Have you heard about the recent developments in the news industry? From captivating headlines to in-depth reports, discussions about the news play a significant role in our daily conversations. Let’s delve into some common English phrases used to introduce news topics, comment on news items, and evaluate how news is reported.
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Conversation Tips- Phrases for English Fluency
Talk About News in English
Ever get caught up in a news debate? Here’s a list of phrases to help you chat about the news and share your thoughts on how it’s reported.
Introducing the subject
- Have you seen the story about…?
- Have you heard about the guy who…?
- Did you read the story of…?
- I’ve just read about…
- The paper’s reporting a story about…
Commenting on a news item you’re reading
- Wait til you hear this!
- I can’t believe this…
- You’ll never believe it, but…
Headlines and announcements
In both newspapers and on TV news, headlines in English are often written in the present tense because the news is seen as unfolding in the near present.
- Earthquake Strikes Southern California (Newspaper heading.)
- A magnitude 5.2 earthquake has struck Southern California, causing minor damage and shaking buildings in several cities.(Announcement on TV news.)
When we comment on the news, we also often use a present tense, such as the present perfect.
- They’ve just said on the news that…
- They’ve just announced…
Remember: when we give more detail about the story, we move to past tenses and reported speech:
- They’ve just said that the earthquake lasted for about 10 seconds and was centered near the coast.
Judging the news
If we have a negative opinion of how the news is reported, we can say:
- That’s just sensationalist!
- They should check their facts!
- I think they’re completely biased.
- They shouldn’t be allowed to say / write things like this!
- You shouldn’t believe everything you read in the paper!
If we have a positive opinion, we can use adjectives like well-balanced, fair (reporting), objective, impartial, or in-depth.
- The BBC usually has well-balanced coverage of the news.
- There’s some very fair reporting about the protests.
- News at Nine is usually objective / impartial.
- This article is really in-depth about the social impact of the pandemic.
Useful verbs to talk about the news
- To report (to report a story, to report that…)
- To announce (announce a result, announce a decision)
- To state (= more formal equivalent of “say)
- To go on the record as saying (to say something publicly)
- To be off the record (to not be “official”)
- To leak (to make public certain information which should be confidential – especially political strategy)
- To publish (publish findings, publish the results of a survey, publish financial results)
- To publicize (make something public, often to increase awareness – publicise the risks, publicise a new film)
- To broadcast (a TV channel broadcasts programmes)
Conclusion
Next time you engage in a discussion about the news, remember to use these phrases to spark engaging conversations and share your opinions on the latest headlines. Stay informed, stay curious!
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