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Meenakshi Majumder 2021-22

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___ Unit 5 – The facts of the matter________________________
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Features of a news report
1. Make your headline short and snappy.
2. In the first sentence sum up what the story is about.
3. Write your report in the third person and the past tense.
4. Split your newspaper report up into paragraphs to help the reader clearly understand the
information.
5. If you use quotes to make your report more interesting, don't forget to use speech marks!
6. Use a photo with a caption to give the reader more information.
7. Fill your newspaper report with both facts and opinions.

A balanced report
What is a balanced report?
A balanced report may be described as a report where all views or points of view of a specific
subject or story are discussed or taken into account. These kinds of reports encourage readers to think of
themselves and to shape their opinions on the basis of the findings of the article.

While creating a balanced report we must keep in mind the key points:
 Purpose – To provide information and opposing
 Opinions on a current topic.
 Audience – Anyone interested in environmental issues.
 Language – Formal and objective.
 Layout – A heading linking paragraphs, introduction and conclusion.

Features of a balanced report

 It presents both or all sides.
 It gives facts to support each side.
 It uses impersonal language.
 It links and compares points using connectives.

Standard English is the uniform, established and widely accepted form of English spoken, written and
understood. It is associated with formal schooling, official texts and publication.

A debate - an argument with rules.

In a typical debate:
- two teams are presented with a resolution or topic
- each team is given a set period of time to prepare their arguments
- each member of each team delivers his speech in turn
- the teams are evaluated and the winner of the debate is declared
Grammar
Facts - a thing that is known or proved to be true.
Example – The Earth’s rotation causes day and night.

Opinion- a thought or belief about something or someone.

Example – I think it will rain today.

Phrase – group of words without a finite verb, doesn’t make sense on it’s own.
Example – happy family, camping by a river.

Clause – group of words acting together with a finite verb, is a complete sentence and makes sense on it’s own.
Example – The family was happily camping by the river.

Simple sentence – has one clause.

Example - I am tired today

Compound sentence – has more than one clause joined by conjunctions like and, but, for.
Example - I am tired today but I will not miss my exercise class.

Complex sentence – has main clause and atleast one dependant clause.
Example – Although I feel tired, I will not miss my exercise class.

Connective/conjunctions are used to join sentences to form compound or complex sentence. They are used to link
sentences or paragraphs. And, but, so because, although, since, etc are examples of conjunctions.

Active voice – In active voice, the subject does the action.

Example – Scientists issued a report.

Passive voice – In passive voice, the doer is not given importance. The action is stated first and the doer later,
preceded by a ‘by’.
Example – A report was issued by the scientist.

Modal verbs – Modal verbs show possibility, intent, ability, or necessity. Can, could, may, might, will, would,
shall, should, must, ought to are some modal verbs.