sounds in real answers. The phrases from the cards are in bold, so you can see how few you need to make an answer sound rich.
Part 1: Do you prefer watching films at home or at the cinema?
Mostly at home, to be honest. I use a couple of streaming platforms, so it's cheaper and I can pause whenever I like. I do still go to the cinema for big releases, though, especially science fiction films, because the special effects look so much better on a huge screen.
Part 2: Describe a film you enjoyed watching
The film I'd like to talk about is a historical drama I watched last winter. I saw it at home with my sister one rainy Sunday evening, on a streaming platform, after a friend kept telling me how good it was.
It's set in the nineteenth century, and it's about a young woman who has to run her family's farm after her father dies. Without giving too much away, there's a plot twist near the end that completely changes how you see one of the characters.
The leading actor was brilliant. You watch her grow from a nervous teenager into a confident woman, and I think that character development is what made the film so believable. The background music was beautiful too, and there's one emotional scene by the river that made us both cry.
I enjoyed it because it was more than just entertainment. It was thought-provoking, and it made me think about how hard life was for women at that time. It's an award-winning film, and in my opinion it deserved every prize it got. I'd recommend it to anyone, although it's not really a family-friendly choice for young kids.
Part 3: Has streaming changed the way people watch films?
Definitely. A lot of people now binge-watch a whole series in a weekend, which was impossible when you had to wait a week for each episode. It's changed the film industry itself, too, since some studios now release films online on the same day they open in cinemas. On the other hand, I think big box office hits will always draw people out, because watching a film with a crowd is an experience you can't really get on your sofa.
How to Use This Vocabulary Well
- Name the type of film and the title. "A documentary film about ocean pollution" tells the examiner far more than "a movie".
- Keep the plot short. Sum up the story in one or two sentences, then spend most of your Part 2 time on what you thought of the film and why.
- Use adjectives that carry your opinion. Words like "thought-provoking", "suspenseful" and "family-friendly" say a lot on their own, which helps you sound precise.
- Prepare for habits as well as films. Part 1 and Part 3 often ask how people watch, so phrases like "binge-watch" and "streaming platform" are worth knowing well.
Common mistakes
- Saying "movie" over and over. Mix in "film", "series", "documentary" and "show" for variety.
- Writing or saying "a TV serie". "Series" is the same in the singular and the plural: one series, two series.
- Using the wrong preposition. You watch something "on" a streaming platform, "on" TV and "at" the cinema.
- Retelling the whole story in Part 2 and running out of time before you explain why you liked the film.
What Our Learners' Part 2 Answers Show
When learners give a full Part 2 talk on BestMyTest, our tutors' average band for lexical resource is 5.7, compared with 4.9 for grammatical range and accuracy. A long turn about a film is a real chance to lift your vocabulary score, because you can describe the story, the acting and your opinion in detail. In our automated scoring of Part 2 recordings, vocabulary came out as the lowest score 31% of the time.
An average Part 2 answer lasted 99 seconds and used 169 words. If yours is much shorter, use the cue card as your plan: a sentence or two on the plot, then most of your time on why the film worked for you.
Practise and Get a Band Score
Choose a film you've seen recently and talk about it for two minutes using the cue card above. Then record an IELTS Speaking Part 2 practice test in our app. You'll get an instant AI review of your answer straight away, with a band for vocabulary and the other three criteria. If your vocabulary band stays behind the others, try the speaking vocabulary exercises in our AI Tutor.
For more topics, go to our IELTS speaking vocabulary by topic page, or learn the phrases for talking about your hometown.
The figures on this page come from the BestMyTest IELTS learner performance data, our records of IELTS practice on BestMyTest up to October 2026. That page explains how we measure each figure. Last updated 15 October 2026.