Newspaper Article (Beginner)

Cambridge sometimes asks for a news report; sometimes a magazine article. The two forms look similar on the surface but differ in important ways.

Feature	News report	Magazine article
Voice	Third-person impersonal	First-person allowed
Tone	Neutral, factual	Opinion-led, persuasive
Structure	Inverted pyramid	Hook → argument → close
Quotations	Named direct quotes	Anecdotes, paraphrased ideas
Editorial	None — facts only	Yes — author has a position
Audience	General reader of a newspaper	Reader of a specific magazine

The single biggest mistake candidates make is using magazine register for a news report — opening with 'I' or with a personal anecdote, expressing opinions in the reporter's voice. This caps the AO5 mark.

How to spot the form in the question:

• 'Newspaper article' / 'news report' / 'local newspaper' → news register.
• 'Magazine article' / 'school magazine' / 'opinion piece' → magazine register.

Cambridge tip. When you see 'newspaper', think Reuters, BBC News, The Guardian's news pages — not opinion columns. Imagine writing as a reporter who has interviewed sources, not as a student sharing thoughts.

News reports use the inverted pyramid structure — most important information at the top, less essential detail at the bottom.

The lead paragraph (1-2 sentences). Covers WHO + WHAT + WHEN + WHERE. The reader should be able to stop after the first paragraph and have the gist.

"A new survey released this month found that the number of secondary-school students cycling to school across the borough has risen by 28 per cent since September, marking the largest single-year increase recorded by the council's transport team."

WHO: secondary-school students. WHAT: cycling rose 28%. WHEN: since September. WHERE: across the borough. All present in one sentence.

Detail paragraphs. Background, additional facts, attributed quotations. Each paragraph is less essential than the one before.

Optional final paragraphs. Future steps, related context, broader implications.

Why inverted? Because real-world readers may stop at any point. A subway commuter reading the paper might only get through the first three paragraphs. A casual reader might skim the first six. The inverted pyramid ensures every reader gets the most-important info.

Cambridge tip. Mark schemes describe news-report mastery as 'recognisable convention of the form'. The inverted pyramid is the SINGLE most form-distinguishing feature — get it right and the form mark is largely earned.

News reports CARRY their argument through quotations from named sources. The reporter doesn't editorialise; the sources do.

Format.

• Quote in double quotation marks.
• Attributed by name and role.
• Attribution verb varied across the article.

Example:

"The decision will reshape morning routines for thousands of families," said Councillor Hayes, the borough's lead member for transport. "We are confident that the data supports the change."

Notice the attribution comes between two quoted sentences — common in news writing. It's also possible to put attribution at the start, end, or middle.

Variety of attribution verbs. Don't repeat 'said' five times in five paragraphs. Use:

• said (most neutral)
• told reporters
• commented
• noted
• argued
• added
• responded (for replies to challenges)
• acknowledged (for concessions)

Inventing plausible sources. Cambridge mark schemes accept (and reward) plausible invented sources for news reports. Plausibly invent:

• A headteacher with a name and school.
• A council officer with a name and role.
• A student with a name and year group.
• A parent or local resident.

Sourcing from the texts. When ideas come from the source articles, attribute them naturally:

• 'A study reported in the Guardian last month found that…'
• 'Education researchers have argued that…'
• 'Council figures show that…'

Cambridge tip. Examiner reports praise candidates who 'attribute opinions to plausible sources rather than editorialising'. The reporter is invisible; the named sources do the talking.