How to Write an Article for Question 1 Directed Writing

In Question 1, you might be asked to write an article, usually for a magazine. The task will tell you who your audience is and why you’re writing. Your ideas and opinions need to be based on the reading passages provided, and your marks will depend on how well you match the purpose, audience, and style, as well as how you organise your response.

 

Key Features of an Article                           

1. Catchy Title
• Use an interesting heading to grab attention, like a pun, rhetorical question, or alliteration.
• Write it in capital letters, except for filler words (e.g., ‘and,’ ‘the’).
• Example: ‘TRAPPED: THE CRUELTY OF CAPTIVITY’

 

2. Strapline (Optional)
• A short line under the title summarising your viewpoint.
• Example: ‘Why keeping animals in captivity is no longer acceptable.’

 

3. Engage Your Audience
• Speak directly to your readers using ‘you’ and ‘we.’
• Adjust your tone, be fun and light-hearted, serious, or advisory, depending on the task.

 

4. Clear Paragraph Structure
• Use topic sentences at the start of each paragraph.
• Develop one idea per paragraph with detail, examples, and reasoning.
• Avoid cramming lots of different points into one paragraph.

 

5. Hook Your Reader
• Start with a strong opening paragraph to grab attention.
• Avoid dull phrases like: ‘In this article, I will…’ or ‘I am writing this because…’

 

6. Language Techniques
• Use rhetorical questions, facts, statistics, triplets, and emotive language to keep your audience engaged.
• Vary sentence and paragraph lengths to create rhythm and hold interest.

 

Example Structure

 

 

Top Tips from Examiners

• Be Creative with Headlines: While rhetorical questions can work, make them specific and engaging (e.g., ‘Climate Crisis: Fighting Fear, Facts, and the Future’ instead of ‘Climate Change and You’).
• Don’t Waste Time on Layout: There’s no need to draw columns or perfect a headline. Focus on the content of your article.
• Adapt Your Style: Match your tone and language to your audience (e.g., younger readers might prefer a conversational tone, while adults may expect a more formal style).
• Be Consistent: Stick to one viewpoint throughout—either for or against the topic.