Newspaper headlines are not always complete sentences. Many headlines consist of noun phrases with no verb.<\/p>\n
MORE POWER CUTS
\nTERROR ALERT IN CAPITAL<\/p>\n
Articles and the verb be are often left out in headlines.<\/p>\n
HUSSAIN PAINTING OBSCENE, SAYS MINISTER
\nOLD MAN SCALES EVEREST<\/p>\n
In headlines, simple tenses are often used instead of progressive or perfect forms. The simple present is used for both present and past events.<\/p>\n
FORMER PM PASSES AWAY (= Former PM has passed away.)
\nBLIND GIRL CLIMBS EVEREST (= Blind girl has climbed Everest.)<\/p>\n
The present progressive is used to talk about changes. Be is usually dropped.<\/p>\n
EARTH GETTING WARMER, SAY SCIENTISTS (=Earth is getting warmer.)
\nTRADE FIGURES IMPROVING (=Trade figures are improving.)<\/p>\n
Headlines often use infinitives with to refer to the future.<\/p>\n
PM TO VISIT CANADA
\nBUSINESS SCHOOLS TO TAKE MORE STUDENTS<\/p>\n
For is also used to refer to future movements or plans.<\/p>\n
INDIAN TROOPS FOR IRAQ? (= Are Indian soldiers going to be sent to Iraq?)<\/p>\n
Auxiliary verbs are usually dropped from passive structures, leaving only past participles.<\/p>\n
SIX PEOPLE KILLED IN EXPLOSION (=Six people have been killed in explosion.)
\nINDIAN HELD FOR MURDER<\/p>\n
Note that forms like held, found and attacked are usually past participles with passive meanings, not past tenses.<\/p>\n
Compare:<\/p>\n
NUCLEAR DEAL ROW: PM ATTACKED (=PM has been attacked.)
\nNUCLEAR DEAL ROW: PM ATTACKS OPPOSITION (=PM has attacked his opposition)<\/p>\n
A colon (:) is often used to separate the subject of a headline from what is said about it.<\/p>\n
POWER CRISIS: GOVERNMENT TO ACT
\nBUILDING COLLAPSE: DEATH TOLL RISES<\/p>\n
Short words save space, and so they are very common in newspaper headlines. The following is a list of common headline vocabulary.<\/p>\n
Reference: Practical English Usage by Michael Swan (Oxford University Press)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Act: take action; do something Aid: (noun) military or financial help Alert: alarm, warning Allege: make an accusation Appear: appear in court accused of a crime Axe (verb): abolish, close down Back: support Ban: forbid, refuse to allow something Bar: refuse Bid: attempt Blast: explosion Blaze: fire Blow: bad news, unfortunate happening Bond: political or business association Boom: big increase; prosperous period Boost: encourage Brink: edge of disaster Call for: demand\/ appeal for Campaign: organized effort to achieve social or political result Claim (verb): make a statement that something is true Clamp down on: deal firmly with Clash: quarrel, fight Short words are very common in newspaper headlines. Some of the verbs used in headlines are unusual in ordinary language. Here is a list of words commonly used in newspaper headlines.<\/p>\n Clear: find innocent Con: swindle Crackdown: firm application of the law Crash: failure Curb: restrict Cut: reduce Dash: make quick journey Deadlock: disagreement that cannot be solved Deal: agreement Drive: united effort Drop (verb): give up; get rid of Edge: move gradually Firm: determined not to change Flak: heavy criticism Foil: prevent somebody from succeeding Gag: censor; prevent from speaking Go: resign; be lost, disappear Go for: be sold for Go-ahead: approval Grab: take violently Grip: control; hold tightly In newspaper headlines words are sometimes used in special senses which they do not normally have in ordinary language. For example, when used in a headline, the word bid can mean attempt. Here is a list of common newspaper headlines vocabulary.<\/p>\n Gun down: shoot Hail: welcome; praise Halt: stop Haul: amount stolen in robbery, or seized by police or customs Head for: move towards Hike: rise in costs, prices etc. Hit: affect badly Hit out at: attack with words Hitch: problem that causes delay Hold: arrest; keep under arrest Key: important Landslide: victory by a large majority in election Lash: criticize violently Lead: clue (in police enquiry) Leak: unofficial publication of secret information Leap: big increase Life: imprisonment for life Loom: threaten to happen In newspaper headlines, words which are short and dramatic are preferred. Here is a list of common headlines vocabulary.<\/p>\n Mar: spoil Mission: delegation (official group sent to a conference etc) Mob: angry crowd Move: step towards a particular result (often political) Nail: force somebody to admit the truth Odds: chances, probability Opt (for) : choose Oust: drive out, replace Over: about; on the subject of, because of Pact: agreement Peak: high point Peg: hold (prices etc) at present level Plea: call for help Press: the newspapers Press for: ask for urgently Pull out: withdraw Push for: ask for, encourage Quit: resign, leave Raid: enter and search Rampage: riot Rap: criticize Riddle: mystery Rift: division, disagreement Rock: shock, shake Row: noisy disagreement, quarrel Rule out: reject the possibility of Sack: dismissal from job Scare: public alarm, alarming rumour Scrap: throw out as useless Seize: take especially in police and customs searches Set to: ready to; about to Slam: criticize violently Slash: cut, reduce drastically Slump: fall (economic) Spark: cause to start Spree: wild spending expenditure Stake: financial interest Storm out of: leave angrily Toll: number killed Urge: encourage Vow: promise Newspaper headlines: grammar Newspaper headlines are not always complete sentences. Many headlines consist of noun phrases with no verb. MORE POWER CUTS TERROR ALERT IN CAPITAL Articles and the verb be are often left...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[736],"tags":[1923,1922,1921,1924],"class_list":["post-72946","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-writing","tag-headlines","tag-newspaper-headings","tag-newspaper-headlines","tag-newspaper-headlines-grammar"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72946","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=72946"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72946\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":72947,"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72946\/revisions\/72947"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=72946"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=72946"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/perfectyourenglish.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=72946"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nPOWER CRISIS: GOVERNMENT TO ACT<\/p>\n
\nAid (verb): to help
\nMORE AID FOR POOR COUNTRIES
\nUNIONS AID BANK STRIKERS<\/p>\n
\nTERROR ALERT IN THE CAPITAL<\/p>\n
\nBLIND GIRL ALLEGES UNFAIR TREATMENT<\/p>\n
\nMP TO APPEAR ON DRUGS CHARGES<\/p>\n
\nAxe (noun): abolition, closure
\nPOSTAL SERVICES AXED
\nSMALL SCHOOLS FACE AXE<\/p>\n
\nOPPOSITION BACKS PM<\/p>\n
\nGOVERNMENT BANS SMOKING IN PUBLIC<\/p>\n
\nHOTEL BARS FOOTBALL FANS<\/p>\n
\nWOMAN MAKES SUICIDE BID<\/p>\n
\nBlast: criticize violently
\nBLAST AT AIRPORT
\nOPPOSITION BLASTS PM<\/p>\n
\nSIX DIE IN TEMPLE BLAZE<\/p>\n
\nSMITH ILL: BLOW TO WORLD CUP HOPES<\/p>\n
\nINDIA CUTS TRADE BONDS WITH CHINA<\/p>\n
\nECONOMIC BOOM: URBAN RICH TO BENEFIT<\/p>\n
\nGOVERNMENT PLANS TO BOOST EXPORTS<\/p>\n
\nGLOBAL WARMING: EARTH ON BRINK OF DISASTER<\/p>\n
\nTRADE UNIONS CALL FOR STRIKE<\/p>\n
\nMP LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN FOR TAX REFORMS<\/p>\n
\nUS SCIENTISTS CLAIM CANCER BREAKTHROUGH<\/p>\n
\nPOLICE TO CLAMP DOWN ON EVE TEASING<\/p>\n
\nSTUDENTS CLASH WITH POLICE<\/p>\n
\nMP CLEARED ON DRUG CHARGES<\/p>\n
\nTEENEGERS CON WIDOW OUT OF LIFE SAVINGS<\/p>\n
\nGOVERNMENT PROMISES CRACKDOWN ON INFILTRATORS<\/p>\n
\nTEN PEOPLE DIE IN PLANE CRASH<\/p>\n
\nGOVERNMENT TO CURB ILLICIT LIQUOR TRADE<\/p>\n
\nUS CUTS AID TO INDIA<\/p>\n
\nPM IN DASH TO BLAST HOSPITAL<\/p>\n
\nDEADLOCK IN INDO-US NUCLEAR DEAL<\/p>\n
\nINDIA SIGNS NUCLEAR DEAL WITH US<\/p>\n
\nDRIVE TO SAVE PLANET<\/p>\n
\nDrop (noun): fall
\nGOVERNMENT TO DROP TERROR REFORMS
\nDROP IN FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT<\/p>\n
\nWORLD EDGES TOWARDS WAR<\/p>\n
\nPM FIRM ON TAX REFORMS<\/p>\n
\nMINISTER FACES FLAK OVER RACIAL REMARKS<\/p>\n
\nGUARD FOILS BANK ROBBERY BID<\/p>\n
\nAFRICAN PRESIDENT ACTS TO GAG PRESS<\/p>\n
\nPM TO GO?<\/p>\n
\nPICASSO PAINTING GOES FOR $5 MILLION<\/p>\n
\nNUKE-PLAN GETS GO-AHEAD<\/p>\n
\nINDIANS GRAB SHARES IN FOREIGN COMPANIES<\/p>\n
\nCOLD WAVE GRIPS COUNTRY<\/p>\n
\nPOLICE GUN DOWN TERRORISTS.<\/p>\n
\nPM HAILS PEACE PLAN<\/p>\n
\nAUTOMOBILE PLANT TO HALT PRODUCTION<\/p>\n
\nMAJOR ARMS HAUL IN CAPITAL<\/p>\n
\nECONOMY HEADING FOR DISASTER, EXPERTS WARN<\/p>\n
\nINTEREST HIKE WILL HIT REAL ESTATE MARKET<\/p>\n
\nHEAVY RAINS HIT TRANSPORT<\/p>\n
\nPM HITS OUT AT CRITICS<\/p>\n
\nLAST-MINUTE HITCH DELAYS SATELLITE LAUNCH<\/p>\n
\nPOLICE HOLD TERROR SUSPECT<\/p>\n
\nKEY WITNESS IN THE POACHING CASE VANISHES<\/p>\n
\nLANDSLIDE FOR DEMOCRATS<\/p>\n
\nOPPOSITION LASHES GOVERNMENT REFORMS<\/p>\n
\nLEAD IN RESORT MURDER CASE<\/p>\n
\nPM FURIOUS OVER TAX PLAN LEAKS<\/p>\n
\nLEAP IN FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT<\/p>\n
\nLIFE FOR SERIAL MURDERER<\/p>\n
\nVAT ON FOOD: NEW ROW LOOMS<\/p>\n
\nVIOLENCE MARS CUP FINAL<\/p>\n
\nUN MISSION ARRIVES TODAY<\/p>\n
\nMob: organized crime\/Mafia
\nINFANT DIES: MOBS ATTACK HOSPITAL
\nMOB LEADERS HELD<\/p>\n
\nMOVE TO BOOST TRADE LINKS WITH CHINA<\/p>\n
\nCRIME BRANCH NAILS THE ACCUSED<\/p>\n
\nMAYOR RE-ELECTED AGAINST THE ODDS<\/p>\n
\nWALES OPTS FOR INDEPENDENCE<\/p>\n
\nDEMOCRATS OUSTED IN UNION ELECTIONS<\/p>\n
\nROW OVER VAT ON FOOD<\/p>\n
\nDEFENCE PACT GETS CABINET NOD<\/p>\n
\nINFLATION HITS NEW PEAK<\/p>\n
\nBANKS PEG INTEREST RATES<\/p>\n
\nBIG RESPONSE TO PLEA FOR FLOOD AID<\/p>\n
\nBID TO GAG PRESS OVER DEFENCE SPENDING<\/p>\n
\nOPPOSITION PRESS FOR ENQUIRY ON DEFENCE SCAM<\/p>\n
\nPAKISTAN PULLS OUT OF PEACE TALKS WITH INDIA<\/p>\n
\nSCHOOLS PUSH FOR MORE CASH<\/p>\n
\nOPPOSITION LEADER QUITS<\/p>\n
\nPOLICE RAID DUCHESS\u2019S FLAT<\/p>\n
\nHOOLIGANS RAMPAGE THROUGH STREETS<\/p>\n
\nDOCTORS RAP HEALTH MINISTRY PLANS<\/p>\n
\nMISSING TEENAGER RIDDLE: TWO MEN HELD<\/p>\n
\nLABOUR RIFT OVER DEFENCE POLICY<\/p>\n
\nBANK SEX SCANDAL ROCKS THE CITY
\nJAPAN ROCKED BY QUAKE<\/p>\n
\nNEW ROW OVER WAGE CUTS<\/p>\n
\nPM RULES OUT MIDTERM ELECTION<\/p>\n
\nSTRIKING DOCTORS FACE SACK<\/p>\n
\nBIRD FLU SCARE IN MIDDLE EAST<\/p>\n
\nGOVERNMENT SCRAPS DEFENCE DEAL WITH ISRAEL<\/p>\n
\nSMUGGLED ARMS SEIZED AT AIRPORT<\/p>\n
\nPROPERTY PRIZES SET TO RISE<\/p>\n
\nOPPOSITION SLAMS DEFENCE POLICY<\/p>\n
\nGOVERNMENT TO SLASH HEALTH EXPENDITURE<\/p>\n
\nEXPORTERS FEAR NEW SLUMP<\/p>\n
\nREFEREE\u2019S DECISION SPARKS RIOT<\/p>\n
\nBUS DRIVER SPENDS MILLIONS IN CREDIT-CARD SPREE<\/p>\n
\nGERMANS BUY STAKE IN BRITISH AIRWAYS<\/p>\n
\nTRADE UNION LEADERS STORM OUT OF MEETING WITH MINISTER<\/p>\n
\nQUAKE TOLL MAY RISE<\/p>\n
\nENVIRONMENTALISTS URGE GOVERNMENTS TO ACT ON POLLUTION<\/p>\n
\nEXILED PRESIDENT VOWS TO RETURN<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"