Writing skills practice: A magazine article article

ARTICLE
What is an article?
An article…
- is a piece of writing usually intended for publication in a newspaper, magazine or journal
- is written for a wide audience, so it is essential to attract and retain the readers’ attention
- may include amusing stories, descriptions or argumentations
- can be formal or informal, the register depends on the target audience
- should be written in an interesting or entertaining manner
- should give opinions and thoughts, as well as facts

An article can…
- describe an experience, event, person or place
- present an opinion or balanced argument
- compare and contrast
- provide information
- offer suggestions or advice

The structure of the article consists of…

- an eye-catching title which attracts the readers’ attention and suggests the theme of the article.
- an interesting introduction which clearly defines the topic to be covered and maintains the readers’
attention.
- a main body of three or four paragraphs in which the topic is further developed in detail. Each topic may be
presented with a subheading/subtitle before each paragraph.
- a conclusion, in which you can summarise the topic, offer a final opinion, give a final recommendation or
add a final comment.

EXAMPLE:

TITLE CHANGE IN CHILDHOOD

INTRODUCTION Children’s lives have changed enormously over the last 50 years. But
(in this case, it’s very brief) do they have happier childhoods?
It’s difficult to look back on one’s own childhood without some
MAIN BODY element of nostalgia. I have four brothers and sisters and my memories are
Paragraph 1: writer talks about his
all about being with them, playing board games on the living room floor, or
own personal experience (which
spending days outside with the other neighbourhood children, racing around
provides a contrast to what childhood
looks like now, which is described in on our bikes, or exploring the nearby woods. My parents hardly ever appear
next paragraphs) in these memories, except as providers either of meals or of sever
reprimands after some particularly hazardous adventure.
These days, in the UK at least, the nature of childhood has changed
Paragraph 2: the first change is dramatically since the 1960s. First, families are smaller and there are far
described – families now are smaller more only children. It is common for both parents to work outside the home
and far fewer people have the time to bring up a large family. As a result,
today’s boys and girls spend much of their time alone.
Another major change is that youngsters today tend to spend a
Paragraph 3: the second change is huge proportion of their free time at home, inside. This is due more than
introduced – kids spend much more anything to the fact that parents worry much more than they used to about
time alone nowadays real or imagined dangers, so they wouldn’t dream of letting their children
play outside by themselves.
Finally, the kinds of toys children have and the way they play is
totally different. Computer and video games have replaced the board games
Paragraph 4: the third change is
and more active pastimes of my childhood. The fact that they can play
explained – toys are different
electronic games on their own further increases the sense of isolation felt by
many young people today. The irony is that so many of these devices are
called ‘interactive’.
Do these changes mean that children today have a less idyllic
CONCLUSION childhood than I had? I personally believe that they do, but perhaps every
generation feels exactly the same.
 Stylistic features of an article

• Remember you are writing for the general public, not a close circle of friends. So talking about yourself or giving
your opinions is only interesting to other people if it is used to make a point, to justify or explain an argument or
idea, or to make your text more amusing.

• Try not to abuse over-personal or over-emotional language. Expressions such as “I personally believe…”, “It is my
conviction that…”, “I strongly support the idea of…”, “I am shocked to see…”, “My personal belief is…” should be
used sparingly (and traditionally appear in the introduction and/or the conclusion only).

• Avoid using simplistic vocabulary. For example, instead of using adjectives such as happy, sad, bad, clean, big,
sure, great or good try using more sophisticated words such as ecstatic, depressing, inadequate, gleaming,
enormous, confident, magnificent, wonderful… for example.

• Talk straight to your readers or include them somehow, if the topic of the article and the style you have adopted
permits it. For example, use direct questions or the plural in the first person. Examples:

Have you ever had the feeling that, as you get older, you don’t get any wiser? Don’t worry,
it’s absolutely normal!

We all know what it’s like to love someone and not be corresponded. However, …

• Try to sound interesting and appealing. For example, include funny anecdotes, give surprising or unexpected
facts, cite inspiring quotes… Examples:

Did you know that cats are unable to see in colour? That’s right, they only see things in black
and white.

Paulo Coelho once said: “Don’t waste your time with explanations, people only hear what
they want to hear”.

• In semi-formal/informal articles, use semi-formal linking expressions. Examples: In addition, also, moreover, but,
on the other hand, however… Linking expressions or time expressions can be used to join ideas or introduce
paragraphs.

• In semi-formal/informal articles, use some colloquial expressions or idioms. Example: Well, let’s get down to
business. What really matters when you start a diet is…

• Think about who’s going to read your text and where it’s going to be published, and then adapt it to make sure
it interests that specific audience. Examples:

Exam period is always a stressful time for any young learner. Don’t panic! We’re here to
help you overcome this crucial phase successfully. (Teenagers)

Examinations may cause a lot of added stress in our life, and it is important for us to learn
how to deal with it in order to accomplish our goals. (Adults).

• Use opinion adverbs. Examples: Unfortunately, luckily, interestingly, hopefully, funnily enough, surprisingly…

• You can use topic sentences to introduce each paragraph. The topic sentence should identify the main idea and
point of the paragraph. To choose an appropriate topic sentence, read the paragraph and think about its main idea
and point. The supporting details in the paragraph (the sentences other than the topic sentence) will develop or
explain the topic sentence. Example:

Recycling is the answer to the current waste crisis. Aluminium cans are the perfect example.
It costs less to recycle an aluminium can than to make a new one, and one person recycling
one can a day would save 50 litres of petrol every year.

• Never lose sight of where the article is going to appear (newspaper – formal, or magazine – informal), who are the
intended readers and what the aim of the article is – to advise, suggest, inform, compare, describe… etc., – and
don’t forget to adapt the layout, the style, language and level of formality to these aspects.
 EXAMPLES OF ARTICLES

Exam task:

We are a popular university magazine and would like to receive articles from students that want to share tips on
how they tackle exams personally and what tell other students how they can do well in their exams. Send your
articles to [email protected]. Only the most helpful and well written article will be published in our April
issue!

Model answer:

HOW TO SUCCEED IN YOUR EXAMS

Do you panic when exam time comes around? Are you always up late the night before, cramming for the exam the next
day? If you answered yes to these two questions, I think I might be able to help you! Here are some ideas that have
worked for me when I’ve done exams – and they just might work for you, too!

First of all, you need to prioritise. Not all exams are equally important – some are much more important than others!
So, if an exam is really vital, schedule more time for revision but if it’s not crucial, don’t spend so long preparing for it.
For what it’s worth, there’s what I do… First, I rank my exams in order of importance. Then I draw up a revision timetable
a long time before the exams begin. Personally, I find it much easier to do a bit of revision every day over a long period
rather than to revise like crazy just before the exam.

Second, you need to stick to your plan. This is the hard bit! A couple of months before you have to do your exams they
can still seem a long way off, so it’s difficult to find the motivation to get down to any serious work. Don’t let this
happen to you! I’ve found that the best way round this problem is to have a fixed routine – so I try to revise every day
at the same time, just as if I was doing a job.

Finally, you’re much more likely to pass an exam if you spend time revising the things that you find difficult – and not
the things that you can do in your sleep! Of course, we all like to focus on stuff what we already know because it’s
easier. But how is studying what you already know going to help you pass your exams?

If you follow these tips, I think you’ll have a much better chance of doing well in your exams. It goes without saying
that you’ll need to be disciplined and organised. So, have you got what it takes?

Exam task:

A consumer magazine has asked its readers to send in articles about a shopping place they have visited. Write your
article including a detailed description of the place and why you recommend it.

Model answer:

A UNIQUE SHOPPING EXPERIENCE

I have shopped in some very strange and interesting places. The best place I have ever been to is the
Damnoen Saduak Floating Market. It is located about 80 km from Bangkok, in Thailand. The market is over
100 years old and has hardly changed in all that time.
What made my visit to this market so special is that the whole market is on a canal and brightly-
dressed merchants sell their goods from their colourful boats. The day that I was there, there were
hundreds of boats crowded together, where you could buy everything from fruit and vegetables to clothes,
toys and even cooked meals. If you wanted to buy something, you could either wait on the banks of the
canal and for the boats to pass by or you could hire your own boat and join in the fun!
It wasn’t just the sights, though, that made this visit, such an unforgettable experience. This market
offers a feast for the senses! All around me were the sounds of wooden boats bumping together and the
noisy chatter of the crowd, I had never been to a place with so many different smells: the aroma of freshly
ground spices, exotic fruits and vegetables, seafood and meats, all mixed with the mouth-watering
fragrance of freshly cooked Thai delicacies.
When I finished my shopping for the day, I felt tired but excited and happy. It was certainly an
experience I would never forget. If you are ever in Thailand, you should definitely visit the floating market.
It’s a unique experience.
 Exam task: Model answer:

Exam task: Model answer: