B1 Lesson 38: Reported Verbs + Film 2

WARM UP

Think about films and the entertainment industry.

• Who is your favourite writer or filmmaker?
• Have you ever watched a film on its premiere day?
• Do you think the paparazzi respect celebrities' privacy?
• How important is editing when making a film?
• Would you enjoy creating comedy skits for social media?

Answer in full sentences.

VOCABULARY – FILM & MEDIA

• writer – a person who writes books, scripts, or stories
Example: The writer spent two years finishing the screenplay.

• filmmaker – someone who makes films
Example: The young filmmaker won an international award.

• feature film – a full-length film shown at the cinema
Example: It was her first feature film.

• premiere – the first public showing of a film
Example: Hundreds of people attended the film's premiere.

• paparazzi – photographers who take pictures of famous people
Example: The paparazzi were waiting outside the hotel.

• comedy skits – short, funny performances or videos
Example: They create comedy skits for YouTube.

• editing – preparing and improving a film by selecting and arranging scenes
Example: Editing took almost three months.

• fine-tune – make small improvements to something
Example: The team fine-tuned the final version of the film.

Say each word out loud.

Think about films or creators that match these words.

GRAMMAR – REPORTED VERBS

We use different reporting verbs to report what someone said more accurately.

say (that)

• She said that the film was excellent.
• He said that he enjoyed the ending.

tell + someone + (that)

• She told me that the actors were brilliant.
• They told us that filming had finished.

explain (that)

• The director explained that the ending had changed.
• She explained that the budget was limited.

announce (that)

• The studio announced that the film would be released in October.
• They announced that a sequel was in production.

insist (that)

• The actor insisted that he had performed all the stunts himself.
• She insisted that the story was true.

suggest (that)

• The writer suggested that the ending should be changed.
• My friend suggested watching the new feature film.

demand (that)

• The producer demanded that the scene be filmed again.
• The audience demanded that the film be released sooner.

DIALOGUE – AFTER THE PREMIERE

Anna: What did the director say after the premiere?

Mark: He said that he was proud of the cast.

Anna: Did he explain the ending?

Mark: Yes. He explained that they had changed it during editing.

Anna: What did the writer think?

Mark: She suggested that the new ending was stronger.

Anna: Were there many photographers?

Mark: Yes, the paparazzi were everywhere.

Read again and practise.

SHORT ARTICLE

A talented filmmaker recently presented his latest feature film at its international premiere. Before the event, the writer explained that the script had been rewritten several times to improve the story. During post-production, the team spent months editing the film and fine-tuning every scene. After the screening, the studio announced that the film would be released worldwide the following month. The lead actor insisted that working with the filmmaker had been an unforgettable experience, while the producer said that everyone had worked incredibly hard. Outside the cinema, the paparazzi waited to photograph the cast as they greeted fans.

Read the article twice.

LANGUAGE SUPPORT

Film vocabulary

• a talented writer
• an experienced filmmaker
• a successful feature film
• attend a premiere
• avoid the paparazzi
• create comedy skits
• spend weeks editing
• fine-tune the final version

Reported verbs

• say that...
• tell someone that...
• explain that...
• announce that...
• insist that...
• suggest that...
• demand that...

Full sentence model

• The filmmaker explained that the team had spent months editing and fine-tuning the feature film before its premiere.

PERSONAL QUESTIONS

Answer in full sentences.

• Which writer has influenced you the most?
• Is there a filmmaker whose work you always enjoy?
• Have you ever watched a feature film on its premiere day?
• What do you think about the paparazzi?
• Have you ever made or watched comedy skits online?
• Why is editing important when making films or videos?
• Have you ever had to fine-tune a piece of work before submitting it?
• Tell me something a teacher recently said to you using reported speech.
• What has someone recently suggested that you do?
• Has anyone ever insisted that you were right or wrong about something?

HOMEWORK (WRITE & RECORD)

Writing

Write 10 sentences:

• 4 using the film vocabulary.
• 6 using different reported verbs (say, tell, explain, announce, insist, suggest, demand).

Use at least 8 vocabulary items and all 7 reported verbs.