Describe a book you read recently

March 11, 2022

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Describe a book you read recently – IELTS speaking part 2 and 3

Kinds of books

Fiction
Non fiction
Adventure
Autobiography
Biography
Novel
Romantic novel
Mystery
Thriller
Historic novel
Science fiction
Fairytale
Comic book
Self help books

Adjectives/phrases to describe books

Basic adjectives

Excellent
Moving
Delightful
Exciting
Wonderful
Amazing
Uplifting

More advanced phrases

Central character

The main character in a book or story

“Harry Potter is a fantasy adventure , where the central character is a young boy studying magic and getting into lots of exciting adventures.

Light reading

Something that is very easy to read and does not require any deep thinking or thought

“I enjoy going to the park or beach and doing some light reading, especially a silly romantic novel.

Heavy going

When something can be difficult to finish or get through.

“I find that a lot of books can be heavy going, and I prefer to watch movies.

To be engrossed in

To be completely focused on just one thing.

“It was such a good book that I was completely engrossed in it from start to finish.

Thought provoking

To really make you think deeply about something.

“I found Steve Job’s autobiography very thought provoking, and it really made me think about life.

I couldn’t put it down

To enjoy it so much that you don’t want to stop reading it for even a moment.

“I enjoyed it so much that I just couldn’t put it down until I finished it.

Cover to cover

To read from the first page to the last

“It was so engrossing that I read it from cover to cover in just 2 days.

A big reader

Somebody who really enjoys reading a lot.

“I’m definitely a big reader, and am always engrossed in a good book.

Part 1 questions.

Q.“Do you like to read books?

A.“Yes, I really love reading books, and love nothing better than finding a good book and reading it from cover to cover without putting it down.

Q.“Do you prefer to read a book or watch a film?

“To be honest I’m not a big reader, and find most books heavy going, so I prefer to watch movies which I find more exciting, especially action movies with lots of special effects.

Q.What kinds of books did you like to read as a young child?

“Oh….When I was a young child, I can still remember my grandmother reading fairy tales to me and, of course, I loved comic books, especially with superheroes.

Q.“How often do you read books?

“ As I’m usually very busy with my studies, I don’t get to read as often as I would like, but I do try to find the time to pick up a book before going to sleep most evenings.

Q.“ What kinds of books do you like?

mmmm…I guess I usually enjoy reading fiction, especially adventure, but I also like to read the odd autobiography, thriller and sometimes enjoy a good historical novel.

Part 2 topic – Describe a book you read recently

Describe a book you read recently

You should say

What it was

When you read it

What it was about

And explain how you felt about it

“ I actually just finished a wonderful engrossing book just last week, which I couldn’t put down for a moment, and read from cover to cover in just two days. The book was an autobiography on a very famous musician and member of one of the most famous rock bands in history, the Rolling stones….

It was one of my friends who is also interested in music recommended the book to me, as he knew I am a huge fan of the Rolling Stones. That evening I checked out reviews for the book online and everyone was giving it a 5 star rating, so it was off to the bookshop for me to pick up a copy as quickly as I could.

The book basically tells the life story of a music legend from his time growing up as a young child in England in the 1950s to becoming a rock legend, and a founding member of one of the biggest rock bands of all time. It really gave an incredible insight into his life, from a very humble beginning to becoming a megastar. It certainly was not heavy reading, and the author’s sense of humour actually made it light reading.

The reasons I really loved this book so much apart from being a lifetime fan of the central character, were firstly…. It gave me an amazing insight into the real life of a rockstar, which was actually very thought provoking…….I also found it very inspiring and uplifting….to discover how this young boy from a very normal background believed in his dreams, and stopped at nothing to achieve them….and of course the crazy journey of a rock star along the way…So….yes…..It really was one of those books that i just couldn’t put down, and would have no hesitation in recommending to anyone.

Thank you.”

Part 3 questions – Describe a book you read

“What are some differences between watching the movie or reading the actual book?

“Personally,I believe there are certainly some differences….. I think firstly, reading the book really forces us to use our imagination more than watching a movie. On top of that we get to form our own detailed picture of what the central character of the story is like. However, reading a book can sometimes be heavy going, and i think many people often give up before finishing it, as it takes a lot of time. On the other hand, watching a movie is easy, and we can save a lot of time, which I believe is important to many people living in the information age. Furthermore, when watching a movie we are actually able to multitask, and do other things such as work on an assignment, or prepare dinner while watching a movie.”

Has the way we read books changed in recent years?

“Yes, I guess it has…….in fact, I believe it has changed significantly over the years, mainly due to the great advancements in technology we have at our fingertips today. In the past, it took a trip to the library or bookshop, which was both time consuming, and often expensive.

However, today we can find and download any book in existence to our mobile phone or computer in just seconds. On top of that, this means we no longer have to worry about the inconvenience of carrying books around with us, which I guess is a good thing. Having said that, I think maybe this has changed the way we look at books compared to the past……

what I mean is….. In the past a book was a special thing, something we even cherished, and we would read it from cover to cover, and then keep it on a bookshelf….

In contrast, today, it’s just another download to our phones or tablets, without any sentimental value, which I feel is really not the same. What’s more, because of it being so convenient to quickly and cheaply download books these days, perhaps people don’t have that same magical feeling as in the past when opening that first page of a new book.

Personally, I still much prefer to read a paperback book, and love that special feeling of turning the pages, and becoming totally engrossed in the story, which I don’t feel is the same as reading a digital copy.

So, yes I think in general the way we read books today has certainly changed compared to the past.

It’s important to remember that these are just my example answers, and that there is no right or wrong answer in part 3, as long as you are speaking on topic, and expressing your ideas. These are my personal opinions, and your answers could be very different, and also better.