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DECLARATION
Title: A STUDY ON THE STRUCTURAL FEATUES OF ENGLISH
NEWS STORY
(Graduation Paper submitted in Partial Fulfillment for B.A Degree in English)
I certify that no part of the above report has been copied or reproduced
by me from any other person’s work without acknowledgement and that the
report is originally written by me under strict guidance of my supervisor.
Date submitted: May, 13
th
2008
Student Supervisor
Trinh Thi Ha Nguyen Thi Van Dong
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Acknowledgements

There was the times I was so happy that moving to tears as I realized
that people who are next to me, and who are remote to me also, though they
are still in my mind, always bring the happiness to me for what they have
done to me says they love me. I am in debt to this life where I receive the hug
loves.
First of all, I would like to express my deep gratitude to my parents who
have been hardly supporting me. They are always beside and motivate me in
my study and my life.
I wish to acknowledge my gratitude to my supervisor, Mrs. Nguyen Thi
Van Dong, Ph.D for her valuable and detailed comments, valuable
suggestions, enthusiasm, guidance, introductions and also materials
throughout this study. And my heart is also to the teachers at the faculty of
English and Modern Languages for their kindness and willingness during the
time I carried out this task.

2.1.2 Topic sentence in English news story.................................................18
2.1.2.1 Form features of the topic sentence................................................19
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2.1.2.2 Content features of the topic sentence............................................22
2.1.3 Structure of news story’s body............................................................25
2.1.4 Sub-title in English news story...........................................................29
CHARPTER III: SOME DIFFICULTIES AND REQUIRED
SUGGESTIONS IN TRANSLATING NEWS STOR........................33
3.1 Some difficulties in translating news story...........................................33
3.1.1 Cultural difficulty...................................................................................33
3.1.2 Linguistic difficulty.............................................................................35
3.2. Some required suggestions for translation..........................................37
3.2.1 Language skills...................................................................................38
3.2.2. Cultural competence..........................................................................38
3.2.3 Journalism...........................................................................................38
PART C: CONCLUSION
APPENDIX....................................................................................................41
REFERENCES...................................................................................................57
SOURCE OF MATERIALS..............................................................................58
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PART A: INTRODUCTION
1. Aims of the study
News is sine qua non for active life. None can ignore the milieu in which
he lives. Only news keeps us in tough with the milieu in which we live. It
gives us the insight to the dynamics that form the environment around us, it
be in local or regional or national or international level.
The main conveyor of news is newspaper. Neither the advent of
television nor that of internet could affect the importance of the newspaper.

to know about English and more, about the structural analysis the text which
is a common difficulty for the reader as well as the English leaner.
Being a student of English, I would like to present structural features of
the English news story so that the readers and learner can understand
comprehensively about the topic. As these learning, we can have some basic
knowledge in getting information from news stories in newspaper written in
the international language, English, then develop the ability in translation and
many other related fields.
2. Scope of the study
Due to the limitation of space and time, within the framework of this
study, this paper can not cover the whole features and details of news story.
Since, I decided to analyze the structural features including headline, topic
sentence, body-part structure, the sub-title, and the discourse of the news
story.
From which, I would like to draw some difficulties of Vietnamese
readers when they translate the news story.
To sum up, the scope of the study may be shown as follow:
a) Analyzing some structural features of the news story
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b) Suggesting some difficulties and strategies to cope with problems
relating translating.
3. Methods of the study
In fulfilling this study, I have applied some methods such as survey,
statistic and comparison.
A reference of books from authors, materials from different sources and
foreign languages also helps me a lot. All English examples in the study were
taken from the International Herald Tribune newspaper which uses the
Standard English and updates information daily from all over the world.
Furthermore, studying with it would help improve my English so much.

published in Venice, Italy in 16
th
century, there have been thousands of
newspapers and magazines born.
According to UNESCO, there are more than 5300 press organizations all
over the world with over 830 millions copies a day. In United Kingdom alone,
the newspaper publishing industry includes 2,000 companies with combined
annual revenue of $50 billions.
Every newspaper or magazine has its own features with many articles
and column for daily events. In addition, news story always plays an
important role and has a remarkable position in these ones.
By nature, firstly, “what is news?” As for Lenin, “Any kind of goods
possesses two characters; they are value for using and value for exchange.” In
fact, press is also a kind of goods because it also has two character like others
goods. Certainly, news story is one item of the goods. The value for exchange
of press in general and news story in particular is shown in the way the
journal or the magazines itself perform.
People pay money for a journal in order to know what is happening
around or simply to entertain. News story has using value because it is
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essential for human being. News story will give people information; interpret
domestic and oversea events happening every day.
Therefore, “what is news story?” actually, it is a difficult question for not
only the journalism studiers but also those learning about the world. It is
difficult to define, as there is not and cannot be a single, universal answer.
Besides, the answer always keeps changing for the world changing. Thus,
catching up with the latest events is a requirement to keep pace with and to
join into the world.
The Webster defines news story as “a report of a recent event; new

- News story is a report of words performing a news event and getting
many people’s attention.
Therefore, there are many definitions, some of which are accepted or not.
Others are fairly news, among them you will have found some to agree partly
or wholly.
Now and then the desire for news exists not always stays enough to be
described as a need but nonetheless, it is a wish to be told something strong
enough to demand satisfaction.
Therefore, news story has some main functions as follows:
- The purpose of news story is to report short, brief messages about some
important problems and significant news events. It only concentrates on scale,
form of the event and sometimes the importance of events.
- News story has a duty to report briefly about new events in current life
by answering all the basic question of press: What?, Where?, When?, Who?,
How?... All the contents of the news story can be shortened within 60 and
100 words.
- News story is used to inform the details, characters and newly
discovered issues if the important events happening.
From the above functions, the characteristic of news story are:
- Timeliness
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- Immediacy
- Truthfulness
- Accuracy
- Clarity
- Fairness
- Impact
- Interest
The following example in English newspaper is an illustration:

happening or are going to happen. Political news story has an important
impact on current life and play a key role in a country’s government and
international community. So, it is always accurate, clear and immediate:
Example 1.2.1a:
Nga-Mỹ “hạ nhiệt” về lá chắn tên lửa
Nga và Mỹ vừa có dấu hiệu “hạ nhiệt” đầu tiên trong các cuộc thương
thảo đầy khó khăn liên quan đến kế hoạch của Mỹ lập lá chán phòng thủ tên
lửa Đông Âu.
(Thanh niên, 03-04-2008)
E.g.1.2.1b:
North Korea threatens South with destruction
After several days of escalating oratory against South Korea, Pyong-yang
issued one of its toughest warnings in many years, threatening to turn its
neighbor into “ashes” with a “pre-emptive” military strike.
(IHT, March 31, 2008)
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1.2.2 Economic news story
Like political news story, economic news story also has a great position
in every newspaper. With the daily changeable characteristic, economic news
story has a duty to report all the noticeable national and world economic
news. Economic is a very important field of society and is interested by
millions of businessman in general and common people in particular.
Naturally, economic news story news is mainly reported on economic
page. However, economic and political news sometimes are also edited on the
same page. They call this economic-political page. Despite the fact that
economic and political news often makes the reader to distinguish, the
economic news story still remains its own economic features.
Example 1.2.2.a in Vietnamese newspapers:
Cửa hàng tiện lợi sắp đổ bộ Việt Nam

Giải quyết tình trạng học sinh bỏ hoc
Ngành Giáo dục không đơn độc
Sau khi tình trạng học sinh bỏ học(HSBH) được dư luận lên tiếng
cảnh tỉnh, không chỉ ngành Giáo dục đào tạo tìm kiếm giải pháp mà
toàn bộ xã hội đã vào cuộc. Cuộc tọa đàm “Thực trạng và giải pháp
đối với việ học sinh bỏ học” do Ban Tuyên giáo Trung ương tổ chức
ngày 9-10 tại Hà Nội với sự tham gia của đại diện các địa phương
phía Bắc có số HSBH nhiều, một số cơ quan, đơn vị có liên quan và
sẽ được tiếp tục trong thời gian tới ở miền Trug là một minh chứng.
Những ý kiến thẳng thắn và tâm huyết cúa các đại biểu tại cuộc tọa
đàm đã góp phần để Ban tuyên giáo có thêm cơ sở khoa học, thực
tiễn đánh giá một cách khách quan tình trạng này, từ đó đưa ra kiến
nghị, như lời Phó trưởng ban Nghiêm Đình Vì đã khẳng định.
(Hà Nội Mới, 10-4-2008)
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Example 1.2.3.b in English newspapers:
Moving on the low carbon road
A meeting of United Nations member states in Bangkok on
Monday to discuss climate change is the first in a series this year at
which the action plan adopted at the UN Climate Change Conference
in Bali, Indonesia, in December 2007, will be translated into concrete
steps on the road to a new global climate change agreement.
(IHT, March 31, 2008)
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CHAPTER II: ANALASIS OF THE STRUCTURAL FEATURES
OF ENGLISH NEWS STORY
2.1 Structure of paragraph
News story appeals readers and affects them with the means of language

important of stories beneath them and do summarize the stories accurately.
The headline generally answer the question ‘Who?’, ‘What?’, ‘Why?’,
‘When?’, ‘Where?’ and ‘How?’. As I study, a good headline lays up (put
first) whichever one of these- the five W’s and the H- is the most significant.
‘What’ and ‘Who’ frequently make the best beginning, ‘Why’ and ‘How’ are
often used, ‘When’ and ‘Where’ are least common.
In a good headline the first sentence is not crowded as for the limitation
of space in a newspaper and to catch the reader’s attentions at their first
glances. If the ‘What’ and ‘Who’ take up the whole sentence, the other W’s
and the H are put into the second sentence or even into the second paragraph.
Because the first part of the news must introduce the subject, the following
ones must develop the action of that subject.
Example 2.1.1.a:
Beckham comes to a halt as England slowly sinks
The main information is given in this story is:
Who: Beckham
What: comes to a halt as England slowly sinks
According to Galperin [9], “English headlines are short and catching,
they compact the gist of news, stories into a new eyesnaring words. A skillful
headline tells a story or enough of to, to arouse or satisfy the reader’s
curiosity.” (P.57)
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According to Nguyen Dinh Hoa’s statistic, all most topic sentences have
main contents as they are written at the headline. The only difference between
headline and topic sentence is that, the topic sentence often develops more the
contents of the headline into the paragraph such as: circumstance, reason or
time of the main events. This relation is performed through the lexical
reiteration, synonym substitution. In another word, the topic is reported at the
headline and remained at the topic sentence.

release of the trial results “to hide something.”
(IHT. April 2, 2008)
Moreover, the headline often tends to emphasize the events or main
action than time and places.
E.g.2.1.1.e1: China law could impede Microsolf deal for Yahoo
(IHT. March 28, 2008)
Or another one:
E.g.2.1.1.e2: ‘Industrial tea’ farmers prefer traditional brew
(IHT. April 16, 2008)
- There is an interesting of headline in English news story, that is, most
of headlines are statement, full sentences or ellipsis sentences. The majority
of the headlines are the simple sentences, and the others are nominal, indirect
speech and interrogative ones.
Example 2.1.1.f for a headline with whole sentence:
Trouble still plagues new terminal at Heathrow
(IHT, March 30, 2008)
An interrogative headline sentence:
E.g.2.1.1.g1: Is the food still Italian if the chef is a foreigner?
(IHT, April 7, 2008)
Or another one:
E.g.2.1.1.g2: Does Shariah mean the rule of law?
(IHT, March 16, 2008)
Example for the nominal headline sentence:
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E.g.2.1.1.h1: Hillary’s St. Patrick’s Day massacre
(IHT, March 30, 2008)
Another example:
E.g.2.1.1.h2: Al Qaeda’s newest star
(IHT, April 5-6, 2008)

USB to write down additional $19 billion
(USB is going to write down additional $19 billion)
(IHT, April 4, 2008)
2.1.2 Topic sentence in English news story
The topic sentence is the most important sentence in the paragraph. It
controls and limits the ideas that can be discussed in a paragraph.
In grammar, that topic sentence has two parts: the topic and the
controlling idea.
- The topic sentence is the subject of the paragraph.
Eg:
The color yellow is the color of mental activity.
The topic: the color yellow
- The controlling idea limits or controls the topic to one aspect that we
want to report about.
Eg:
The color brown is the color of material security.
Topic: the color brown
Controlling idea: material security
Or: Brown shows a desire for stability.
Topic: Brown
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Controlling idea: a desire for stability
(Weaving it together, Book 3. Milada Broukal. P.7)
Usually, a topic has more than one controlling idea. In the example
above, the writer can write one paragraph about the color brown indicting
material security and another on the desire for stability.
In some other experts’ opinions, if they are allowed to write a sentence to
report the event, that sentence must be topic sentence. It means that the topic
sentence must conclude important and remarkable information. Here, the

The headline:
In life and death, Tibet victims belie official account
The topic sentence:
In life, the five young women who burned to death in a Chinese
clothing store during rioting in Tibet on March 14 were not the types
who would make headlines.
(IHT. March 29-30, 2008)
• Example 2.1.2.1.c of the topic sentence reporting about time:
The headline:
Maoists nearing a majority in Nepalese election
The topic sentence:
Nepal’s former rebels moved closer Tuesday to winning half of the
direct elected seats in the special assembly that will shape the nation’s
political future.
(IHT. April 16, 2008)
• Example 2.1.2.1.d of the topic sentence reporting about place:
The headline:
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Muslims in northwest add to Chinese unrest
The topic sentence:
SHANGHAI: Acknowledging a recent protest there, the Chinese
government has announced that Islamic separatist groups are seeking to
foment unrest in Xingjian, a northwestern region that is predominantly
Muslim
(IHT. April 3, 2008)
- Moreover, out of the topic sentences collected, 24% are indirect
sentences within indirect content put at the end of the sentence.
E.g.2.1.2.1.e1:
The headline: