CBSE Class 11 English Article Writing Worksheet

ARTICLE WRITING

An article is an expression of one’s thought on an issue or a subject logically and coherently written in meaningful paragraphs. It needs creativity, good vocabulary, good knowledge of the subject and skill to organize ideas.

♦ Purpose

To focus on themes like social concern, narrating an event, etc.

→ POINTS TO REMEMBER

Give a title that catches the attention of the reader. It is always a good idea to start the article with an inviting title and a riveting introduction. Something that makes your public continue reading. It could be a question (that they will only be able to answer after reading the text), or something intended to capture the reader´s imagination. You are free to be creative when choosing a title but make sure it reflects what the text is about. Begin with a striking opening sentence which addresses the readers and gets them interested in the topic.

Present a strong argument for your ideas supporting it with evidences or elaboration. Use linking devices (however, therefore, although, even though, in order to…) to make the composition appear a whole.

Introduce a new point at the beginning of an each paragraph that follows, to strengthen your ideas. Develop your ideas as much as you can to make them interesting and substantial.
Conclude with your strongest point.

Use passive voice, humor, emotive language, rhetorical questions to provide a specific effect. Have into consideration that articles serve two main purposes, to inform and to entertain/interest the reader. Ideally after going through your text, your readers should have the feeling that they have learnt something or at least that they have had a good time.

♦ Structure of an article

A newspaper article is written in the form of an inverted triangle, with the most important or key information in the first paragraph (the wide part of the triangle), and then the least important information in the last paragraph (the narrow point of the triangle). A basic news article is made up of five parts:

The headline: This is a short, attention grabbing statement about the event. It will appear at the top of your article.

The byline: Tells the reader who wrote the article. If you wrote the article, your name will appear in the byline.

Lead paragraph: This first paragraph contains the who, what, when, where, and why in as few words as possible. You must find all the answers to these questions and place them in the opening 1-3 sentences of the article

Explanation: The second-third paragraphs should include any other facts or details the reader should know. This is where the writer answers any other important questions the reader might have after reading the headline and the lead paragraph. This section can include direct quotes from witnesses or bystanders.

Additional information: The last paragraph contains the least important information. For example, information about a similar event or occurrence. Your editor may cut this paragraph down if the article is too long for the space it needs to fill in the newspaper.

As you write remember to stick to your plan, check that you are truly answering the task questions and that you have clear well-organised coherent paragraphs.

It is also of vital importance to include some advanced examples of the use of grammar as well as lexis (idioms, collocations, sayings.) So instead of saying something like "I had a lot of fun although I don´t normally enjoy jazz concerts" say something like " I had a whale of a time although jazz concerts are not my cup of tea" (idioms: have a whale of a time; not my cup of tea.)

♦ SAMPLES

A fun way to learn English (give your article a title)

(State your main idea in the first paragraph)

In today's intercultural society, no one can deny the importance of learning a second language, especially English. In our college we believe that major action should be taken to guarantee that all of us, the students, are given the chance to practice this ability to communicate with for people from all over the world. This task will require working with a holistic approach and will imply the participation of a very committed group of people willing to help each other. So are you ready? (use a question to motivate readers)

(organise your text into paragraphs)

Our first idea is to use the Internet. For young people surfing the net is as easy as pie and we all have access to it. We suggest getting in touch with other students from around the world. Some highly recommendable sites include a wide range of social networks as Facebook and Twitter. It is also a good idea to encourage students to chat via Skype with people from English speaking countries. Next is to organize reading or conversation clubs, which can have monthly gatherings in different spots in the city. Needless to say this will be a very effective way to learn while making friends and having a blast. There are several attractive places in town such as parks, art galleries, cafés, and social artistic venues where students and professionals can give a boost to their social and language skills.

A final idea is for the college to create a web page. With the support of this effective tool, our students can have blogs with a variety of engaging tasks and games. We can have fun getting familiar with collocations and structures that can be shared as part of an exercise on our creative website.

♦ (conclusion)

It will definitely be highly engaging for students regardless of their backgrounds and specializations, they will find an enjoyable site where they can put language

TV: Is it a good thing?

Television is one of the most important inventions of the century. Almost everyone owns a TV set at home today. Be it educational or entertainment, life would be so boring without one nowadays. First of all, thanks to television we have the latest information at our fingertips Gd. We are constantly informed of what is happening around the world without leaving home. Furthermore, television has made learning at home possible. In fact, some T.V. stations dedicate their programmes to specific interests.

A further advantage is that old people living alone find television a - very good company. It helps them forget their loneliness.

On the other hand, too much television can create problems in the family. If it is not the constant argument of which channel to watch, it is the isolation of family members. While watching television people don’t feel like talking or being disturbed as they are so absorbed in what they are watching. Hence, the term 'couch potato'. Too much television implies lack of outdoor activities and we find that there are less and less of people taking exercises.

Television, nevertheless, remains one of the most interesting inventions. Carefully controlled viewing makes it an indispensable instrument in our daily lives. Otherwise, it can turn into an addiction with harmful consequences.

→ Practice Questions:

1. Newspapers play a significant role in providing information to the public. They formulate public opinion. Sandya/ Sachin, a student of Class XI , KVM, decides to write an article on the importance of newspapers, especially in a democracy. (150– 200 words.)

2. You are Mamta/Mohan. You find corruption as the biggest impediment in the development of a nation. You strongly believe that youth can play a very important role in fighting the menace of corruption. Write an article on the “Role of Youth in Fighting Corruption”. (150–200 words).

3. There is an urgent need to take steps to create a healthy environment if we do not want human species to go extinct in the near future. You are Rupinder/ Rubesh, write an article on 'How to protect the Environment'.

Please click on below link to download CBSE Class 11 English Article Writing Worksheet