Unit V

Writing the Lead

 Lead
• The introduction of the story

• This may be a single word, a phrase, a

clause, a brief sentence, an entire
paragraph, or a series of paragraphs.
 Functions of Lead
• Tell the story in capsule form.

• To answer right away the questions the

reader would naturally ask.

• Arousing reader’s interest.

Kinds of Lead
A. Conventional or
Summary Lead
A. Conventional or Summary Lead

- used in straight news, answers

right away all or any of the 5W’s
and/or the H.
 Kinds of
Conventional or
Summary Lead
 1. WHO lead
- used when the person involved is more
prominent than what he does or what happens to
him.

Ex. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Addressed April 20,

the PMA graduates in Baguio City.
 2. WHAT lead
- used when the event or what took place is more
important than the person involved in the story.

Ex. NAT will be given Nov.24 to all graduating

Junior High School students.
 3. WHERE lead
- used when the place is unique and no prominent
person is involved.

Ex. The Philippines will be the site of the next

Miss Universe Contest.
 4. WHEN lead
- rarely used as the reader presumes the story to
be timely. However, this lead is useful when
speaking of deadlines, holidays and important
dues.

Ex. Today, almost to the hour, Martial Law was

imposed.
 5. WHY lead

-used when the reason is more prominent or

unique than what happens.

Ex. Because of poverty, around a hundred

students dropped out from school last year.
 6. HOW lead
- used when the manner, mode, means or method
of achieving the story is the unnatural way.

Ex. By appealing to the school board, the Manila

Science High School was able to construct a
three-story building.
B. Grammatical-
Beginning Lead
B. Grammatical Beginning Lead

The lead is often introduced through a

grammatical form, emphasizing a feature,
with the important W's found in the main
clause, not in the introductory or
subordinate clause.
 Kinds of
Grammatical -
Beginning Lead
 1. Prepositional- phrase lead
-The phrase is introduced by a preposition. (The
phrase always begins with a preposition like "in,"
"on," "at," "with," "by," "to," etc.)

Ex. With brooms and other cleaning equipment, Boy Scouts

from the Manila public high schools cleaned the city markets
in consonance with the city mayor’s CLEAN and
Beautification Drive.
2. Infinitive-phrase lead
-It begins with the sign of the infinitive “to” plus
the main verb.

Ex. To encourage tourism, balikbayans are given a

warm welcome by their fellow Filipinos.
3. Participial-phrase lead
-It is introduced by the present or past participle form of
the verb. ( A phrase or clause that starts with the verb
ending in-ing or -ed and adds more details to a sentence)

Ex. Hoping to cop first place, the PNU wood-pushers honed up

for the chess championship games. (present participle.)
Ex. Dressed like priests, robbers were able to enter the bank.
(past participle)
4. Gerundial-phrase lead
-It is introduced by a gerund (a verbal noun
ending in ing).

Ex. Winning the development communication trophy during

the national press conference was Araullo High School's best
achievement of the year.
5. Clause lead
-The lead begins with a clause which may either
be independent or subordinate, or may either be a
noun or an adjectival or adverbial clause.

Ex. Because Sept. 9 was Osmeña Day, all lessons dealt with the
life of the late President Sergio Osmeña Sr. (Subordinate,
adverbial)
C. Novelty Lead
 C. Novelty Lead

• Best used in writing news features

• Written in such a way that they attract

attention or carry out a definite purpose
Kinds of Novelty
Lead
 1. Astonisher Lead

-It uses an interjection or an exclamatory

sentence.

Ex. Better attend your classes on Summer!

Champion of District 1!
2. Contrast Lead

- It describes two extremes or opposites for

emphasis. The sharper the contrast, the more
effective the lead will be.

Ex. Twenty years ago, he was the school’s janitor.

Now, he came back to become the college dean.
3. Epigram Lead

- It opens by quoting a common expression, verse,

or epigram, at least familiar in the locality.

Ex. Like father, like son.

Herman Lagon Jr. graduated first honor this year. Twenty years
ago, his father, Engr. Herman Lagon Sr. also topped his class and
delivered his valedictory address on the same rostrum where the
young Lagon gave his.
4. Picture Lead

-It describes a person, a place, or an event, at the

same time creating a mental picture of the
subject matter in the mind of the reader.

Ex. The new principal, although only in her early thirties, is

already silver-haired. She seldom talks, but when she does, she
talks with sense.
5. Background Lead

-This is similar to the picture lead except that it

describes the setting which may be more
prominent than the characters and the events.

Ex. Decorated by colored lights, the quadrangle became a

grand setting for a barrio fiesta as LPU-C celebrates…
7. Descriptive Lead

-Used when comparatively few descriptive words

can vividly formulate an imagery. ( a type of lead in a
news article that uses vivid details to describe a person, place, or event)

Ex. Dressed in white polo burong, and with diplomas in

their hands, 1,500 graduates marched down the stage to
the tune of Osmeña High March.
6. Parody Lead

-It consists of a parody of a well-known song,

poem, lines, etc.

Ex. Never say never…

This must be far away from the mind of a 45- year-old
man who killed himself…
7. Punch lead

-Ashort, forceful word or expression. It is rarely

used.

Ex. Victory Day!

Magsaysay High School celebrated on March 18 its fifth
victory in the city-wide journalism contests
8. One word lead

-(self-explanatory) .

Ex. March!
Thus ordered Hi-Y president Joey Lina Jr. of Osmeña
High School to start the "Walk for Health" fund- raising
drive.
9. Quotation lead

-Consists of the speaker's direct words which are very striking and
which are usually quoted from a speech, a public address, or an
interview.

Ex. "The youth in The New Republic have become partners of the
government in its struggle for progress and advancement," thus spoke
PNU Director Rene Romero to some 400 student delegates to the 2006
Hi-Y-Y-teens Leadership Training Seminar held on Dec. 26-30 at the
Edilberto Dagot Hall.
10. Question lead

- An answer to a question which is the basis of the

news story.

Ex. Who will reign as Miss Intramurals this year?

This will be known on Aug. 8 after the final screening to
be held at the PNU Gym and Performing Arts Center.
Thank you!
Quiz time!
1. What is a lead?
a. the senior reporter at a newspaper
b. The opening paragraph of a news story
c The newspaper with the largest audience
d. The main character in a news story

2. The only requirement for lead for a feature story is that it _____.
a. interest readers and lure them into the story.
b. be a summary lead.
c. include at least one quotation.
d. present a question the rest of the story will answer.

3.All of the following are part of the 5W's and H except:

a. Who b. How c. Will d. What
4. In news writing, what is typically included in the lead of a news story?
A. Minor background details and commentary.
B. The who, what, where, when, why, and how of the story.
C. The writer’s personal interpretation of events.
D. A detailed biography of the people involved.

5. What is the purpose of placing the important W’s in the main clause of a
news lead?
A. To highlight the subjectivity of the writer.
B. To provide detailed background information.
C. To make the lead concise and direct for readers.
D. To create suspense by delaying the critical details.
6. What is the structure of an infinitive phrase?
A. A verb ending in "-ing" followed by an object.
B. The word "to" followed by the base form of a verb.
C. A verb in past tense followed by a complement.
D. A noun followed by a modifying clause.

7. What is introduced by the present or past participle form of a verb?

A. Infinitive Phrase
B. Gerund Phrase
C. Participial Phrase
D. Prepositional Phrase
8. What is an Astonisher Lead in news writing?
A. A lead that presents a question to pique the reader's curiosity.
B. A lead that uses an interjection or an exclamatory sentence to grab
attention.
C. A lead that begins with a quote from a key figure in the story.
D. A lead that lists several facts in chronological order.

9. Which of the following is an example of a Contrast Lead?

A. The city streets were silent while the stadium roared with cheers.
B. Breaking news: A wildfire threatens thousands of homes.
C. Wow! A small town discovers a treasure chest buried for centuries!
D. A new policy has been proposed to increase environmental awareness.
10. What is the primary purpose of a picture lead in a news article?
A) To provide statistical data about the topic
B) To create a mental image of a person, place, or event in the reader’s mind
C) To summarize the entire article in one sentence
D) To quote experts and provide opinions

11. What characterizes a parody lead in a news article?

A) It summarizes the article's main points in a straightforward manner.
B) It incorporates humor by imitating a well-known song, poem, or text.
C) It presents a detailed analysis of the subject matter.
D) It uses complex language to sound more intellectual.
12. Which of the following is an example of a parody lead?
A) "In a world filled with uncertainty, leaders must rise.”
B) "Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are... doing about the
economy?"
C) "The weather today is sunny with a chance of rain."
D) "Experts predict steady growth in technology sectors."

13. What is an epigram lead in the context of journalism?

A) A conclusion that summarizes the article.
B) An opening that quotes a familiar saying or verse.
C) A detailed explanation of the article's subject matter.
D) A list of statistics relevant to the article.
14. Which of the following characteristics makes a quotation lead effective?
A) It is a long, detailed quote that explains the entire story
B) It is a quote that is not relevant to the main topic of the article
C) It is a direct, striking quote from a speech, address, or interview
D) It is a quote that is used at the end of the article as a conclusion

15. Which of the following quotes would be an effective quotation lead for an
article about environmental conservation?
A) "The company will announce its quarterly earnings next week."
B) "I believe that protecting our planet is not just a moral obligation, but an
economic imperative."
C) "The new policy will go into effect on January 1st."
D) "The meeting will be held at 2 PM on Friday."