Keep on Learning

Do not assume you know it all just because you have been doing it for a couple of years. Writing copy that reads well and explains complicated arguments in a simple way is a real art and you can always get better at it.

As the news desk and sub-editors change your articles, ask them why they have made the changes so you can learn from them. “You will continue to grow as a writer over the years so always be prepared to listen,” said Sam Holliday, editor of the Bath Chronicle.

www.journoworld.co.uk/Newspaper_Journalism.html

For more detailed information about the linguistic peculiarities of news items read Text 2 in the section “Supplementary reading”.

Grammar File Modal Verbs Revision

As you may already know, modal verbs are a type of auxiliary verbs which express the mood of another verb or, to put it differently, the subjective attitudes and opinions of the speaker including possibility, obligation, probability, necessity, etc. The table below will provide you with some information in short about the meaning of these verbs and their use in the present / future as well as in the past tenses.

When you write your news stories you also express some modality using a particular modal verb. Study the following table to refresh in your memory some knowledge about different modal verbs as well as their use and the tense form.

USE	PRESENT / FUTURE	PAST
Ability	He canspeak Turkish.   He’s able towrite news stories in Turkish.	He could / was able tospeak Turkish. (repeated action – ability in the past)   He was able towrite when he was four. (single action)
Possibility	He canstill be at work. (90% certain) She couldbe busy. (50% certain; it is possible she is busy.) Susan maybe writing an article. (50% certain, it’s possible that she is writing.) You mightneed to come tomorrow. (40% certain, perhaps you need to come tomorrow) It is likely thatSue will give up working. Sue is likely togive up working.	We could havefailed a deadline. (luckily we didn't)   John may haveconducted an interview with an actress. (perhaps he did it)   Jane might havelost the editor-in-chief’s telephone number. (perhaps she has lost it)   It was likely thatshe had made a report.   She was likely tohave made a report.
probability	They willbe in Spain tomorrow. (100% certain, prediction)   We shouldsee him there. (90% certain, future only; it’s probable) She ought tobe in Canada on a special assignment by now. (90% certain, she will probably be in Canada)	----   He should have finished the report by now. (He has probably finished.)   They ought to havestarted the course in writing by now. (They have probably started the course.)
Logical assumptions	He must be exhausted. (90% certain-positive; I’m sure he’s exhausted)   She can’t be serious. (negative; I’m sure she’s not serious)   They couldn’tbe on holiday. (negative; I don’t think they are on holiday.)	He must havewon the award. (Positive; I'm sure he has won the award.)   She can't have rejectedtheassignment. (Negative I'm sure she didn't.)   They couldn't havebeen colleagues. (Negative; I don't think they were colleagues.)
Permission	You can / can’ttakemy camera. (giving or refusing permission; informal) CouldI be excused? (more polite; asking for permission)   You maybe excused. (formal; giving permission) Might I speak to the desk editor? (more formal; asking for permission)   I'm afraid you can't / mustn'thave visitors. (informal, refusing permission)   Guests may notsmoke in their rooms. (formal; refusing permission-written notice)	He wasn't allowed to / couldn'tboard the plane.   He was allowed tosee the patient. (Not:could)   ---   ---     ---     ---   ---
Necessity	I mustwrite a news story for tomorrow. (I say so) She has tofind a new job. (necessity coming from outside the speaker) They've got to go to the interview. (informal) The camera needsrepairing (or The camera needs to berepaired. (it is necessary)     She doesn't have to/ doesn't need to/ needn'tleave when they do. (it isn't necessary-absence of necessity)     We ought toreply to the invitation. (It is necessary)	I had towrite a news story. (It was obliged to)   She had to find a new job after she was dismissed from the newspaper. They had to go to the interview yesterday. The camera needed repairing (or The camera needed to berepaired. (It was necessary)     She didn't have to/didn't need towork as hard as me. (It wasn't necessary for her to work as hard as me and she didn't – absence of necessity) She needn't havegot a taxi. (It wasn't necessary for her to get a taxi but she did).
Advice	You shouldtry to make more of an effort. (general advice; I advise you)   You ought tokeep to the speed limit. (I advise you, most people believe this)   You had betternot keep her waiting. (It's not a good idea; advice on a specific situation)   ShallI apply for the job? (asking for advice)	You should havepaid more attention. (but you didn't)   She ought to haveasked about the interview in advance. (but she didn't)   It would have been better if you hadn't kept her waiting. (but you did)   ---
Criticism	She could at least wait until 5 o'clock.   They should warn us.     You ought tobe more polite to her.	She couldat least havewaited until 5 o'clock. They should havewarned us. (but they didn't) You ought to have been more polite to her. (It was the right thing to do, but you didn't do it).
Obligation	I mustpractice more writing. (I need to; I say so) I have topractice more writing. (I'm obliged to; the doctor says so) We ought to give more money to charity. (It's the right thing to do, but we don't always do it).	I had to get more exercise because I was unfit.   I had topractice more writing because I was unfit.   We ought to havegiven more money to charity. (It was the right thing to do but we didn't do it.)
Requests	Can Iuse your phone? (informal) Could Iuse your phone? (polite) May Imake a phone call, please? (formal) Might Iborrow your pen? (very formal) Will yougive me a hand? (very friendly) Would you mindhelping me? (polite)	--- ---   ---   ---   ---     ---
Offers	Can I / wedo anything to help? (informal) Shall I / wehelp you tidy up? (informal) Would you like meto do it for you?	---   ---   ---
Suggestions	Shall we stop for a snack?   I / we canalways leave early.   We couldeat out tonight if you want.	--- ---   He could haveasked for advice.
Prohibition	You can'twear jeans at work. (you aren't allowed to)   You mustn'twalk on the grass. (It's forbidden)   You may nottalk during the test. (formal)	They couldn'twear jeans at work. (They weren't allowed to.)   ---     ---
Duty	All members mustfollow the rules.     People ought tolive in peace. (It's the right thing to do, but people don't always do it).	All members had tofollow the rules.   She ought to havetreated us more fairly. (It was the right thing to do but she didn't do it)

http://www.detailenglish.com/index.php?page=articles&op=readArticle&id=411&title=

Summary-of-Functions-of-Modal-Verbs

TASK 2

To practice your skills in modal verbs use read the following sentences and choose the suitable modal verb from the list of the suggested ones. Check the answers with those of your groupmates’.

1. I’m not really sure where Beverly is. She (must sit/ might be sitting/ ought to be sitting) at the editorial office or perhaps she’s at the press conference.

2. Mike (should have returned/ can return/ must have returned) the video we have made on his way to work. It was on the table at the news desk, but now it has gone.

3. You (must check/ ought to check/ can check) the text of the article to be sure that everything is alright.

4. The computer is not working. I (will not be able to meet/ mustn’t meet/ have to meet) the deadline. The computer (must have been damaged/ may have been damaged/ can be damaged) during production.

5. We (must to/ have to/ ought to) get a package and a live from our New York correspondent.

6. The editor thinks you (ought to/ must/ should) interview the film festival organizers.

7. If Debbie hasn’t come yet, she (may be waiting/ should wait/ must be waiting) for us in the city desk.

8. Nick decided not to join us for lunch. He (had to/ ought to/ must) stay at work to finish the report.

9. The cameraman says he (has better/ should/ must) get footage of the setting before we arrive.

10. Jim is still an inexperienced reporter; he (need to/ must/ ought to) be told what news to write about.

11. We (could/ might to/ need) get an exclusive if we don’t waste any time.

12. We (should/ need/ ought to) also interview the police and find some experts who can talk about how big the problem is across Europe.

13. If I hadn’t taken a taxi, I (could have been/ might have been/ must be) late for the meeting with the editor-in-chief.

14. You (will need to/ must/ ought to) write all that up in a brief for us, but you (don’t have to/ mustn’t/ needn’t) go into too much detail.

15. We (should/ have to/ must) remember to be sensitive during the interview.

If you wish to practice more on modal verbs use you may find theoretical information as well as practical tasks on the following site on the Internet: http://menuaingles. blogspot.com/2011/01/unit-19-level-3-upper-intermediate.html

6.3 The Structure of a News Article

Every newspaper genre has a particular structure which helps organize the information of the story in a certain way, logically and thus make it familiar for the readers to read and comprehend the article.

· Do you like writing articles? Would you like to devote your career to print media?

· Have you ever thought about writing stories in English? Where could you print your own stories?

& READING AND DISCUSSING 2

The text “Story Structure” written by Jim Hall will give you some useful information about the ways of writing news stories. While reading the text define these ways and then together with your groupmates discuss both advantages and disadvantages of all the ways how to write news items described in this particular text. Think which way of presenting information you personally appeal to.

Text 2

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