Transcript Magazine Articles - Nostalgia of Silence

Magazine Articles
Section B (Writing)
Secondary 6
Introduction
Today, you will…
• Learn about the format of a magazine
article
• Learn about the language used in a
magazine article
• Take a look at a sample of a magazine
article
• Work on some pre-writing exercises
Content and Organziation
• Write about a particular subject, person or event
• Give personal opinions or offer suggestions for
the topic
• Include a headline for the article
– Purpose: let the readers know what the article is about
– Keep it short and eye-catching (e.g. My Life in England)
• Formal or semi-formal language (depending on the
subject and the target group of reader)
Content and Organization
• Serious subject: formal language
• Amusing subject: semi-formal language
• Short phrases and short sentences: to
keep the ideas clear and to-the-point
• Direct speech: more real to life
• Reported speech: a sense of objectivity
Language: Tenses
• Simple present tense: describe the
current issue or to present your
viewpoints in writing articles.
– It seems that gambling is a major
problem. (Current issue)
– There are no solutions to remedy the
situation. (Personal viewpoints)
Language: Headline
• Headlines: not always complete
sentences
• Consists of noun phrases
• Consists of a string of three to four
nouns
– More Tax Cuts
– Hair Salon Opening Ceremony
Language: Headline
• Headlines often leave out articles (a,
an the) and the verb to be.
– Thief Enters Royal Palace
– Pianist Performing at Town Hall
Language: Headline
• Simple present tense: headlines for both
present and past events
– Blind Man Catches Thief
• Infinitives: headlines to refer to the
future.
– Museum to Build Next Year
Language
• A colon (:) : to separate the subject
of a headline from the details
• Structure = Headline : Details
– Plane Crash: No Survivors
– Book Exhibition: 10,000 Books Sold
Organization:
Introduction
• Usually shorter than the other
paragraphs
• Introduces the theme of the article,
which the other paragraphs will
develop
• Give an outline of your points made in
the article
Organization:
Introduction
• You can make your introduction
interesting by:
– Start with a story
– Refer to the quotation of famous person
– Put forward a rhetorical question
Organization: Body
• In the body paragraphs, provide support to
your ideas by:
– Giving details (e.g. examples, figures, statistics
or personal experience)
– Showing similarities or differences
• (e.g. The Chinatown in San Francisco in many ways:
business among Chinese is conducted in Cantonese.
There are also hawkers at the road side.)
– Describing a process (in the order of their
occurrence)
Organization:
Transition Markers
• To show contrast:
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Though
Although
Even though
On the contrary
Yet
However
Nevertheless
In contrast
• To show results :
– So
– Hence
– Consequently
– Thus
– Therefore
– As a result
Organization:
Transition Marker
• To add ideas:
–
–
–
–
–
–
As well
Moreover
In addition
Besides
Likewise
Furthermore
Organization:
Conclusion
• Summarize the points made in the article
• Provide the result of the discussion in the
body paragraphs
• Forward-looking statements: Show our
hope for the future development of the
case
– e.g. With your help, we will have a cleaner
planet to live in.
Language: Body
• Use simple past tense for actions
completed at a definite time in the
past, with the following adverbials:
– A bank was robbed in Shatin yesterday
[afternoon / evening / morning] / last
[night / week / Monday].
Language: Body
• Sentences in active voice: to make them
more direct
• Use the passive voice: not so important
who performed the action
– Two men were arrested after the robbery.
– The suspect is believed to be an illegal
immigrant.
– Three people are thought to have died in the
accident.
Language: Body
• Use non-defining clauses: to add
extra information about the subject
– Mr. Chan, who is in his early-thirties,
was admitted to the hospital.
Sample Writing
• Sample Writing:
..\..\S4_English\Reading &
Writing_Sem 2\Lesson 9 - My Life in
England.doc
Get ready for your writing
assignment!