Writing an Informational Article

The style of a newspaper article changes if it is an informational article or an opinion article. Informational article is written to provide facts about a news event.

Informational articles

Informational articles begin with a headline.
The headline is a short summary of what the article is about, using only a few words.
Headlines take out unnecessary words to shorten them.
- For example: ‘Fundraiser raises thousands for local charity’ rather than ‘A fundraiser has raised thousands of pounds for a local animal charity’.

Headlines

Headlines aim to grab the reader’s attention.
Some headlines, such as in tabloid newspapers, may include puns to be humorous.
- Puns are a play on words.
Headlines may also be in the form of a question to help the reader begin to think about the topic or shock them.
- Headlines may aim to shock the reader so that they want to read the rest of the article.

Subheadings

Subheadings can be used in informational articles to separate the article into different sections.
- Each section should answer one of the 5 W’s: Who, What, Where, When, and Why.

Non-fiction writing methods

A range of non-fiction writing methods and a clear tone should be included in newspaper articles.
- To provide information, facts and statistics are included in an article.
A journalist may interview people who were involved in the event.
- Journalists can interview experts on the topic (called an ‘expert opinion’) and include direct quotations from them in the article.

Tone

The tone of the article will depend on the topic:
- A serious, emotive tone may be used for a tragic story such as a disaster.
- A humorous tone may be used for more light-hearted or less serious events and topics.

1Spelling

1.1Spelling

1.1.1Hard 'U' & 'I' Sounds

1.1.2Words Ending in '-sure', & '-mure'

1.1.3Words Ending in '-sion'

1.1.4'Ei', 'Eigh' & 'Ey' Spellings

1.1.5Spelling Words with 'Ch'

1.1.6Spelling Words with 'Sc'

1.1.7Silent Letters

1.1.8i Before e Rule

1.1.9Hard & Soft 'c' Sounds

1.1.10End of Topic Test - Spelling

1.2Prefixes

1.2.1'Anti-' & 'Auto-'

1.2.2Not & 'Inter-'

1.2.3'Mis-', 'Dis-' & 'Re-'

1.2.4'Sub-' & 'Super-'

1.2.5End of Topic Test - Prefixes

1.3Suffixes

1.3.1Vowel Suffixes

1.3.2Short Vowel Suffixes

1.3.3Suffixes: '-ous'

1.3.4Rules for Suffixes: '-ous'

1.3.5Rules for Suffixes: '-ous' 2

1.3.6Suffixes: '-ly'

1.3.7Suffixes: '-ation'

1.3.8Suffixes: '-ation' 2

1.3.9Spelling: '-tion' Endings

1.3.10Spelling: '-sion' Endings

1.3.11Spelling: '-ssion' Endings

1.3.12Spelling: '-cian' Endings

1.3.13End of Topic Test - Suffixes

1.3.14End of Topic Test - Spelling

1.4Making Words Plural

1.4.1Plurals

1.4.2End of Topic Test - Plurals

1.5Homophones

1.6Word Meanings

1.6.1Homonyms

1.6.2End of Topic Test - Homonyms

2Punctuation

3Grammar

3.1Word Classes

3.1.1Nouns

3.1.2Pronouns

3.1.3Verbs

3.1.4Adjectives & Adverbs

3.1.5Qualifiers & Quantifiers

3.1.6Determiners

3.1.7Prepositions

3.1.8Synonyms & Antonyms

3.1.9End of Topic Test - Word Classes

3.2Conjunctions

3.2.1Coordinating Conjunctions

3.2.2Subordinating Conjunctions

3.2.3End of Topic Test - Conjunctions

3.3Writing Coherently

3.3.1Building Cohesion in Writing

3.3.2Avoiding Ambiguity in Writing

3.3.3End of Topic Test - Cohesion

3.4Verbs

3.4.1Subject-verb Agreement

3.4.2End of Topic Test - Subject-verb

3.5Modal Verbs

3.5.1Modal Verbs

3.5.2Can & Could

3.5.3May & Might

3.5.4Should & Shall

3.5.5Will & Would

3.5.6Must & Have To

3.5.7End of Topic Test - Modals

3.6Phrasal Verbs

3.6.1Phrasal Verbs

3.6.2End of Topic Test - Phrasal Verbs

3.7Subjunctive Verbs

3.7.1Subjunctive Verbs

3.7.2End of Topic Test - Verbs

3.8Sentences

3.8.1Subject of a Sentence

3.8.2Object of a Sentence

3.8.3Main & Subordinate Clauses

3.8.4Simple Sentences & Compound Sentences

3.8.5Complex Sentences

3.8.6Relative Clauses

3.8.7Relative Clauses Without Relative Pronouns

3.8.8Participle Clauses

3.8.9Run-on Sentences

3.8.10Sentence Functions

3.8.11End of Topic Test - Sentences

3.9Tenses

3.9.1Present Tense

3.9.2Past Tense

3.9.3Past Tense Using Have

3.9.4Future Tense

3.9.5Present vs Past vs Future

3.9.6Continuity of Tenses

3.9.7End of Topic Test - Tenses

3.10Adverbials

3.10.1Adverbial

3.10.2Saying Where & When

3.10.3Saying How Often

3.10.4Saying How & Why

3.10.5Using Commas for Fronted Adverbials

3.10.6End of Topic Test - Adverbials

3.11Language Techniques

3.11.1Figurative & Emotive Language

3.11.2Active & Passive Voice

3.11.3Idiomatic Expressions

3.11.4End of Topic Test - Language Techniques

4Decoding Words

4.1Common Word Roots

4.1.1Saving

4.1.2Certainty & Clarity

4.1.3New & Alone

4.1.4Believing & Thinking

4.1.5Carrying & Leading

4.1.6Shape & Place

4.1.7Doing & Making

4.1.8Climbing & Going

4.1.9End of Topic Test - Common Root Words

4.1.10End of Topic Test - Common Root Words 2

4.2Common Prefixes

4.2.1For & Against

4.2.2All & Same

4.2.3Away & Far

4.2.4Colour & Shape

4.2.5Back & Down

4.2.6Numbers

4.2.7Across & Through

4.2.8Life & Earth

4.2.9Empty & Broken

4.2.10Great & Greater

4.2.11Hearing & Speaking

4.2.12Apart & Together

4.2.13Over & Under

4.2.14In

4.2.15Less & Smaller

4.2.16Before & After

4.2.17End of Topic Test - Common Prefixes 2

4.2.18End of Topic Test - Common Prefixes

4.3Common Suffixes

4.3.1Characterised By

4.3.2Disease

4.3.3Lover & Lacking

4.3.4Belief & Study

4.3.5People

4.3.6State & Quality

4.3.7Sound & Colour

4.3.8Capable & Relating

4.3.9End of Topic Test - Common Suffixes

4.3.10End of Topic Test - Common Suffixes 2

5Reading & Writing

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