Class Notes

Class: VIII Topic: Writing Skill

Article Writing
Subject: ENGLISH

ARTICLE WRITING
What is Article Writing – An article is a written work published in a print/electronic medium. It may be for the
purpose of propagating news, researching results, academic analysis, or debate. Generally, it is a piece of
writing that is published in a newspaper or Magazine.

Format Of Article Writing

The format of an article is divided into 4 parts and they are:

1. Part 1 – Heading
2. Part 2 – Byline
3. Part 3 – Body
4. Part 4 – Conclusion
Part 1 – Heading – The heading of the article should be engaging and it should not exceed more than 5
to 6 words. Make sure your heading doesn’t have any spelling mistakes or grammar errors. Don’t use
unnecessary punctuation marks in the heading. Heading carries 1 mark in Article Writing.

Part 2 – By line – By line is nothing but the name of the person who is writing the article. The name of
the person will be generally given in the question paper itself. If the name of the person is not given in
the article, then write your own details.

Part 3 – Body
The body is the main part of article writing which carries more weightage of marks. Generally, the body
of the article consists of at least 3 to 4 paragraphs.
Paragraph 1: Paragraph 1 is the introduction paragraph. Paragraph 1 should be accurate. Precisely
explain what the article is talking about. Try giving some quotations or facts to excite the interest of the
readers. Keep the language simple.
Paragraph 2 & 3: Paragraphs 2 and 3 must come with a complete analysis of the subject matter in
question. Paragraph 2 and 3 must include the following factors:
Types: Here the writer must analyze and explain what are the different types of problems that are
existing. If any type of problem exists, they should mention here.
Current Scenario: Here the writer must explain the current situation of the problem and what are the
actions taken to correct them. This may include advantages or disadvantages of the problem, etc.
Cause and Effect Relationship: Develop the cause and effect relationship by supporting it with facts
or data. Here writer may also write the consequences.

Paragraph 3 & 4: Paragraph 3 or 4 is commonly known as the conclusion paragraph. It is important to

conclude the article that you’ve started. Never leave an article open-ended. The conclusion paragraph
should speak about the problems raised and what are actions taken for the betterment of the problem.
Paragraphs 3 and 4 should be simple and precise.

Tips On Article Writing

Some of the important tips to keep in mind while writing an article are listed below:
1. Always keep a few general quotes handy. They help in presentation and show that you’re prepared.
2. Avoid repetition of ideas.
 3. Feel free to give your personal opinion in one or two lines.
4. It is very important that you do not deviate from the topic. There are chances you may get ideas
linking from one to another that may deviate you from the main point. You have to refrain from doing
so.
5. Write small sentences. It restricts the scope of grammatical inaccuracies.
6. Make sure you double-check for grammatical accuracy and spellings. They carry marks.
7. Read editorials in a few newspapers and notice the pattern.
8. Underline all the important points.

The examples of Article Writing format for CBSE is given below:

By 2050, India will be amongst the countries which will face acute water shortage. You are highly alarmed
and terrified of the future world without water. So, write an article on “Save water- are we doing enough?”
for the local daily in 100-120 words.
Answer:
SAVE WATER – ARE WE DOING ENOUGH? – Heading
(By – XXX) – Byline
Paragraph 1 –
Many people are living with less water than they need, whether in the world’s most prosperous cities or in
its bountiful agricultural heartlands.
Droughts have also become more frequent, more severe, and affecting more people around the world. As
many as four billion people already live in regions that experience severe water stress for at least one
month of the year. With populations rising, these stresses will only mount.
Paragraph 2 –
Water is a precious gift of God on earth. Life exists on earth because of the availability of water. Itself being
tasteless, odourless, and colourless, it adds taste, colour, and nice smell to the life of living beings on the
Earth.
Paragraph 3 –
There are different methods that we can follow to save clean drinking water and deal with water scarcity.
Rainwater harvesting is one of the most effective and suitable methods among save water techniques.
Conclusion –
Afforestation is also a good method as it reduces surface runoff and recharges the groundwater. It
promotes underground water conservation. By practicing such methods, we can conserve more water
naturally and ensure the availability of it for future generations. We should take a pledge and make it a
lifelong motto to preserve water because, “If you conserve water, it means you conserve life.”

Example 1. India is a land of diversity. One way in which it makes us feel proud of it is the number
of festivals we enjoy. Write an article in 100-120 words on ‘Festivals of India’. You are Karuna/Karan.
Answer:
FESTIVALS OF INDIA
–By Karan / Karuna

It is said that “Greatness of a culture can be found in its festivals”. India has proved every word of the saying
right by being famously known as the “Land of Festivals”.
True to this belief, India has scores and scores of festivals that bring happiness and joy all across the country.
This is because of the diverse cultures that exist in this subcontinent. All these different cultures and religions
get tied together in bonds of love with these invisible threads of celebrations.
Every festival has a social, religious and mythological value. Accordingly, Dussehra has a great significance.
Similarly, the Janmashtami festival has also a great religious and social significance. This is the occasion when
Lord Krishna was born to kill Kansa and other demons and save the people from a great danger. This festival
also teaches us how to fight evil and falsehood and establish truth.
On these festivals, people offer prayers to their deities, wear ethnic clothes and make merry with their near
and dear ones. Ganesh Chaturthi, Eid-Ul-Fitr, Baisakhi, Onam, Pongal, Gurupurab, Ram Navami and Durga
Puja are some of the festivals that are celebrated with immense zeal in different parts of India with some of
these being specific to a particular region.
No wonder, our country is called a land of festivals.

Example 2. Advertisements have become a big business. They are promoted by celebrities drawn from various
fields like films, sports, etc., leaving their influence on all people specially the young. Write an article in 150-
200 words on ‘The Impact of Advertisements on the younger generation’.
Answer:
Impact Of Advertisements On the Younger Generation
-By Anne / Amish

The advertisement industry has a tremendous impact on the younger generation. As citizens of the modern
world, advertisements have become a part of the daily lives of youngsters and they have got used to being
bombarded with numerous advertisements over the course of their day.
Advertisements have become so common for them that they often do not even realize that they are hearing
or viewing them. So they have a pervasive influence on the youth. In the ever-expanding world of
consumerism and advertising, companies are constantly looking for new ways to sell their products to the
youngsters by making their commercials and campaigns more memorable, to leave an impact on their minds.
The younger generation has become their prime target because they have more spending power than ever
before and increased avenues at their disposal. Therefore companies spend enormous amounts of money to
rope in popular film stars, cricketers, musicians, etc. to endorse their products.
This helps to ensure popularity and early brand loyalty. In the last decade many super-brands have looked
towards new and outrageous ways to capture young audiences through appealing campaigns as these
youngsters are cognitively and psychologically quite defenceless against advertisements. Clearly,
advertisements represent ‘big business’ and has a significant effect on young people who need to be
educated about the effects of advertising, that is, media literacy. This will prove to be helpful in mitigating the
harmful effects of advertising on youngsters.

Question for Practice

Corruption is an unethical act performed by a group of people using the power of position or authority to
acquire personal benefits. It is a social issue which adversely affects the economy of the nation. In light of the
above statement, write an article on ‘Corruption – An Unethical Act’ in not more than 120 words.

DO NOT WRITE FORMAT AND TIPS. ONLY ONE EXAMPLE MUST BE WRITTEN IN THE COPY.
CONTENT PREPARED AT HOME.