Describe a film that made you think
You should say:
- what the film was
- when and where you watched it
- what it was about
- and explain why it made you think
Part 3 discussion questions
After your talk, the examiner asks more abstract questions on films and entertainment. Practise giving a direct answer, a reason and an example.
- 1Why are some films popular all over the world?
- 2Do films have a responsibility to educate as well as entertain?
- 3How has streaming changed the way people watch films?
- 4Is going to the cinema still worthwhile today?
- 5In what ways can films shape how people see other cultures?
How to plan your answer in one minute
- Note one or two words for each bullet point; you can glance at them while you speak.
- Open with the main idea, then take the bullets in order so the examiner can follow you.
- Keep the last bullet (the "explain" part) for detail: this is where you show range.
- Keep talking until the examiner stops you; two full minutes shows fluency.
Notes for your minute of preparation
- What: Taare Zameen Par (Like Stars on Earth), a Hindi film from 2007.
- When and where: on TV at home with my family, aged about twelve; seen it again since.
- What it is about: Ishaan, eight, keeps failing at school, is sent to boarding school; a new art teacher sees he has dyslexia and helps him.
- Why it made me think: we judge people by marks; one good teacher changes a life; I felt ashamed of laughing at classmates.
Model talk
264 words · about 2 minutes spoken
The film I’d like to talk about is Taare Zameen Par, a Hindi film from 2007. Its English title is Like Stars on Earth.
I first watched it on television at home with my family when I was about twelve, and I’ve seen it a couple of times since then.
It’s about an eight-year-old boy called Ishaan who keeps failing at school. He can’t read properly, because the letters seem to dance on the page, and his teachers and even his father think he’s lazy or badly behaved. Eventually his parents send him away to a boarding school, where he becomes very withdrawn and stops painting, which was the one thing he loved. Then a new art teacher arrives, notices the pattern in his mistakes and realises that Ishaan has dyslexia. With patience and the right methods, he helps Ishaan learn to read, and by the end of the film Ishaan’s painting wins a school art competition.
It made me think for a few reasons. First, it showed me how quickly we judge people by their marks. There was a boy in my own class who was always called stupid, and after watching the film I wondered whether he’d had a similar problem that nobody noticed. Second, it showed how much one good teacher can change a child’s life. And finally, it made me think about my own behaviour. I used to laugh along when classmates struggled, and the film made me feel quite ashamed of that. So although it’s a family film, it’s stayed with me longer than most serious films I’ve seen.
Written by Acedmi to show what a high-band talk sounds like. It is not an official IELTS sample, and your own ideas can be different.
Useful vocabulary
- it’s about
- A natural way to begin describing a story.
- “It’s about a boy who keeps failing at school.”
- withdrawn
- Quiet and unwilling to talk to others.
- “At boarding school he became very withdrawn.”
- realise
- Suddenly understand something.
- “The teacher realises that Ishaan has dyslexia.”
- judge someone by
- Form an opinion of someone based on one thing.
- “We often judge people by their marks.”
- thought-provoking
- Making you think seriously.
- “It’s a thought-provoking film.”
- laugh along
- Join in when others laugh, often at someone.
- “I used to laugh along when classmates struggled.”
- ashamed
- Feeling bad about something you did.
- “The film made me feel ashamed.”
- stay with someone
- Be remembered for a long time.
- “The film has stayed with me.”
Common mistakes
- Retelling the whole story. Keep the plot short; spend most of your time on why it made you think.
- Giving only the original title. Add the English title or a short explanation, as the model does.
- Saying "it was a good message" without explaining it. Say what you learnt and how it changed your thinking.