Feature Article • A feature article is usually intended to amuse or inform. It often centres around human interest stories and can be opinionated.
• Personal anecdotes (short or amusing stories about real incidents or people) may be used and the tone is frequently light-hearted. Of course, the topic may be a serious one, in which case the tone should be adjusted to suit the subject matter. Read the question carefully and study the text on which it is based. This will give you a clear idea of what is required.
• If you want your readers to do something as a result of reading your article – eat more healthily, for example – then include a call to action at the end of the piece: ‘So, what are you waiting for? Get out there, get walking and make this New Year the start of the New You!’
SAMPLE
2014: The characters in Text 3 are interesting for a variety of reasons. Write an article for your school magazine about two interesting people you would like to meet and explain why you would like to meet them.
Note: Don’t worry too much about the people you choose and whether or not your fellow students would be interested in reading about your selections. The most important thing is that you make a good case to support your choices.
You don’t have the time or the space to ramble so make sure your points are organised before you write.
1. What form should this task take? This is a feature article for a school magazine.
2. What should the content be? You should provide good reasons for choosing the two people you have selected.
3. Who is my audience?
Your audience is secondary school students and anyone else likely to read the school magazine.
4. What register should I use? You are making a case, so use the language of argument and/or persuasion.
As this is largely aimed at young people, your tone can be quite chatty and relaxed. As always, though, avoid slang and never use bad language.
