Newspaper

Reports
A newspaper is a folded
‘book’ of printed papers.

Newspapers are published

daily or weekly and they might
include news, articles, reviews,
adverts, letters and more.
What are newspapers?
Newspapers inform people about
events that have taken place. Some articles try
These might include celebrations, to make the
sports, crimes and meetings. readers laugh...

... and all

They might also publishers
try to influence want to attract
readers and sell
the opinion of lots of copies
their readers. of their
newspapers!
Who reads newspapers?
There are many Local Newspapers
Report on events in a specific place or area.
different types of
newspaper and
National Newspapers
each one has a Tell people about news around
different audience. the country and the world.

Professional News
For people with a particular job.

Special Interest Newspapers

For people who have a hobby
or an interest in a topic.

Children’s News
With articles and vocabulary that are more
suitable for a younger audience.
What's inside a newspaper?
Newspapers News Interviews Letters
with local people,
might have reports important officials
from the readers.
or celebrities.
some (or all)
Reviews Features
of these of products to report on a person,
features. or services. place, object or event.

Instructions Horoscopes
to give a forecast of a
teaching you how
person’s future.
to do something.

Editorials
Recipes Adverts giving the opinions
of the editors / publishers.
to encourage people to
Campaigns buy or think something.
to try to change something Weather
in the community. Sports news
Structure Newspaper
articles usually
have a similar
structure.
Headline
The headline of a newspaper article is a short sentence that
tries to grab the attention of the reader.

Opening
This explains briefly what happened, where and when it
happened, who was involved and how / why it took place.

Body
The main body of the article includes further important
details about the topic. It can also feature quotes from
people and information from different sources.
Summary
The final paragraph may include information about what is
happening now or next for the people involved.
Headlines Headlines try to grab
the reader’s attention
using as few words
Alliteration
as possible.
Grandma goalie scores own goal!
Spider sneaks into salmon sandwich! They may use a
number of different
Rhyming language features.
Baby iguanas found in crate of bananas!
Moose on the loose in Belarus!

Onomatopoeia
Knock! Knock! Who’s there?
Snap, crackle and flop!

Puns and Wordplay

Otter devastation!
Fruit lorry crash causes huge jam!
Opening
In the opening of an article, try to
explain briefly what happened, where
and when it happened, who was
involved and how / why it took place.
What?
Police are baffled after the gingerbread men at
Where? their local bakery all disappeared! Colin Crumpet, Who?
the owner of Kings Bakery at Mufflin baked one
hundred gingerbread men on the evening of
When? Thursday 12th March and when he returned the
next morning, they had all vanished. Tiny floury
footprints have been spotted on the floor of the
bakery but detectives are not yet sure why the Why?
How?
gingerbread men were so desperate to escape.
Features Newspaper
articles
usually have
some (or all)
of these
Facts and Opinions Past Tense
features...

Quotes and Chronological

Evidence Order

Direct and Connectives

Reported Speech and Conjunctions

Photos, Diagrams
Emotive Language
and Captions
Facts and Opinions
Newspaper articles should be based on facts.
These can be checked and evidence can be
used to show that they are correct.

According to a recent survey,

The Tale of Peter Rabbit was
the most popular girls’ names in
first printed in Braille in 1921.
France are Emma, Léa and Chloé.

Opinions may also be included in a report.

These show a person’s thoughts and beliefs.
You can show somebody’s opinion using quotes.
“This is absolutely appalling!” shouted
Tilly cried with joy when she
Mr. Orley when he discovered that his
won first place in the awards.
favourite shop was about to close.
Direct Quotes from
people can be Reported
Speech written using direct
or reported speech. Speech
Direct speech repeats the actual Reported speech reports
words that a person said. on the words that were spoken.
Quotation marks are usually used. You may have to change the tense.
I saw
“I saw somebody creep into somebody Mrs. Palmer explained that she
the bank at midnight,” creep into had seen somebody creep into
explained Mrs. Palmer. the bank at
midnight. the bank at midnight.

School will be closed today because the classrooms are flooded.

“School will be closed today Mr. Cook announced that the

because the classrooms are school would be closed because
flooded,” announced Mr. Cook. the classrooms were flooded.
Evidence and Sources
Newspaper reporters can The police report showed
get their information from that Mrs. O’Leary was at
the scene of the crime.
many different sources.
These include people,
books, letters, films, The CCTV captured a
video of Dan Millican
recordings and files. trying to steal a car.

The email An eyewitness

confirmed that (who didn’t want to
Jenkins had lied be named) saw Kim
about his work. entering the building.

It’s important to check that the facts are

accurate and the sources are reliable.
Emotive Language devastated
Choose your words
carefully to get an Charlie was sad when he
emotional response lost his teddy at the fair.
from the reader. favourite

dashed incredible

Sal went home when she heard the good news.

carefully shrieked with delight

Jon opened the envelope and smiled.
Past Tense
Most reports are about something that
has already happened. So, they need
to be written in the past tense.

Children at St. Patrick’s Jo Dobson had a shock

school raised £100. when she discovered a
They held a sponsored tropical spider inside a
sleepover last week. pack of bananas!

Some reports might be about an

event that is happening in the future.

The charity run David is going to

will take place enter the talent
next Sunday. competition in May.
Chronological Order
Try to write your report in Connectives and
chronological order, recording the conjunctions can
help you to show
events in the order that they happened. the correct order.

First Next Then After

Meanwhile While So But

That
The next day Last week Last month
morning

Before When Eventually Finally

Images and Captions
Photos, illustrations
and diagrams are
often used alongside
newspaper reports. Dilby was led away in
handcuffs to begin his eight
Captions help to year prison sentence.
Jess and Dr. Parkin celebrate the
explain what the success of her final operation.
images show.

The carbon cycle shows

how carbon moves
from the atmosphere,
through animals and In a nailbiting finish, Harry crossed
plants, then back into the finish line of his 100th triathlon.
the atmosphere again.
Editing and Improving
When the reporter (or journalist) has
written an article, the editor may check
it and make changes to improve it.

Is the article Do any words or

Are the spelling,
easy to sections need to be
punctuation and
understand? cut out or moved?
grammar accurate?
Are the facts and
Will our readers figures in the
be interested in article accurate?
this article?
Who was the source
Does the article fit for the information?
into the space that Are they reliable?
we have available?
 Before you
publish your
Writing Checklist
q Check that you have told the reader what
article, review
happened, where and when it happened, who
this checklist. was involved and how / why it took place.
q Make sure that your facts are all accurate.
q Have you included any quotes from other people
(and explained who they are)?
q Write in the third person. Don’t use I or me... use
he, she, they or it instead.
q Read your article carefully and check that it
makes sense.
q Check that the spelling and grammar is correct.
q Choose relevant pictures or photos to accompany
the text.
q Have you ended your article with a summary,
quote or catchy phase?