Newspaper Writing

What is Newspaper Writing?

Within English, which covers grammar, vocabulary, reading, writing, poetry, drama and the skills for clear communication, this topic explains Newspaper Writing. English topics help you read closely and write with purpose, so each one here explains a skill and shows how it works in a model text.

Check that you can explain Newspaper Writing in your own words and give one example from everyday life. If you can do that, you have understood the core idea.

Understanding Newspaper Writing helps you read texts more closely and write with more control, which earns marks in both reading and writing papers.

Newspaper Writing in detail

News articles follow the inverted pyramid structure, starting with the most important information, answering who, what, where, when, why and how, in the opening paragraph (the lead), with details in descending order of importance. They have a headline, byline, subheadings and often quotations from witnesses and experts.

The language is clear, concise and objective in news reports, whereas editorials and opinion pieces are persuasive. Headlines use short, punchy words, puns and present tense. Tabloids and broadsheets differ in style, tone and content. Good news writing is accurate, fair and balanced, and attributes statements to sources.

How the interactive helps you understand Newspaper Writing

Click a step, or use the Previous and Next buttons, to move through the sequence one stage at a time. Auto-play moves on for you.

Before you change anything, predict the result. Then change one value at a time and check whether your prediction was right. This is a quick way to build a correct mental model of Newspaper Writing.

Real-life uses and examples

• Spot Newspaper Writing when you read a poem, story or speech, then explain the effect it creates.
• Use Newspaper Writing to make your own writing more precise and vivid.
• Support a point about Newspaper Writing with a short, accurate quotation.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Naming a technique without explaining its effect on the reader.
• Quoting a long passage instead of picking a short, precise phrase.
• Learning the definition without testing it. Use the quiz and the interactive to check that you can apply the idea.