Discussing what movies or tv you like to watch

This ESL lesson is designed to help learners confidently discuss movies and TV shows in English! This lesson focuses on building essential vocabulary and practical phrases to express preferences, describe genres, and share viewing habits.

By exploring relatable topics like favorite films, popular series, and cinema experiences, students will practice speaking, listening, and writing in a fun and interactive way. Using visuals, role-plays, and real-world examples, this lesson creates an immersive environment to boost learners’ fluency and cultural awareness.

Perfect for beginners and intermediate learners, this plan encourages personalization, making it easy for students to connect their own interests to the language they’re learning.

Basic vocabulary

Start with essential words related to movies and TV shows that learners can use to express their preferences.

Vocabulary list

• Movie/film: A story told through moving pictures (e.g., “I watched a movie yesterday”).
• TV show/series: A program on television, often with multiple episodes (e.g., “I love this series”).
• Genre: The type or category of a movie or show (e.g., action, comedy, drama).
• Favorite: Something you like the most (e.g., “My favorite movie is…”).
• Actor/actress: A person who performs in movies or shows (e.g., “She’s a great actress”).
• Watch: To view a movie or show (e.g., “I watch TV every evening”).
• Like/enjoy: To have a positive feeling about something (e.g., “I like comedies”).
• Episode: A single part of a TV series (e.g., “I watched one episode”).
• Cinema/theater: A place where movies are shown (e.g., “I went to the cinema”).
• Stream: To watch online (e.g., “I stream movies on Netflix”).

Vocabulary for extension

• Plot: The storyline of a movie or show (e.g., “The plot was exciting”).
• Character: A person in the story (e.g., “I like the main character”).
• Director: The person who makes a movie or show (e.g., “This director is famous”).
• Season: A group of episodes in a series (e.g., “I finished season one”).
• Thriller: A genre with suspense and excitement (e.g., “I love thrillers”).
• Romantic: A genre about love (e.g., “It’s a romantic movie”).
• Sci-fi: A genre about science fiction (e.g., “Sci-fi shows are cool”).
• Binge-watch: To watch many episodes in one sitting (e.g., “I binge-watched a series”).
• Subtitles: Text on the screen to translate dialogue (e.g., “I use subtitles”).
• Blockbuster: A very popular movie (e.g., “It was a blockbuster film”).

Teaching tip

• Use visuals like movie posters or screenshots from TV shows to illustrate genres and terms.
• Practice pronunciation of tricky words (e.g., “genre” as /ˈʒɑːnrə/ or “thriller” as /ˈθrɪlər/).
• Create flashcards with vocabulary words on one side and definitions or pictures on the other.

Useful phrases

Teach simple, adaptable phrases for discussing movie and TV preferences and asking others about theirs.

Key phrases

1. Expressing preferences
   • “My favorite movie is [movie name].”
   • “I like [genre] movies/TV shows.”
   • “I enjoy watching [movie/series].”
   • “I love [actor/actress] in [movie/show].”
2. Describing movies/shows
   • “It’s a [genre] movie/series.”
   • “The plot is [exciting/funny/sad].”
   • “It has [number] seasons/episodes.”
   • “It’s about [brief description].”
3. Talking about watching habits
   • “I watch [movies/series] on [TV/Netflix/cinema].”
   • “I usually watch [genre] in my free time.”
   • “I binge-watched [series] last weekend.”
4. Asking questions
   • “What’s your favorite movie/TV show?”
   • “Do you like [genre] movies?”
   • “Have you seen [movie/series]?”
   • “What do you think about [movie/series]?”

Teaching tips

• Write phrases on a board or handout and have learners practice substituting their own preferences (e.g., “I like action movies”).
• Model the phrases with enthusiasm to encourage natural intonation and confidence.

Example conversations

Use short, realistic dialogues to show how to discuss movies and TV shows. These examples include both basic and extended vocabulary for variety.

Conversation 1: Basic exchange
Emma: Hi, do you like movies?
Liam: Yes, I like action movies. My favorite is Spider-Man.
Emma: Cool! Do you watch it in the cinema?
Liam: No, I stream it on Netflix.
Emma: Nice! What’s it about?
Liam: It’s about a superhero who fights bad guys.

Conversation 2: Adding details
Sofia: What’s your favorite TV show, Amir?
Amir: I love Stranger Things. It’s a sci-fi series.
Sofia: Oh, I’ve heard of it! Is it good?
Amir: Yes, the plot is exciting, and the characters are great. It has four seasons.
Sofia: Do you binge-watch it?
Amir: Yeah, I watched all the episodes last month! Conversation 3: More AdvancedJake: Have you seen any good movies lately, Mia?
Mia: Yes, I watched a thriller called Parasite. It’s a blockbuster!
Jake: Oh, I know that one! What did you like about it?
Mia: The plot was so clever, and the director is amazing. It had subtitles, but I didn’t mind.
Jake: Sounds awesome! Do you like romantic movies too?
Mia: Not really, I prefer sci-fi or thrillers. What about you? Teaching Tip

• Role-play these conversations, switching roles to practice asking and answering.
• Encourage learners to create their own dialogues using their favorite movies or shows.
• In group settings, have learners pair up to practice, asking follow-up questions to extend the conversation.

Teaching strategy

Step 1: Warm-up (5 minutes)

• Ask: “What’s a movie or TV show you like?” to spark interest (you could humorously say, “I’m Grok, and I’d probably binge-watch sci-fi about AI!”).
• Show a short clip or poster of a popular movie/TV show and ask, “What genre is this?” to introduce vocabulary.

Step 2: Vocabulary introduction (10 minutes)

• Present the core and extension vocabulary using visuals or examples (e.g., show a clip for “sci-fi” or “romantic”).
• Practice pronunciation and have learners repeat words like “genre” or “subtitles.”
• Play a quick game: Name a movie/TV show (e.g., “The Avengers”) and ask learners to guess the genre or describe it.

Step 3: Phrase practice (10 minutes)

• Write key phrases on the board and model their use (e.g., “I like comedy movies.”).
• Have learners practice by filling in blanks with their preferences (e.g., “My favorite series is ____.”).
• Correct grammar and pronunciation gently, focusing on natural flow.

Step 4: Conversation practice (15 minutes)

• Read one of the example conversations aloud as a model.
• Pair learners (or role-play with them) to practice the dialogues, encouraging them to use their own movie/TV preferences.
• Prompt follow-up questions to make conversations more dynamic (e.g., “Why do you like it?”).

Step 5: Wrap-up and personalization (5 minutes)

• Ask each learner to share one sentence about their favorite movie or show (e.g., “My favorite series is Friends, and it’s very funny.”).
• Provide feedback on their pronunciation and word choice.
• Assign homework: Write a short paragraph about a favorite movie or practice a dialogue with a friend.

Additional tips

• Cultural relevance: Use examples of popular movies or shows that learners might know (e.g., Marvel movies, Netflix series). Ask learners to share culturally relevant examples from their own country.
• Visual aids: Show movie trailers or posters to illustrate genres and spark discussion.
• Listening practice: Play a short clip from a movie or show (with subtitles if needed) and ask learners to identify the genre or describe the plot.
• Adapt for level: For beginners, focus on simple phrases like “I like action movies.” For intermediate learners, encourage detailed descriptions using extension vocabulary (e.g., “The plot is thrilling”).
• Incorporate technology: Use streaming platform screenshots or online quizzes about movie genres to make the lesson interactive.

Common mistakes to address

• Grammar: Learners might say “I like watch movies” instead of “I like watching movies.” Emphasize the gerund form after “like/enjoy.”
• Pronunciation: Words like “genre” or “thriller” may be mispronounced. Practice these explicitly.
• Word Choice: Clarify the difference between “movie” (one film) and “series” (multiple episodes). Also, explain “watch” vs. “see” (e.g., “I watch TV at home” but “I see a movie in the cinema”).

Example activity

“Movie/TV Match” For group classes, create an engaging activity.

• Prepare cards with movie/TV show names and another set with genres or descriptions (e.g., “The Avengers” and “Action”).
• Learners match the cards by asking each other questions like “Is The Avengers a comedy?” or “What’s this show about?”
• Alternatively, play a “20 Questions” game where one learner thinks of a movie/show, and others ask yes/no questions (e.g., “Is it a sci-fi series?”).

Homework or follow-up

• Writing: Write 3-5 sentences about your favorite movie or TV show, using at least three new vocabulary words.
• Speaking: Record a short audio/video answering “What’s your favorite movie or series?” and describe why you like it.
• Research: Look up a movie or show in English and learn its genre and one new word related to it (e.g., “director” or “plot”).