Writing a Newspaper Article English III
Dream of being a writer? In any language, newspapers employ the greatest number of writers Medium through which a single person can reach millions of readers
What’s the trick? The key to writing a successful article is simplicity Get to the point and be clear and quick
General Structure Headline Byline (by Joe Smith) Lead (lede or lead paragraph) overview of story (who, where, what, why, when, how) Explanation and amplification Additional information
Headline The phrase that grabs one’s attention Often a noun phrase (no verb) Unexpected visit Overwhelming response of voters Sometimes the confusing noun string String of 3 or 4 nouns Ford Complaint Customers (helps to read backwards) Simple tenses are used instead of continuous To + infinitive Mayor to visit quake site Auxiliary verbs are dropped from the passive Dog awarded medal Articles (A, an, the) are dropped President backs cabinet
The body Upside down pyramid Facts in order of descending importance Unbiased Use quotes to demonstrate opposing opinions or bring in the human element No more than three sentences per paragraph Writer must assume reader has no prior knowledge of the story
Layout Columns Newspaper pages (broadsheets and tabloids) are very wide Lines span entire width - difficult to read Optimize use of available space
Style Short sentences Facts told in active voice Police searched the premises Reported speech in passive voice It was later revealed that there was evidence of arson Mainly the present tense is used Third person point of view (he, she, it, they)
The Wright Brothers Write a short newspaper article using: Flying facts Orville and Wilbur Wright 17th December 1903 First engine powered controlled flight Biplane glider made of wood Weight 274 kg, wingspan 12.3m Orville piloted first successful flight Kitty Hawk, North Carolina USA Chosen for its strong winds, sandy ground and remote location Were inspired by watching birds in flight, felt they could control a glider the way a bird controls its wings