by Kate Woodford

Most of us like to discuss movies and shows that we have seen and books that we have read. This is the first of two posts that will provide you with a range of adjectives and phrases for describing what you have seen and read in a way that is precise and varied.

We often want to say that we found a movie or a book enjoyable. Two very useful ‘-able’ adjectives here are readable and watchable. Books that are readable are easy and enjoyable to read (sometimes despite being about subjects that might seem difficult or boring): It’s a very readable account of the history of this great city.

Movies and shows that are watchable give you pleasure when you watch them: It’s probably not his best movie but it’s very watchable. An adjective with a similar meaning is entertaining: It’s not a great novel but it’s fairly entertaining.

Meanwhile, a book that is very enjoyable may be described as a good read: I’d really recommend his latest novel – it’s a good read.

A number of adjectives describe movies and books that are very interesting. Absorbing is used for a movie or book that is so interesting, it completely holds your attention: I really liked her last novel – I found it very absorbing.

Engrossing means the same, but is stronger: The movie was completely engrossing from start to finish.

A movie or book that is intriguing, meanwhile, is very interesting in a way that is unusual or mysterious: I found the storyline so intriguing – I had absolutely no idea what was going to happen next.

Other adjectives and phrases describe books and movies that are very exciting: Gripping is one such adjective and riveting another:

This is a series with great characters and a gripping storyline.

You’ll love the novel – it’s riveting stuff.

Compulsive is used to describe movies and books that are so exciting, you cannot stop watching or reading them. The adjective is often used in the phrases (for movies, shows, etc) compulsive viewing and (for books) compulsive reading:

His latest book is compulsive reading.

I find hospital documentaries like these compulsive viewing.

The adjective compelling means the same: I found the whole series very compelling.

Meanwhile, a book that is (informal) unputdownable is so exciting, you cannot stop reading it (you cannot ‘put it down’): His last novel was totally unputdownable. I read it over two days.

We hope that you read something unputdownable or watch something riveting this week!

by Kate Woodford

This week we’re looking at the various expressions that we use to say that a thought or idea comes into our mind. As ever, when looking at a particular area of the language, we hope to provide you with a range of interesting ways to say something.

We’ll start with the verb strike. If a thought or idea strikes you, it suddenly comes into your mind: That was when the thought struck him. Like other verbs with this meaning, ‘strike’ is often used in the structure ‘It struck someone that…’

It struck me that Dan might not be the best person for the job.

Another very common way of saying this is the phrasal verb occur to. Again, the structure that we often use is ‘It occurred to someone that…’:

It occurred to me that we could invite Sophia.

Interestingly, we often use ‘occur to’ in negative phrases to describe thoughts and ideas that we didn’t have or we failed to have at a particular time:

I felt so bad – it never occurred to me that she would be upset.

It didn’t occur to me to leave the keys under the mat.

A number of idioms also convey this meaning. One such expression is cross your mind. If something crosses your mind, you think of it: I didn’t actually leave but the thought certainly crossed my mind.

Like ‘strike’ and ‘occur to’, this idiom often takes the form ‘It … that’: It crossed my mind that he might not want to come.

Again, this idiom is also often used in negative phrases:

It didn’t cross my mind that she might lie to me.

It never once crossed my mind to tell her.

Two other ‘mind’ idioms are spring to mind and come to mind. Thoughts and images that spring to mind or come to mind come quickly into your mind:

When I think of David Bowie, that’s the track that immediately springs to mind.

She asked me if I had any suggestions, but nothing came to mind.

Finally, people sometimes say that a thought or image flashes across/ through their mind, meaning that it suddenly enters their mind. This is often used of a frightening or worrying idea or image:

Scenes from the accident flashed across my mind.

It flashed through my mind that I might not see him again.