Collocations 23: Films and books

Jul 27, 2016

About films and books —flashcards
- a book . . .
  comes out
- a film . . .
  comes out
- to . . .
  review
  the book
- to . . .
  review
  the film
- the book . . .
  reviewers
- the film . . .
  critics
- . . .
  book
  review
- . . .
  film
  review
- film is based on a . . .
  true story
- a book/film . . .
  captures
  an atmosphere
- a book/film . . .
  deals
  with a topic
- opening/closing . . .
  scene
  of a . . .
  film
- opening/closing . . .
  chapter
  of a . . .
  book
- the . . .
  beginning/end
  of a book/film (NOT ~~start~~ and ~~finish~~)
- . . .
  central
  character
- to have a . . .
  happy ending
- to . . .
  recommend
  a book/film
- . . .
  highly
  recommended
Just about films and acting — flashcards
- to . . .
  go
  on the . . .
  stage
  — to become an actor
- the . . .
  big
  screen — the cinema
- . . .
  special
  effects — powerful visual effects, often created using technology
- the male . . .
  lead
  — main male part
- the . . .
  female
  lead
- to . . .
  play
  the role of
- to take on . . .
  a cameo
  role — small but special part
- to . . .
  give
  performance
- to . . .
  nominate
  for an Oscar — to put on the official list of people in the film world who may receive a special prize (an Oscar)
- . . .
  box-office
  hit — extremely successful with audiences
- . . .
  full
  house — cinema/theatre with no empty seats
- to . . .
  cast
  a film — select the actors for a film
- . . .
  star
  in a film
- to . . .
  shoot
  a film
- to . . .
  make
  a film
- to . . .
  watch
  television (NOT ~~see~~ television)
- to . . .
  see/watch
  a film
- to . . .
  see
  a film at the cinema
Just about books — flashcards
- to be . . .
  engrossed/absorbed
  in a book
- . . .
  compulsive
  reading — so interesting you can’t stop reading
- . . .
  bedtime
  reading
- an . . .
  easy
  read
- to . . .
  take out
  a library book
- to . . .
  borrow
  a library book
- to . . .
  return
  a library book
- to . . .
  renew
  a library book
- to . . .
  flick/skim
  through a book
- . . .
  beautifully
  written
Quizzes
The conversation below has no errors, but the changes will improve it. Use collocations instead of the underlined words in this conversation.
- Matthew: Have you read that new book that has just appeared about Ireland?
  Lorna: No, I don’t go to bookshops and I don’t read 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 20^th century.
  Lorna: 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 so everything together, but by the last chapter they have become enemies.
  Lorna: 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.
  Lorna: So, a book with a pleasant start and a sad finish. Not for me, I’m afraid. I prefer the opposite.
  
  Matthew: Have you read that new book that has just about Ireland?
  Lorna: No, I don’t go to bookshops and I don’t read . What’s it about?
  Matthew: Well, it the Irish War of Independence. It’s very authentic and it manages to the of Ireland at the beginning of the 20^th century.
  Lorna: Is it just historical facts, then?
  Matthew: No, the are two brothers who have different opinions about the war and this divides their family. In the they’re happy and so everything together, but by the they have become enemies.
  Lorna: Mm, it sounds a bit depressing to me.
  Matthew: Well, it certainly doesn’t a , but I liked it, and it’s by all the critics.
  Lorna: So, a book with a pleasant and a sad . Not for me, I’m afraid. I prefer the opposite.
Complete the sentences.
- 1. I was completely . . .
  absorbed/engrossed
  in my book and didn’t realise how late it had got.
  1. absorbed
  2. skimmed
  3. engrossed
- 2. He wants to go on the . . .
  stage
  . He’s always wanted to be an actor.
  1. stage
  2. screen
  3. film
- 3. Who played the male . . .
  lead
  in this film?
  1. role
  2. lead
  3. character
- 4. . . .
  Cameo
  role means ‘small but special part in a film/play’.
  1. Female
  2. Male
  3. Cameo
- 5. The film was . . .
  nominated
  for an Oscar but it didn’t win.
  1. played
  2. given
  3. nominated
- 6. It was an amazing film about space travel, with fantastic special . . .
  effects
  .
  1. result
  2. outcome
  3. effects
Match the words with their collocations.
- 1) full . . .
  house
  1. house
  2. lead
  3. hit
  4. reading
  5. screen
- 2) big . . .
  screen
  1. lead
  2. screen
  3. reading
  4. hit
  5. house
- 3) bedtime . . .
  reading
  1. lead
  2. house
  3. reading
  4. hit
  5. screen
- 4) female . . .
  lead
  1. house
  2. lead
  3. hit
  4. screen
  5. reading
- 5) box-office . . .
  hit
  1. house
  2. hit
  3. lead
  4. reading
  5. screen
Complete these collocations.
- 1) shoot a . . .
  film
  1. book
  2. reading
  3. film
- 2) star in . . .
  film
  1. film
  2. reading
  3. book
- 3) make a . . .
  film
  1. film
  2. book
  3. reading
- 4) renew a . . .
  book
  1. book
  2. reading
  3. film
- 5) borrow a . . .
  book
  1. book
  2. film
  3. reading
- 6) return a . . .
  book
  1. film
  2. reading
  3. book
- 7) flick through a . . .
  book
  1. reading
  2. film
  3. book
- 8) skim through a . . .
  book
  1. film
  2. book
  3. reading
- 9) compulsive . . .
  reading
  1. book
  2. film
  3. reading
- 10) bedtime . . .
  reading
  1. book
  2. film
  3. reading
Complete collocations in the sentences below.
- 1. Sal was . . .
  engrossed/absorbed
  in her book that she didn’t hear me.
  1. absorbed
  2. flicked
  3. engrossed
- 2. Many people find articles about the private lives of film stars . . .
  compulsive
  
  reading.
  1. compulsive
  2. skimmed
  3. bedtime
- 3. I don’t think a horror story makes good . . .
  bedtime
  reading.
  1. beautiful
  2. bedtime
  3. skimmed
- 4. Detective stories are good for train journeys as they’re an . . .
  easy
  read.
  1. easy
  2. compulsive
  3. beautifully
- 5. You can . . .
  take out/borrow
  six library books at one time.
  1. borrow
  2. return
  3. take out
- 6. You should . . .
  return
  your library book tomorrow.
  1. return
  2. take out
  3. borrow
- 7. I’m going to . . .
  renew
  my library book for another week.
  1. take out
  2. return
  3. renew
- 8. Mona . . .
  flicked / skimmed
  through the book without reading it in detail.
  1. skimmed
  2. flicked
  3. engrossed
- 9. The book is . . .
  beautifully
  written — I highly recommend it.
  1. easy
  2. beautifully
  3. compulsive

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