The Language of Movies
This lesson teaches B1 students movie vocabulary and film genres through fun, interactive activities. Students learn to talk about their favorite films using specific terms like genre, plot, and character. The lesson includes matching exercises, discussions, and creative tasks that make learning this vocabulary practical and engaging.
Lesson overview
- Learn vocabulary for movie genres, roles, and cinema experiences
- Practice matching genre descriptions with correct film category names
- Develop speaking skills through discussions about favorite movies and preferences
- Build confidence describing films using adjectives and movie-specific terminology
Student's Version (Light/Dark)
Teacher's Version (Answer Keys)
Printable Classroom Version (A4)
| Level | Vocabulary | Lesson Time |
| B1 / Intermediate | 25 words | 60-80 min |
Vocabulary
- Action
- Comedy
- Drama
- Horror
- Science fiction
- Romance
- Thriller
- Fantasy
- Documentary
- Animation
- Ticket
- Popcorn
- Cinema
- Genre
- Plot
- Hero
- Villain
- Director
- Writer
- Character
- Star
- Boring
- Exciting
- Funny
- Scary
- Romantic
Contents
- Lead-in
- Genres
- Vocabulary
- Speaking
- Categories
- Vocabulary
- Practice 1
- Practice 2
- Practice 3
- Discussion
- Wrap-up
Start with the lead-in questions to get students talking about movies they know. This works well because everyone has an opinion about films, so even quieter students usually participate. Ask follow-up questions like “Why is that your favorite?” to extend the conversation. You’ll quickly see which students already know some movie vocabulary and which ones need more support.
Move into the genres section by showing the images and eliciting what students already know. Then do the matching activity where students read descriptions and match them to genre names. This is trickier than you’d expect for B1 learners. Some genres have overlapping features, and students get confused about where to draw the line. Walk around and check their answers. The difference between thriller and horror trips up almost every class I’ve taught this to, so be ready to explain that thrillers are about suspense while horror is about fear and jump scares.
Work through the vocabulary categories activity where students sort words into three groups. This gets them actively thinking about word relationships instead of just memorizing lists. After they finish sorting, go through the emoji-based practice exercises. The visual cues really help lock the words into memory. Do the first few examples together so students understand the pattern, then let them work independently.
Wrap up with the creative discussion about making a movie with $100 million. Students get genuinely excited about this one. Have them work in pairs first to plan their movie, then share ideas with the class. You’ll hear some wild pitches. The final wrap-up with pictures lets you assess what vocabulary stuck and what needs reviewing next time.
