Newspaper headlines often use the Present Simple to describe an action that has already taken place: Jackson marries Presley's daughter
the passive with the verb to be omitted: President re-elected
and the infinitive with to to refer to a future action: Star to wed dustman.
To keep the headline as short and snappy as possible, no unnecessary words (e.g. auxiliary verbs, articles) are used.
Nouns are frequently piled up in headlines to make compound nouns: Government Bribe Scandal
There is often a play on words to catch and hold the reader's interest, e.g. an announcement that a woman working at the Mars chocolate company had got an interesting job was: Woman From Mars to Be First Briton in Space.
Newspaper headlines often use abbreviations, e.g. PM for Prime Minister, MP for Member of Parliament, WHO for World Health Organisation, UN for United Nations, EU for European Union, IRA for Irish Republican Army, GCSE for General Certificate of Secondary Education.
Exercise 1. Match these words used in headlines with their definitions, using a dictionary if necessary: clash, top, woo, wed, flee, rock, axe, dog, name, go, up, net, clear, cut
1 be higher than 8 try to persuade
2 marry 9 reduce
3 shock severely 10 gain, win
4 disagree 11 acquit
5 sack, dismiss 12 be a source of worry to
6 reveal the identity of 13 resign, leave, disappear
7 raise, increase 14 run away from
Exercise 2. Match the headlines with their explanations.
1 TRIO SAVED IN CLIFFTOP DRAMA
2 MOTORWAY CRASH TOLL RISES
3 PM'S PLEDGE ON JOBS
4 POLICE BAN ON LONG HAIR
5 FISH SHOP BLAST RIDDLE
6 RAILMEN'S BID SET TO FAIL
7 DRUGS HAULT AT HEATHROW
8 BRIBES CASE SHAKES CABINET
9 AID FOR QUAKE VICTIMS
10 PIT PERIL LIKELY
A The number of people killed in a motorway crash has gone up.
B A large amount of drugs has been discovered at Heathrow Airport.
C There is still no explanation why an explosion happened in a fish shop.
D Railway workers' attempt to improve working conditions is expected to fail
E A dangerous situation is likely to arise in a coalmine.
F Three people have been rescued from a dangerous cliff.
G Help is being sent to victims of an earthquake.
H The police have stated that long hair is not allowed.
I The Prime Minister has promised to create more jobs.
J The Government's position has been weakened by a recent corruption case.
Exercise 3. Look at the headlines and choose the correct synonym for each word in italics.
1 Arms haul in attic 5 Blow for English cricket
2 Anglo-French talks off 6 High poll turnout expected
3 November jobs rise 7 Education chiefs in storm
4 Paris envoy to resign 8 Pope's dash to Poland
disappointment election weapons angry outbursts hurried visit
ambassador employment negotiations
Exercise 4. Match the headlines with the articles:
1. Jury disqualify Bay Bea: Britain go into lead
2. Pack up and go!
3. New bid to end hunger strikes
4. MISSING LINKS
5. now u.s. doctors slam civil defence
6. SMALL TALK
7. THE SLIM BLUE LINE
8. France rushes industry takeover
a If half as much energy and enthusiasm were channeled into planning a holiday wardrobe as in planning the holiday itself much confusion would be happily avoided.
Packing puts even the most orderly of organizers into a panic. Each summer our fashion department is flooded with pleas for what to pack for readers who are accompanying their husbands on business trips to Europe, taking coach journeys through the Alps or sabbaticals to the Far East, and for the lucky few, planning far away cruises to the tropics.
b Britain, who finished joint second behind the United States in Yesterday's third inshore race of the international series at Cowes, took the team lead in the Admiral's Cup last night after the International Jury disqualified the American yacht Bay Bea.
c The Government decided last night to send in a representative to the Maze Prison in an attempt to end the IRA hunger strike. An official from the Northern Ireland office is expected to read out to the prisoners a statement outlining terms for a solution.
d They used to be the essential small accessory for the big businessman. But in the past few years, the price of pocket tape recorders has come down - and you are now as likely to find one in a handbag or a trouser pocket as in the hand of a captain of industry. They are emerging from the business machine world to be used for shopping lists, interviews, telephone conversations - and even for listening to music.
e The French government has overruled its own doubters and decided to act swiftly to nationalize industries as planned in President Mitterrand's election programme - amounting to one fifth of French industry. A three-stage programme to be unveiled in the National Assembly today by the Prime Minister, Mr Mauroy, is expected to announce the takeover of banks (including extensive industrial holdings held by banks), armaments, and steel in the autumn.
f More young policewomen are joining the fight against crime as growing number of men quit the force. And if present recruitment trends continue eventually there could be more women officers than men, police chiefs were told yesterday.
g MEET PEOPLE IN LONDON with whom you have something in common.
LINKUP offers a fresh approach to making friends in London by linking you with on going groups of members who share your interests.
LINKUP groups go out together in town and locally for meals/drinks/films/theatre/music/walks/ swimming/ Sunday brunches/parties/etc, escape to the country or just meet at someone's place for a coffee. Each group is different, of course, but the atmosphere is always informal and friendly.
h ``If the civil defence budget were in my hands, I would spend all $120 million on morphine,'' says one American scientist who has studied the effects of nuclear war. ``Civil defence money is worse than wasted now. It misleads. It may let people believe they can get away in a nuclear war. They can't.''