Unit 37 — News Reports

How news reports pack information into a short space — and how relative clauses and commas help readers understand it.

Step 1 — Read the report

The report below is fictional, but it uses the style and structure of a short local news story.

Local news · Tuesday

Volunteers save historic books after library roof is damaged

By staff reporter · 11.20 am

Volunteers who were preparing an exhibition at Westford Library moved more than 200 books to safety on Monday after part of the building’s roof was damaged during heavy rain.

The incident happened shortly before 9 am at the library, which stands beside the town’s market square. Water began entering a reading room where volunteers were arranging a display of local history books.

“We noticed water dripping from the ceiling and raised the alarm immediately,” said Helen Price, who has volunteered at the library for six years. “The books that were nearest the window were already getting wet, so we carried them into the main hall.”

Firefighters who arrived at the scene checked the affected room and helped staff move several boxes. No one was injured, and the library remained open, although the reading room was closed to the public.

A council spokesperson said that an inspection would take place on Tuesday. The roof, which was repaired several years ago, will be examined to establish why it failed. The cause of the damage has not yet been confirmed.

Find the key facts

News reports often answer the questions who, what, where, when, how and why. Sometimes the reason is not yet known.

Step 2 — Reconstruct the facts

Read each statement and decide whether it agrees with the report.

Step 3 — Why do news reports use relative clauses?

A relative clause adds information about a person or thing. It often lets a reporter include information without starting another sentence.

Two sentences: Volunteers were preparing an exhibition. They moved more than 200 books to safety.

One compact sentence: Volunteers who were preparing an exhibition moved more than 200 books to safety.

The relative clause who were preparing an exhibition tells us which volunteers the report is talking about. It is a defining relative clause, so it is not separated by commas.

With extra information: Helen Price, who has volunteered at the library for six years, said that the books were getting wet.

The report has already named Helen Price. The clause gives extra information about her; it does not tell us which Helen Price. It is a non-defining relative clause, so it is separated by commas.

DefiningNon-defining
Identifies which person or thing is meant.Adds extra information about an already identified person or thing.
No commas.Use commas around the clause.
The room that was damaged was closed.The reading room, which was damaged, was closed.
Important: punctuation depends on the meaning and context. The word which or who does not by itself tell you whether commas are needed.

Check your understanding

Step 4 — Where do the commas go?

Read the context before choosing the punctuation. In each item, the context tells you whether the clause identifies the person or thing or adds extra information.

1. The report is talking about the volunteers who were preparing the exhibition, not other volunteers in town.

Volunteers ___ who were preparing the exhibition ___ moved the books to safety.

2. Helen Price has already been identified by name. The clause gives extra information about her.

Helen Price ___ who has volunteered at the library for six years ___ spoke to the reporter.

3. The report refers to several rooms. The clause tells readers which room was closed.

The room ___ which was damaged by the leak ___ was closed.

4. The report has already identified the roof. The clause adds information about its history.

The roof ___ which was repaired several years ago ___ will be examined.

Step 5 — Make the language more compact

News reports often combine information into one sentence. Use the prompt to make a sentence with a relative clause. The suggested answers are models; other grammatically correct answers may also be possible.

Step 6 — Write a short news report

Use the facts below to write a short news report of about 120–160 words. You may invent names, but keep the facts consistent. Try to include one defining and one non-defining relative clause.

Reporter’s notes

  • Who: volunteers and firefighters
  • What: books moved after water entered a room
  • Where: Westford Library, beside the market square
  • When: shortly before 9 am on Monday
  • How: volunteers raised the alarm and carried books into the main hall; firefighters checked the room
  • Why: the roof was damaged during heavy rain; the exact cause of the roof failure is not yet known
  • Quote: “We acted as soon as we saw the water,” said one volunteer.
  • Next step: the council will inspect the roof on Tuesday

Plan your report:

  1. Write a concise headline.
  2. Put the main event and most important facts near the beginning.
  3. Add details and a quotation.
  4. Use a defining clause to identify a person or thing.
  5. Use a non-defining clause to add information about someone or something already identified.
  6. Check the commas and make clear what is known and what is still uncertain.

This writing task is open-ended and is not automatically marked right or wrong. Use the report in Step 1 as a model, then check your facts, paragraphing, relative clauses and punctuation.