Writing a piece of news

Select exercise

When we write a piece of news, we need to include these information:

  1. Answer the questions “who”, “what”, “when”, and “where” in the first paragraph.
  2. Answer the questions “why” and “how” in the following paragraphs.
  3. Use connectors to make your text clear and easy to read.

Here, we will write a piece of news about one of the most famous folklore myths or hoaxes in Scotland, “The Loch Ness Monster”

a very big marine creature called Nessie
Scottish people
In Loch Ness, Scotland
evidence appeared in a biography from 565 AD.
Writing exercises

Now, add the following phrases and write the first paragraph of the text using the previous information and the expressions in the box.

lives / Scottish people believe that/ the creature is / the first

Scottish people believe that a very big marine creature called Nessie, lives in Loch Ness, Scotland. The first evidence appeared in a biography from 565 A.D.

Look at the pictures, read the story and use the words in blue to create the missing idea in the text. Remember to use simple past and past continuous.

In his biography, Saint Columba how / he and a friend /swim in the lake when the monster appear / and get / prepared to attack. However, Columba/ order the beast to “go back”/ and the monster / disappear.
In his biography, Saint Columba described how he and a friend were swimming in the lake when the monster appeared and was getting prepared to attack. However, Columba ordered the beast to “go back” and the monster disappeared.
no idea

Look at the pictures, read the story and use the words in blue to create the missing idea in the text. Remember to use simple past and past continuous.

The legend of the Loch Ness monster / continue for centuries/ but in 1933 / events / make / the monster more popular. To begin with, in April a couple report / they see / an enormous animal /while / they drive on the road next to the lake. They/ describe/ it as a dragon or a prehistoric monster. During that year, the Scottish newspapers / publish / many more incidents reported by people / who / swim/ drive / or work/ near the lake.
The legend of the Loch Ness monster continued for centuries, but in 1933, events made the monster more popular. To begin with, in April a couple reported they saw an enormous animal while they were driving on the road next to the lake. They described it as a dragon or a prehistoric monster. During that year the Scottish newspapers published many more incidents reported by people who were swimming, driving, or working near the lake.
no idea

Look at the pictures, read the story and use the words in blue to create the missing idea in the text. Remember to use simple past and past continuous.

Everybody was interested. Hunters, photographers, and reporters try/ to find/ evidence of the creature's existence. Hugh Gray and Robert Wilson publish/ the first photographs/ where apparently /the monster / swim across the lake. In addition, later that year in December 1933, the Daily Post publish/ some photographs/ of large animal footprints on the lake shore.
Everybody was interested. Hunters, photographers, and reporters were trying to find evidence of the creature's existence. Hugh Gray and Robert Wilson published the first photographs where, apparently, the monster was swimming across the lake. In addition, later that year in December 1933, the Daily Post published some photographs of large animal footprints on the lake shore.
no idea

Write 1-4 to order the final paragraph.

no idea
4
 Nowadays there are still thousands of tourists, hunters, reporters, and photographers who visit Loch Ness every year with the hope to find Nessie.
1
 Zoologists at the Natural History Museum of Scotland were studying and making inspections of the footprints for a long time.
3
 To sum up, the hoax was discovered. Apparently, people around Loch Ness were excited about the news, and they created false reports and pictures.
2
 Finally, experts determined that the footprints were created with an umbrella stand.