Tipos de texto (Text types)
Note from the author: Most of the content in this section has been written in English to help students grasp concepts quickly. Subsections intended for teachers are presented in Spanish.
17. Reseña
A review or critique (una reseña) is a brief and evaluative text that gives an opinion about a cultural or consumer item, such as a book, film, exhibition, concert, play, product, app, restaurant, etc. It combines description with personal opinion, often with a rating and a recommendation for or against the subject being reviewed.
It might be published in a magazine, a blog, a newspaper, or a website.
Model text and key features
Below are two review models: a positive review of a series and a negative review of a product. What similarities and differences do you notice between them?
| Context | Audience | Purpose |
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Key words
The following key words in the exam may suggest that the appropriate text type is a review or critique (reseña).
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Español
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Inglés
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| Compartir | To share |
| Evaluar |
To evaluate
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| Describir |
To describe
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| Analizar | To analize |
| Recomendar | To recommend |
| Aconsejar | To give advice |
Key points at a glance
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Format
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Message
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Language
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Key features, tips and examples
- Ideally, you want to start with a catchy title.
- However, you may just start with a title that includes the name of the cultural or customer item.
Examples:
- La Casa de Papel: el atraco que nos robó el corazón
- Reseña de "La Casa de Papel"
- Zentra Pulse X1: Reloj poco inteligente
- Reseña del reloj Zentra Pulse X1
- It is a mandatory element according to the IB mark scheme.
- Use your fake Spanish name.
Examples:
- Por Marta Gutiérrez
- Por Pablo Álavez
- Although not required by the IB mark scheme, real-life reviews often include a picture and a fact sheet (una ficha técnica).
- The fact sheet for a movie or series typically includes the title (título), director (director/directora), cast (reparto), year (año), and genre (género).
- The fact sheet for a book typically includes the title (título), author (autor/autora), year (año), and genre (género).
- The fact sheet for a product typically includes the product's name (producto), the brand (marca), and price (precio).
- The introduction should include a description of the cultural or customer item.
- If reviewing a book, series, or movie, the description should include a brief synopsis without spoilers. You should provide a high-level description of the plot (la trama), without revealing the ending.
Examples:
- El libro trata de... (The book is about...)
- La película está basada en hechos reales... (The movie is based on real events...)
- La serie está ambientada en... (The series is set in...)
- La exposición consiste en una colección de... (The exhibition consists of a collection of...)
- This is the paragraph where you give your personal opinion - it must be written in the first person
- Aim to be balanced - speak about strengths and weaknesses
- Even if your opinion is negative, maintain a professional tone - do not use rude language.
Examples:
- Me encantó cómo combina momentos de tensión con escenas emotivas.
- Lamentablemente, me llevé una decepción.
- Aunque me gustó la comida y los precios me parecieron razonables, me decepcionó mucho el servicio del restaurante.
End with a rating (e.g., stars) and a recommendation for or against the cultural or consumer product:
- Would you recommend it?
- To whom?
- Why?
Examples:
- Muy recomendable para quienes busquen una serie emocionante y diferente.
- No lo recomiendo. Hay modelos mejores por un precio similar.
- Recomendación: Sí, recomiendo estos ipods para quienes escuchen música todos los días. Son caros pero muy buenos.
Test your skills
Escribe entre 70 y 150 palabras.
Acabas de ir a un nuevo restaurante en tu barrio. Escribe un texto para una página web sobre gastronomía local, en el que hables de tu experiencia y des tu opinión sobre la comida, el ambiente y el servicio del restaurante. Debes mencionar lo que te gustó y lo que no, y ofrecer una recomendación.
| Artículo | Informe | Reseña |
Reflect
- What would be the second and third best text types for this task?
- What would you have done differently if you were writing an article instead of a review?
- What would you have done differently if you were writing a report instead of a review?
Click on the link to read a student sample for this prompt. Analyze it before reading the marking notes.
Download: Printable cheat sheet
Activities: Artilugios ingeniosos
- Collaborative and creative work:
- In groups (of 4 to 6 students), randomly draw a picture from your teacher's hat.
- Together, come up with a catchy name for the gadget and a description of its functionality.
- In pairs, randomly pick one scenario and write a review of the product based on your prompt.
- Reflection and peer feedback:
- Swap your reviews with another group, including the gadget's picture.
- Read their reviews and choose your favorite one.
- Read aloud the chosen review to the rest of the class (to add fun, read the review dramatically, like a critique at an awards show!).
- Explain why you liked this review more than the others.
De Profe a Profe
Aquí tienes las fotos de los artilugios para imprimir y recortar, de modo que cada grupo pueda seleccionar una al azar. En este otro documento están las tres situaciones que deberás imprimir y recortar para cada grupo. Dobla los papeles para que no puedan leer los enunciados antes de elegir el suyo.