The article: An article (el artículo) is a piece written for a magazine, newspaper or website to inform and engage a general reader about a topic. In Paper 1 you choose it when the task tells you to write an article for a publication — a school magazine, a youth website, a local newspaper. It's part of Unit 2: Text Types, so the marks come from getting its conventions and register right (Criterion C), not just the message.
- el artículo
- the article
- el titular
- the headline / title
- la entradilla
- the opening hook (first lines that draw the reader in)
- el cuerpo del artículo
- the body (where the points are developed)
- el lector
- the reader (your general audience)
- el tono ameno
- an engaging, lively tone
Spot it in the task: The task names where it will be published. «Escribe un artículo para la revista del instituto…», «Escribe un artículo para una página web juvenil» → an article. If it said «Escribe a tu amigo/a» you'd switch to an informal email (a different text type). Always read who the reader is first.
Keep it engaging: An article is neutral but lively: informative like the news, yet written to hook a general reader. Use a clear, accessible style, a catchy title and a question or surprising fact to open. Address the public in general, not one person. Consistency matters — a chatty «¡Hola!» or a stiff «Estimado señor» breaks the register and costs you Criterion C.
Article — do this
- Hoy en día, cada vez más jóvenes…
- ¿Qué hay detrás de este fenómeno?
- Cabe destacar que… / Por ejemplo,…
Avoid here
- ¡Hola, Marta! ¿Qué tal?
- Le escribo para solicitar…
- Un abrazo, / Atentamente,
Stay consistent: Write for a general public, not one named reader. Keep an informative-yet-engaging tone from the headline to the conclusion — no greetings, no sign-offs, and no slipping into a personal letter.
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The five parts: Every article follows the same shape. Hit all five parts and you've covered the conventions the examiner is looking for.
Article — 5 parts
1
Headline
A short, catchy title that names the topic. «Los jóvenes vuelven a leer»
2
Engaging intro (hook)
Open with a question or a surprising fact to draw the reader in. «¿Qué hay detrás de este fenómeno?»
3
First body point
Your main idea, developed with detail — the longest part. «Cada vez más adolescentes descubren la lectura…»
4
Second point / example
A second idea backed up with a concrete example. «Cabe destacar que… Por ejemplo,…»
5
Conclusion
Wrap up with a closing thought that rounds off the topic. «En definitiva,…»
Headline → hook → first point → second point → conclusion
Don't skip the frame: Students lose easy Criterion C marks by forgetting the headline or jumping straight to facts with no hook. The title and the engaging opening take seconds and show you know the text type — never leave them out.
A model, part by part: Here's a complete article built from the five parts above. Read it once for the message, then tap Ver traducción to check the English or 🔊 to hear it.
Modelo: las 5 partes en acción
El artículo escrito, parte por parte
- Los jóvenes vuelven a leer: ¿una moda pasajera o un cambio real?
- Hoy en día se habla mucho de las pantallas, pero pocos saben que las bibliotecas están más llenas que nunca. ¿Qué hay detrás de este fenómeno?
- Cada vez más adolescentes descubren la lectura gracias a las redes sociales, donde miles de usuarios recomiendan libros y comparten sus opiniones cada día.
- Cabe destacar que las novelas juveniles encabezan las listas de ventas. Por ejemplo, muchas librerías afirman que sus clientes más fieles tienen menos de veinte años.
- En definitiva, leer ya no se considera algo aburrido, sino una forma divertida de compartir historias. Quizás la lectura tenga, al fin, un futuro brillante.
Por qué puntúa — why it scores: This short article earns marks on all three Paper 1 criteria — here's how:
A — Language /12
- Engaging, accurate language for a general reader
- Connectors: «pero», «gracias a», «por ejemplo», «en definitiva»
- Varied verbs (vuelven, descubren, tenga subjunctive)
B — Message /12
- Clear topic: why young people are reading again
- Ideas developed (social media, bestseller example)
C — Conceptual /6
- Article conventions: catchy headline + hook
- Consistent engaging register for a general reader
- Informative, lively tone with a rounded conclusion
Practice with real exam questions
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A toolkit you can reuse: Learn a few ready-made phrases for each part. They make your article sound natural and save time in the exam. Tap 🔊 to hear them.
Para empezar (hooks & intros)
- Hoy en día… — These days… / Nowadays…
- Cada vez más… — More and more…
- ¿Qué hay detrás de…? — What lies behind…?
Para el cuerpo (developing & illustrating)
- Cabe destacar que… — It is worth noting that…
- Por ejemplo,… / Por un lado… por otro… — For example,… / On one hand… on the other…
- Según los expertos,… — According to experts,…
Para terminar (concluding)
- En definitiva,… / En conclusión,… — In short,… / In conclusion,…
- Todo apunta a que… — Everything suggests that…
- Quizás… (+ subjuntivo) — Perhaps… (+ subjunctive)
Use one from each: One hook, one or two connectors in the body, and one concluding phrase is plenty — and instantly makes the piece feel like the real text type.