Headlines are quite essential for English news. They are the windows of news. This paper describes the types of headlines and also explains the features of headlines. Firstly, introduction of classifications of headlines can give readers a perceptual knowledge. Secondly, in order to give readers some rational knowledge about headlines, this paper then explains characteristics of vocabularies in headlines, ie. short words, shortenings, quotations, proverbs, wisdoms, idioms are often used in headline. It also gives examples of rhetorical characteristics such as metaphor, contrast, rhyme, pun, metonymy and paradox and so on so forth. Finally the paper concludes tense and voice features in headlines and sums up the most important feature of headlines: omission. News media is the best channel of knowing every field including politics, economics, science, culture, and society. This paper aims to help English learners know English news well and read news efficiently.

1.Introduction

A piece of news is composed by three parts: headline，leading and body among which a headline is the epitome and highlight of the content of newspapers and periodicals.
   

Headlines printed on the papers are the windows of the news and it can let readers know it is worth reading .it is essential for readers to understand headlines to decide which column should be read while which not.
In this paper, features of using vocabulary , tense and voice，omission of words and using of various rhetoric of headlines from English newspapers and periodicals are approached for the purpose of giving a better understanding of the contents of news and improving English learners’ reading ability.

2.Types of headlines

2.1 Categories according to their forms.

2.1.1 flush left headline
In a flush left headline, every word takes up one line and begins at the very left. That is the common form of modern English newspapers. The following example can show you what is a flush left headline.
e.g. IMF
WILL
HAVE
SAY

2.1.2 Banner headline
Every headline word in it is large and bold and the whole headline often covers several columns. It is also called first large headline and often used in front page for its attraction.
e.g. House Passes Bush Plan to Cut Taxes

2.1.3 drop form headline
It looks like a ladder. There are several lines in it and the following line draws back several letters from the above one. Beauty and nice are its merits.
e.g. FBI Agrees to Cease 

                   Its Illegal Surveillance

       &n

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