what is article writing igcse

Writing: Exercise 6 (Writing an article)

This is the final exercise of Paper 1 and 2. It can be an article, a report or a review writing. We’ll look at articles here.

You will be given a topic (more like a question to ponder up on) on which you have to write your views and opinions. This can either be a two-sided article (for and against) or a one-sided article (just your opinion). It is up to you to decide.

The topics usually given for this exercise are easy enough that you can come up with points right there in the exam, but it is good if you read upon various issues from around the word (obesity, technological influences, environmental issues, animal welfare, teenager issues etc).

So here’s how to attempt this question:

• Before you start it is a good idea that you come up with a plan . Use the blank space below the question to make your plan, in pencil. In your plan write down the answers to these questions:
• The audience : this will be specified in the question (it is almost always a school magazine). So when you write, keep in mind that you need to write to that audience. Your language, tone and vocabulary should reflect this.
• Is my article going to be two-sided or one-sided?  If you know a lot about the topic and can weigh up the pros and cons, then go for two-sided. If you’re not too knowledgeable about it, stick to one-sided.
• How do I introduce the topic? Start off by saying what the topic is and how important the topic is in today’s world. Why it is such a problem? Or is it a problem?
• What’s in the body ? Write down three points . (If it’s two-sided write two pros and two cons) . You will develop your body based on these points. A few points will be given in your question paper, and you can use those!
• How will I conclude the article? You need to sum up your points and give your final opinion (even if it’s two-sided, give your final opinion on the matter).
• Organise . By now, you’ve pretty much come up with the contents of your article. Now organise your points into paragraphs.
• One-sided Article: Paragraph 1: Introduction
• Paragraph 2: First point with justification (or counter-argument)
• Paragraph 3: Second point with justification (or counter-argument)
• Paragraph 4: Opposing point which you contradict (here, you state a point said by people who have a different opinion from yours and explain why they are wrong. This is called argument and   counter-argument )
• Paragraph 5: Conclusion- summary, (solution?), repeat your opinion
• Two-sided Article: Paragraph 1: Introduction
• Paragraph 2: Advantages/’For’
• Paragraph 3: Disadvantages/’Against’
• Paragraph 4: Conclusion- Summary and final opinion
• Write . Use a variety of connecting words and argumentative phrases . Examples:
• Expressing opinions: I agree/ disagree with the above statement that
• In my opinion
• I believe that
• I am in favour of
• I am against the idea of
• It seems to me that
• I sympathize with
• Presenting and contrasting opinions: The main argument in favour/ against is
• It is often said that
• First of all I should like to consider
• Apart from that
• Even though
• Furthermore
• In addition
• Nevertheless
• Despite the fact that/ In spite of
• On the other hand
• On the contrary
• What is more
• What matters most in this case is
• It is a fact that
• There is no doubt that
• Reasoning: Because of
• As a result of
• Consequently
• On account of
• Concluding: To sum up
• To conclude
• It can be concluded that
• Thus, I am of the opinion that
• Argumentative verbs (use these instead of say/tell ):

Here’s an example of a  one-sided article . This is one-sided because, even though it weighs up both ‘for’ and ‘against’ points, in each paragraph it contradicts the ‘for’ points and alludes to the same conclusion that zoos should be abolished. This is called the argument/counter-argument format.

• Use your own points , words and phrases as far as possible. The more original your content is, the better.
• Give a suitable title
• Keep to the word limit 150-200 words. Exceeding a little over 200 is not a problem.
• Always have an introduction and conclusion
• Always organise your points into paragraphs . One para for each point (one-sided) or all advantages in one para and disadvantages in another para (two-sided) is the ideal format.
• A final opinion has to be given.
• Punctuation, spelling and grammar is very important. Check your writing once you’re done.

Time Management

For the core paper 1 take 20 minutes for this exercise

For the extended paper 2, 30 minutes should suffice to answer this question. Spend 10 minutes to come up with a plan, 15 minutes to organise and write your article. Use the 5 minutes left to read over your article, make changes and correct spelling, grammar and punctuation errors.

Notes submitted by Lintha

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44 thoughts on “ Writing: Exercise 6 (Writing an article) ”

OMGGGG this information in awesome, thanks a lottt. Tomorrow im having a test on this!!!!!!!!

Like Liked by 1 person

Hi, this post was really helpful, but I have a question. Is it ok to take a stand (for or against) in magazine article writing? It is not a persuasive writing.

It’s preferable to remain neutral when it comes to magazine articles unless the specific topic you are addressing in the article expects you to take a stand for something, then go for it.

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How to Write an Article - IGCSE English

What is an article.

An article is a piece of writing intended for a wider audience. An article is usually written for magazines, journals and newspapers. The subjects range from public interest to current events to the writer's personal interests.

This question mostly appears in Paper 1 of your English Language and Literature question paper and in Paper 1 or 2 of your English as a Second Language question papers and for Cambridge IGCSE Lower Secondary .

How to Attempt the Question

You will be given a reading booklet insert containing the passage for the article writing. Read through the passage carefully. The adjacent question will be provided in the question paper booklet.

You would have to choose relevant points from the passage after having a thorough understanding of the question.

Now, convert the passage's selected points into your own words. After that, you can start putting the points together in a cohesive manner in the form of an article.

Let’s take a look at an example on how to convert the selected points from the passage into your own words.

“Many parents will make the argument that they watched hours of TV every day while growing up and They turned out fine, but content and access have changed. Kids today can potentially see whatever they want, whenever they want, and can stumble on inappropriate content accidentally, unlike those in previous generations.”

Parents nowadays argue that they used to watch TV for many hours each day when they were young and are doing well now. But the world has changed now there are different contents on the internet and television available 24/7. Children could see whatever they desire at any place and time and could potentially stumble upon inappropriate content by mistake.

• The title, introduction, body, and conclusion are the four main sections of an article. Let's take a look at how to tackle the four main sections effectively:
• Title : It is important to choose an appropriate title for your article. The title chosen should be relevant and include the main concept of your article.

Consider a situation where you would have to write about the pros and cons of switching into an e-vehicle. The potential titles can be:

“Are E-vehicles a better choice?” or “Electric Vehicles - The new way of life”

• Introduction : An effective introduction should begin with a query that entices the reader's interest. It should tempt them to continue reading. Then you can offer a short overview of the main topic to be discussed.

For example you can begin your introduction like:

“Do you think electric vehicles are safe? Electric vehicles are becoming more mainstream, and you’re likely not alone in wondering whether an electric car is right for you. There are concerns raised about the environment. But does it have the capacity to cater the needs of a common man with average wage? Let us see the advantages and disadvantages of both of these types of vehicles.”

• Body : The body should compose of one or two paragraphs, The converted points should be included here. Begin the first paragraph with adverbial time phrases such as now, recently, in the past, ten years ago, and so on. After that, state your main point and substantiate it with evidence. When starting your second paragraph create a contrast with a different point of view compared to the first paragraph if the nature of the question is argumentative. Use joining points such as however, on the other hand, nevertheless, and so on to begin the second paragraph.

Here’s a model for how your body paragraph should look like:

“Recently, people are switching to electric vehicles due to many reasons such as cost cutting, environmental factors, the growing scarcity and high rates of fuels, maintenance and so on. Even though e-vehicles cost more compared to conventional gas vehicles they are a long term investment. There are studies showing the maintenance of an e-vehicle is less compared to a gas vehicle. There is no need for gas, no oil changes, no smog tests, and fewer moving parts to break or wear out. Automotive giants such as Volvo are voicing their commitment to converting to electric car-only production in the very near future; and even luxury electric vehicles like Tesla are offering more affordable options to the consumer, altering public perception of electric cars as something only approachable by the elite.”

• Conclusion : When writing your conclusion always avoid summarising the points made in the introduction and body paragraphs. Conclusion can be your opinion on the matter, or you can begin or end with a rhetorical question to give the reader something to think about.

This is a model of how you can conclude your article:

“Personally speaking I'd rather have a hybrid any day, if you're stuck somewhere without access to electric charging, a traditional mode will come in handy, and once the crisis situation is averted you can switch to charging your vehicle. There are discussions on this happening all over the world. Some people support the revolution and are open to reform, while others are adamant in their ever so convenient way. What are your thoughts on this? Will we achieve 100% electric car usage by 2050”

Here’s the complete Article:

Q1) Are e-vehicles better for our environment?

• Yes, I think it can help reduce pollution.
• Not really, the cost and storage can be a major issue..

Write an article for your school magazine putting forwards your views and arguments.

Are E-Vehicles a better choice?

Recently, people are switching to electric vehicles due to many reasons such as cost cutting, environmental factors, the growing scarcity and high rates of fuels, maintenance and so on. Even though e-vehicles cost more compared to conventional gas vehicles they are a long term investment. There are studies showing the maintenance of an e-vehicle is less compared to a gas vehicle. There is no need for gas, no oil changes, no smog tests, and fewer moving parts to break or wear out. Automotive giants such as Volvo are voicing their commitment to converting to electric car-only production in the very near future; and even luxury electric vehicles like Tesla are offering more affordable options to the consumer, altering public perception of electric cars as something only approachable by the elite.

However, gas-powered cars remain relevant even as the EV revolution comes in full swing. Automakers can make proclamations about the robust future of EVs as much as they desire, but there are more than 100 years of history behind gas-powered cars. Which not even the biggest auto brands in the world, can just sweep under the rug. Electric cars offer advantages in a handful of ways, but they still have a long way to go to prove to the people that they’re better than gas-powered cars. The problem with electric cars, at least compared to their gas-powered counterparts, is that they're less likely to sustain that quickness because of the lack of a transmission to channel that power to higher notches. Gas-powered cars, on the other hand, don't have that problem.

Personally speaking I’d rather have a hybrid vehicle any day, if you're stuck somewhere without access to electric charging, a traditional mode will come in handy, and once the crisis situation is averted you can switch to charging your vehicle. There are discussions on this happening all over the world. Some people support the revolution and are open to reform, while others are adamant in their ever so convenient way. What are your thoughts on this? Will we achieve 100% electric car usage by 2050.

Are you having trouble understanding these concepts? Do you want assistance from a subject matter expert? Here, at Vidyalai we help your child achieve the grade they aspire for. Our SMEs are trained and experienced tutors who will provide you with each and every help when required. We are just a click away. Request your first lesson now. . We guarantee 100% satisfaction on your first session, if you are not satisfied,the session will be absolutely free.

Writing an article

Topic outline.

The purpose of an article is often to inform and persuade the reader. 

Articles give the reader information about a certain topic, bringing together and discussing different perspectives to provide a balanced argument which lets the reader make up their own mind about the topic. 

Articles can also be used to persuade the reader that a certain viewpoint is correct. For example, articles in newspapers or magazines might express a particular viewpoint or perspective; this may be positive or negative depending on the topic. 

The ways you use language and organise your ideas when writing an article will depend on the audience and the purpose you are writing for.

• think about the audience that the article is for – w hen writing an article, you do not usually know your readers personally and so you will need to think about their likely interests and experience before you write
• how you expect, or want, your audience to react – re member that the tone of most articles should be semi-formal, so before deciding on your tone imagine your article being read out loud and how that might sound to your reader. For example, an article reviewing a film may be humorous, even sarcastic, but that would not work well for more serious readers or topics
• the purpose for the article – is th e purpose, or reason, for writing your article to persuade your readers to agree with you or to invite your readers to think about different points of view and decide for themselves? For example, do you need to sound reliable and well informed, or choose words that strongly convey a particular emotion?
• how to keep your readers interest – ima gine how boring it would be for your reader if you used the same kind of sentences and simple repetitive vocabulary all the way through your article. Try to include a range of grammatical structures and relevant vocabulary to make sure that your reader wants to keep reading.
• Plan a route through your article before you start writing it – th e structure of an article is usually in three parts. For example:
• An introduction – engage your reader’s interest and introduce your argument or the main points of the topic to be discussed.
• A middle – develop relevant and interesting points about the topic to interest and/or convince your readers to think about a particular perspective.
• An end – d raw your points together and leave your reader with a clear impression of the argument you want them to believe or the viewpoints you would like them to consider.
• Organise your ideas into paragraphs as appropriate – this will help you to develop and support your points convincingly, to build your argument and/or offer a full explanation of a particular point of view.
• Show your reader at a glance what your article is about – articles usually have a suitable headline to attract their readers’ attention and you can choose to use subheadings (a bit like mini headlines) to help break your article up and move your reader on. Do not overdo these, but well-chosen subheadings can help to catch and keep your reader’s attention, as well as sum up the main points you are making.
• Show the connections between ideas in sentences and paragraphs – for example, where a new point or idea follows on from what you have already said you might use linking words or phrases such as, 'in addition’, ‘likewise’ or ‘similarly’.
• Example of an article

How to write the Perfect Magazine Article for IGCSE

Shamim imtiaz.

• Created on December 19, 2022
• Blog , Cambridge IGCSE , English , Exam Tips , Free Resources , GCE O Level , GCSE , Homeschooling , IGCSE , IGCSE Notes , Learning Tips , Revision Tips

IGCSE Magazine Article Writing Tips: How to Write a Winning Article

IGCSE magazine article writing is a recurring topic in the IGCSE English curriculum. Hence, asking students to write a magazine article is a very popular question when it comes to the IGCSE English Examination .

Since the magazine article question is very common it carries a considerable amount of marks as well. Therefore, students are very often hesitant to attempt the question due to fear of not producing a good article in their answer scripts.

Important Key Points to consider for IGCSE magazine article writing to write the Perfect Magazine Article

Every student should consider a few important aspects when thinking about how to write the perfect magazine article for IGCSE English .

These aspects are called key points and are relevant to any type of IGCSE Magazine Article Writing.

Students will find that planning, organizing, and writing magazine articles becomes much easier if the key points are understood.

In this article, on how to write the perfect magazine article for IGCSE let’s look at some of the important key points that will help you write the perfect magazine article.

Enroll today – IGCSE Tuition SG | Tutor For English, Maths, Science Revision

Take a look at 5 key points on how to write a perfect magazine article for IGCSE below

1. plan, organize, and draft.

As per tutors and teachers, around 30 to 40 minutes should be spent on IGCSE magazine article writing.

Therefore, a quick plan to organize your ideas and draft a framework for your article is important.

Students should take about 10 minutes to draft out their plan.

These 10 minutes are very valuable and allow the student to brainstorm ideas for their magazine article.

Once the plan is laid out you can then organize the title, paragraphs, vocabulary, facts, quotes, or technical terms.

Organization is key for a well-rounded and clear article.

A well-organized article will consist of a clear title, paragraphs, and a smooth flow of ideas.

While planning and organizing the ideas for your magazine article, you are in fact making a draft.

A draft will act as a quick guide when you actually begin writing the article.

2. Identify your audience and writing style for IGCSE magazine article writing

While drafting the framework of your magazine article it helps to identify your audience

Identify who will be reading your magazine article

One important question to answer is:

Who is this magazine article for?

Is this for a school/children’s magazine, a women’s magazine, current affairs/news magazine, or a social magazine?

As soon as you identify your audience, you can decide on your writing style.

Writing styles set the tone and narrative of an article.

Therefore it is important to understand the type of tone or approach your article will take on.

Some of the popular writing styles are:

Descriptive writing 

Descriptive writing is when the writer paints a picture for the reader through his or her words and description to help them almost visualize their ideas.

Argumentative writing

Argumentative writing is usually where an idea, a point of view, or a debate is discussed. The writer can talk about both sides or only the side he or she supports.

Narrative writing

Narrative writing is where the writer is simply narrating a story, fictional or nonfictional to the reader in their own words.

3. Decide which side you are on

Usually, IGCSE magazine article writing requires the writer to take a particular side of a topic.

One such example of a magazine writing article topic or question is :

‘Should Phones Be Allowed To School or Not ‘

Students have to decide which side they are going to take on such a topic.

Will they be writing for or against the topic of whether should phones be allowed in school or not?

Once the student has decided which side they will be representing, they can begin with an introduction to introduce the topic to the readers.

Then, students can proceed with presenting their opinions and thoughts on their chosen side in the body of the article .

Moreover, it is important that students provide evidence or reasons to prove their point of view.

A minimum of two paragraphs should be included in the body of the article.

Alternatively, students can also present an article where they can write on both sides to give a well-rounded perspective.

In such a case, students can give their points on agreeing with the topic in the first paragraph of the body.

Then, in the next paragraph students can present the points against the topic.

Furthermore, in order to show the exclusivity of each paragraph, students can use vibrant subheadings to attract the reader’s attention.

4. Using catchy titles and subheadings in IGCSE magazine article writing

While there is a lot of importance placed on writing clearly organized paragraphs, the title of the article and its subheadings need to be attractive too.

A very distinctive feature of a well-written article is the eye-catching title and subheadings.

Students can provide catchy and vivid headings or titles and subheadings to grasp the attention of the examiner.

For example, here is a suggestion for a student writing an article based on the topic ‘Should Phones be Allowed to School or Not ‘

Students can try writing something like this:

‘Student Poll: Should Phones be Allowed to School or Not?’

‘3 Top Reasons Why Phones Should be Allowed to School’

‘ Distraction or Necessity – Should Phones be Allowed to Schools or Not’

5. Rich vocabulary to write the perfect magazine article for IGCSE

If your writing contains richness, a variety of vocabulary, and flair then you can write on any topic.

The type of language and vocabulary you use can add dimension to any type of writing.

Especially in magazine articles, the writer needs to promptly hold the reader’s attention because magazine articles are shorter compared to novels and short stories.

Some of the ways in which you can add richness and versatility to the language are by using different techniques.

Magazine articles are a great way to showcase argumentative and contrasting opinions by using the following writing techniques suggested below

Techniques or vocabulary that can show comparison, contrast, analysis, and explain the topic in discussion will give your article an edge.

For example:  ‘On the other hand ‘, ‘In contrast to ‘ , ‘Alternatively’,  ‘Two sides of the same coin’ and ‘Lesser of the two evils ‘

Likewise, students can also use better vocabulary by adding different connecting and concluding words such as:

‘Additionally’, ‘Nevertheless’, ‘Simultaneously’, ‘In a nutshell ‘, ‘ To conclude ‘, ‘In conclusion, and ‘To wrap up ‘.

Richness can also be added by using a few quotes and proverbs that may seem suitable for the content of the article.

Another better way to write the perfect magazine article for IGCSE is…

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE

Try out a free trial with expert IGCSE tutors and attempt an IGCSE English past paper question on magazine articles to polish your skills and score better grades.

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