Types of movies and TV shows – B1 English Vocabulary

Types of movies and TV shows

In this Intermediate Vocabulary Lesson about Types of Movies and TV Shows, you will learn important terms and phrases related to different genres of films and television programs. The pictures, descriptions, and examples below will help you understand and remember the terms.

Movies

1 A comedy is a film or TV show that is intended to be funny.

• The comedy was so funny that we couldn’t stop laughing.

2 An action film is a fast-paced movie that has a lot of fighting and exciting scenes.

• I don’t enjoy action films; I find them too violent.

3 A rom-com is a romantic comedy where the main characters usually fall in love.

• At the end of the rom-com, the two main characters got married.

4 An adventure film is a movie about exciting journeys, trips, or voyages.

• We watched a great adventure film about a man walking to the South Pole.

5 A musical is a movie where part of the story is told by characters singing or through music.

• I love watching musicals and singing along to the songs.

6 A drama is a serious film that focuses on human emotions.

• Although I enjoyed the drama, I found it a bit depressing.

7 A horror film is a frightening movie that is intended to scare its audience.

• After watching the scary horror film, I was afraid to turn off the light.

8 A fantasy film is a movie with magical events, creatures, or places that are not real.

• My sister enjoys fantasy films, while I enjoy movies that are more realistic.

9 A sci-fi film is about futuristic ideas or technology.

• I watched an excellent sci-fi film set in space in the year 4099.

10 A thriller is a film that is exciting and full of suspense.

• The thriller was so exciting that I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen.

11 A western is a cowboy movie set in the mid-west USA in the nineteenth century.

• When I was a kid I loved cowboys, so I watched a lot of westerns.

12 A family film is a movie that is suitable for all ages, often with content that is enjoyable for both children and adults.

• We watched a fun family film last night that everyone enjoyed, from the kids to the grandparents.

TV Shows

1 A TV series is a show made up of many episodes that are shown regularly on TV, like every week.

• It’s one of my favourite TV series; I’ve seen every episode at least three times.

2 A sitcom is a programme that features a regular group of characters in various amusing situations.

• We watched a funny new sitcom on Saturday night.

3 A soap opera is a long-running daytime television series focusing on the lives and problems of a particular group of people.

• I’ve been watching the same soap opera every afternoon since I was a child.

4 A chat show is a show in which a host talks to different celebrity guests.

• One of the guests on the chat show was the actor from the film we saw yesterday.

5 A game show is a show in which people play games to win money.

• I saw a new game show where the guests have to answer mathematical problems.

6 A reality show focuses on ordinary people in everyday situations.

• There aren’t any actors in reality shows, they’re just normal people playing themselves.

7 A talent show is a show in which ordinary people compete by singing, dancing, or other forms of entertainment.

• The winner of the talent show had a beautiful singing voice.

8 A cookery show is a show in which cooks demonstrate how to prepare recipes.

• I watched a popular cookery show featuring a well-known Chinese chef.

9 A cartoon is a show featuring animated characters instead of people.

• I’m interested in animation, so I still watch a lot of cartoons.

10 A documentary gives factual information about a certain person, event, or topic.

• We watched a fascinating documentary about the sinking of the Titanic.

11 A wildlife show is a factual show focusing on animals and nature.

• I watched a great wildlife show on sharks last weekend.

12 A sports show is a show covering sports news and events.

• The host of the sports show was discussing the match with the team’s coach.

After completing the exercises in this lesson on Types of Movies and TV Shows, you can use the unit’s Vocabulary Flascards to revise and help you memorize the terms.