How to write a newspaper article
Purpose: To inform and entertain the reader. A newspaper article should deliver a story in a way that gives
all the information but also engages them. The main aim is to inform so your writing should not be too
personal. Maintain a formal style, avoid using ‘I’ and try to appear objective. You can, however, show your
own bias with the clever use of vocabulary and other techniques.
Structure:
Headline: This should catch the reader’s attention (headlines often use alliteration or word-play) and suit the
tone of your article (humorous, serious, factual etc.)
Paragraph 1: Introduce the event giving the key information: What, when, who, where
Paragraph 2: Why, how- Give more detail on exactly how the event happened and what the cause was.
Paragraph 3: Include more background details on what happened before the event in order to give your
reader a better idea of what led to it.
Paragraph 4: An interview or quotes giving someone’s opinion on the event; this could be someone directly
related to the story or some sort of respected or expert opinion.
Paragraph 5: Look to the future; what is the impact of this event? What are you predictions for what might
happen next?
DON’T FORGET LITERACY!
Have you used…
Correct spelling?
Full sentences?
Paragraphs?
Punctuation?
Remember, your editor will have to check your work, and they won’t like it if they find lots of errors!
TECHNIQUES:
Connectives:
Adding- In addition, furthermore, moreover, what’s more, including
Summing up- Overall, in conclusion, ultimately, in the end
Contrasting- But, however, although, nevertheless, on the other hand
Sentence Starters:
Firstly, Secondly, Shockingly, Disappointingly, Amazingly, Finally etc
Punctuation:
BRACKETS- To show a comment/extra detail not required for the main sentence e.g. The victim (17 years old)
was from South London.
QUESTION MARK- To show a rhetorical question, used to engage the reader e.g. Will the games live up to all
the hype and expectation?
SEMI-COLON- To link two separate sentences which follow from each other (can be used instead of an adding
connective) e.g. The tickets were £200; many young fans simply couldn’t afford to go.
COLON- To signify a list e.g. Fan’s favourite events were: the long jump, 100 metre sprint, pole vault.
Vocabulary: Avoid boring words try to be adventurous!
Other journalistic techniques
A- Alliteration
F- Facts/Figurative language (similes, metaphors etc)
O- Opinion
R-Repetition/rhetorical questions
E-Exaggeration/emotive language (vocab that gets an emotional reaction from the reader)
S-Statistics
T- Triples (a list of three different adjectives used for effect)
