News Item

NEWS ITEM TEXT

DEFINITION AND EXAMPLE

Definition:

It tells us what is happening in the world around us. Often pictures accompany the report.

Social Function:

To inform readers, listeners of viewers about events of the day which are considered newsworthy or important.

Generic Structure of a recount text:

·         Newsworthy Events(s): recounts the event in summary form.

·         Background Events: elaborate what happened, to whom, to what circumstances.

·         Sources: comments by participants in, witnesses to and authorities’ expert on the event.

Significant Lexicogrammatical features:

·         Short, telegraphic information about story captured in headline.

·    Use of material processes to retell the event (in the text below many of the material processes are nominalised).

·         Use of projecting verbal processes in source stage.

·         Focus or circumstances (e.g. mostly within Qualifiers).

 EXAMPLE