News is a piece of information about current events or an aspect of contemporary society that captures people’s attention and interest. News is usually published in newspapers or broadcast on television and radio, but it can also be found on the Internet and via email. A news article can be a straight report of an event or a more in-depth piece that goes beyond the basic facts and does some investigation into the story’s background or effects. A good news article will be informative, interesting and accurate. It should contain enough detail that it can be read and understood by a wide range of readers. It will also include a ‘work cited’ section that links to the original sources of information used for the article.
There are many different types of news, and the type that is most important to one person may not be important to another. The elements that make a story newsworthy are: it is new, unusual, interesting and significant. The news value of an event can vary depending on its impact on a large number of people or its effect on the world in general. For example, a coup d’état in a country close to your own will be a much bigger news item than the same coup in a far-off country.
A well-written news article is objective, and does not contain the author’s opinions or viewpoints. It should present the facts in an order that is logical and easy to follow, and should use short, direct sentences. It should begin with a snappy headline that concisely informs the reader of the topic and seizes their interest. The story itself should follow the inverted pyramid format, putting the most important information first and then building in more details as needed.
News articles should be carefully proofread to ensure that they are accurate and that all facts are sourced correctly. News writers often work under tight deadlines, so it is important that they know how to find the right information quickly and to understand the difference between what is important and what is not.
Reading and listening to news stories is a great way to improve your English vocabulary. There are several online news sources that are specifically aimed at language learners, such as The News in Levels and E-News. These websites grade the language used in their news items based on levels of difficulty and highlight keywords that you might find useful. They are also available as audio podcasts, which can help you practise your listening skills at the same time. For more fun, try watching TV or radio news videos with subtitles. These can be an excellent way to learn new words while having a laugh! They are especially helpful for improving your comprehension of spoken English, as the speakers tend to speak more slowly and clearly than they do in everyday conversation.