English News Writing is a professional writer's handbook for newspaper reporters, magazine freelancers and journalism students who write in English. The focus is on writing rather than reporting. There is a thorough treatment of style, usage, and the many structures of news stories, as well as dozens of tips on how writers can improve their work.

Specifically, the book includes thorough discussions of interviewing techniques, the inverted pyramid, speech coverage, feature writing, reporting on trends, reporting on public opinion polls, using social indicators to develop news stories, writing criticism, writing personality profiles, narrative styles of writing, question-and-answer stories, and the jargon of the journalism profession. Examples of news structures are annotated.

The book also includes 42 Rules of Thumb that serve as a quick reference for reporters to improve their work.