C4 - NEWS ITEM

NEWS ITEM

Definition of News Item

News item text is a text which informs readers about events are considered newsworthy or important

Social Function of News Item

to informs readers or listeners about event of the day which are considered newsworthy or important.

Generic Stucture of News Item

Headlines
Newsworthy : tells the event in a summary form
Background events : ellaborate what happened, tell what caused the incident
Sources : comments by participants, witnesses, authorities, and experts involved in the event.

Language Features of News Item

Focusing on circumstances (using a simple language in writing the text)
Using saying verbs: “....”, She said, informed, told, reported.
Sometimes at the beginning of news, the scene is mentioned
Using Past tense in explaining news events. But if it is a fact that until now still happen or still in the form of fact, then can use simple present tense.
Short, telegraphic information about story captured in headline
Using adverbs: time, place and manner.
Uses of material processes to retell the event

Remember :

Headlines often use a NOUN PHRASE, that is, a phrase without a verb:

Poor Service at Supermarkets.

Best Strategies for New Tax Year / Thai Protesters Parade

There are also some VERB CHANGES. The simple tenses are preferred to continuous or perfect forms and auxiliary verbs are dropped in the passive:

Teachers Protest Pay Cuts (they are protesting)

Underground Strike Started Today (the strike has started today)

The INFINITIVE TENSE is used to talk about the future:

President to Open New Art Gallery

New Player to be hired by NBA

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