Writing: Complex Text Types C1
Lesson 14: Writing an Article (Magazine or News Feature Style)
Listen to key concepts and examples.
Before You Start: C1 Core Concepts 🧠
Key Vocabulary (Click 🔊)
A feature article is not a simple report. It uses these key elements.
News Report (B1) vs. Feature Article (C1)
A news report gives facts. A feature article tells a story *about* the facts. It has a human element and a distinct voice.
B1 NEWS REPORT (Tells) 📰
"A new café opened in Siem Reap on Monday. The café, called 'Angkor Brew,' is located on Street 27. It sells coffee, tea, and cakes. The owner said she hopes it will be successful."
C1 FEATURE ARTICLE (Shows) 🎨
"The rich smell of cardamom and freshly roasted coffee beans hits you a block before you even see the sign. 'Angkor Brew' is not just another café. For its founder, Sothea Chan, a 50-year-old former banker, this is a second chance. 'I didn't just want to sell coffee,' she says, wiping steam from the espresso machine, 'I wanted to build a home.'"
The "Kabob" Structure 🍢
This is a classic structure for a feature article. It puts a "person" at the beginning and end, with the "meat" of the story in the middle.
Start with a person or a scene. Hook the reader with a mini-story.
- (Example: The Sothea Chan story above)
The "So what?" paragraph. It explains the bigger trend.
- "Sothea's story is not unique. She is one of a growing number of professionals in Cambodia who are leaving high-paying corporate jobs to pursue passion projects..."
The main part of the article. Use data, expert quotes, and more examples.
- (Data on job changes, quotes from economists, another short anecdote from a different person, etc.)
End the article by returning to the person from the lede.
- "As Sothea locks the door to 'Angkor Brew'... she smiles. 'I make half the money,' she admits, 'but I am twice as happy.'"
Practice Your C1 Analysis 🎯
Quiz: Identify the Article's Building Blocks
Read the excerpts and identify their function in a feature article. Click "Check Answers" when done.
1. Excerpt:
"In the pre-dawn darkness, 68-year-old Ly Channara is already on her boat. The water of the Tonlé Sap is calm as she pulls up her first net of the day. 'The fish are smaller now,' she says, her hands moving with a lifetime of practice. 'Not like before.'"
What is this paragraph's function?
2. Excerpt:
"Channara's struggle is a snapshot of a larger crisis. Overfishing and climate change are threatening the Tonlé Sap, a lake that feeds millions. This article explores how a generation of traditional fishers is facing an uncertain future."
What is this paragraph's function?
Key Vocabulary Reference (Click 🔊)
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Lede (or Hook)
The opening paragraph of an article, designed to grab the reader's attention.
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Nut Graf
The paragraph that summarizes the "So what?" of the story: why it's important and what it's about.
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Anecdote
A short, personal story about a real incident or person, used as an example.
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Vivid (Language)
Language that "shows" the reader by using sensory details (smell, sound, sight, etc.).
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Kicker
The concluding paragraph of a feature article, often linking back to the lede.
Your Writing Mission ⭐
Write Your Own Lede & Nut Graf
Your mission is to start writing a C1-level feature article. You don't have to write the whole thing. Just write the first two parts.
Topic: Choose a local topic (e.g., "The rise of coffee culture in Cambodia," "A day in the life of a tuk-tuk driver," "The new generation of Khmer artists").
- Write a 1-paragraph Lede: Start with a person, a scene, or a powerful anecdote. Make us *feel* like we are there.
- Write a 1-paragraph Nut Graf: Explain the "So what?". Connect your anecdote to the bigger trend or idea.