English Second Language·Writing skills · NSSCO 5.6
Articles for newspapers & magazines
Narrated lesson · press play
In Paper 1, Task 5, you may be asked to write an article for a local newspaper or your school magazine — about a hundred to a hundred and fifty words, for fifteen marks (Content out of eight, Language out of seven). In this lesson Miss Veronica builds the article with you, part by part: a catchy headline, a by-line, a hook opening that grabs the reader, a body that develops your three prompts with an example or a quote, and a strong ending. We fix a dull headline, sharpen a boring opening, and read a full model article about a Namibian school Sports Day, so you finish ready to write a lively, well-shaped article of your own.
What you'll learn in this lesson
By the end you should be able to (NSSCO English Second Language 5.6):
- Explain what an article is and state its purpose — to inform and interest a reader, and sometimes to persuade
- Identify the five parts of an article: a catchy headline, a by-line, a hook opening, a developed body, and a strong ending
- Write a catchy headline and an engaging opening that grabs the reader and says what the article is about
- Use hook techniques in an opening — a question, a surprising fact, or a short story
- Adapt style and tone to the audience (a school magazine versus a town newspaper) and to the article's purpose
- Develop the body with an example or a quote, and finish with a strong ending
- Answer a Task 5 article prompt by covering all three points and matching purpose, format and audience for full marks
Loading your lesson…
You're watching a free 3-minute preview — create a free account to keep going.