In news writing, the lede primarily includes the most important information at the top.

• A. The last paragraph only
• B. Background details only
• C. The most important information at the top
• D. A caption for a photo

Answer: (C)

In news writing, the lede is the opening slice of the story that should deliver the core facts right away. It’s guided by the inverted pyramid approach, where the most important information—who, what, when, where, and why/how—comes first, so readers get the essential news even if they only read the beginning. That makes this choice the best because it matches the purpose of the lede: to present the key information at the top so the story is immediately clear and useful. Putting essential details at the end, or only offering background details, would delay the main news and weaken the lede’s purpose. A caption for a photo is a separate element and not the opening paragraph of the story.