newspaper headlines are often incomplete sentences (i.e. Difficult Times Ahead). Here is a guide to the most common exceptions found in newspaper headlines.
Noun Phrases
Headlines often contain a noun phrase with no verb. A noun phrase describes a noun (i.e. around strange, exotic people). Here are some examples of noun phrase headlines:
- Under Pressure from Boss
Unexpected Visit
Overwhelming Response of Voters
It’s useful to ask yourself questions such as: From what?, About what?, From whom?, To whom? etc. when reading these type of headlines. By asking yourself these questions, you can begin preparing yourself for the article. This practice helps the brain prepare itself by starting to think about vocabulary related to the subject. Here’s an example:
Unexpected Visit
The questions I can ask myself are: From whom? Why was the visit unexpected? Who was visited? etc. these questions will help focus my mind on vocabulary related to relationships, travelling, surprises, important reasons for visits, etc.
Noun Strings
Another common headline form is a string of three, four or more nouns together (i.e. Country Leader Question Time). These can be difficult because the words don’t appear related by verbs or adjectives. Here are some more examples:
- Ø Widow Pension Pay Committee
- Ø Landscaping Company Disturbance Regulations
- Ø Mustang Referral Customer Complaint
In the case of noun strings, it’s helpful to try to connect the ideas by reading backward. For example:
Mustang Referral Customer Complaint
By reading backwards, I can guess that: There is a complaint made by a customer about a referral program for Mustang cars. Of course, you need to use your imagine for this!
Various Verb Changes
There are a number of verb changes made to headlines
Drop Articles
Perhaps you have noticed in the examples above that both definite and indefinite articles are also dropped in newspaper headlines (i.e. Mayor to Choose Candidate). Here are some more examples:
President Declares Celebration = The president has declared a celebration.
Passerby Sees Woman Jump = A passerby has seen a woman jump (into the river).
Article
Junaid Akram is a college teacher by profession and inherited literary interest from his grandfather and one of the pioneers of Punjabi movement, particularly, after independence. Dr Faqir, who brought out a well-edited monthly Punjabi, first ever after 1947 from Lahore. He was patronized by well-known journalist, poet and scholar the late Abdul Majeed Salk. Dr Faqir devoted almost whole of his life for the promotion of Punjabi language.
Apart from his original writings he edited many of the classical books of Punjabi. It were the senior and junior contemporaries of Dr Faqir whose efforts were recognized and Punjabi language and literature department was established by the Punjab University at masters level.
He also taught the early classes of MA. In the last days of his life he retired to his city Gujranwala and was sorry that he could not succeed in introducing Punjabi as medium of instructions at primary level.
Junaid was well-aware of the efforts of Dr Faqir, therefore, when he came to Lahore, he with the financial help of the Information and Cultural Department of the Punjab government restarted the monthly Punjabi, a well-edited magazine under the newly established organization named after Dr Faqir.
He emerged as the first rate activist on the front of Punjabi and he infused new blood in the movement. But, unfortunately, he fell seriously ill and could not continue his forceful participation in the movement and Punjabi publishing activities.
But the only thing he could do was to continue his writing verse and now his second collection. He says that after the publication of the first collection Pattan Chanahan da, he thought that this would be his first and last poetic contribution to his mother-tongue. But Sarswati remained very kind and he has come out with his second collection in which there is a comment on the political, moral and social conditions under which Pakistanis are living for last many decades.
