A ‘Precis’ is a brief summary of paragraph, passage or an essay dealing with a subject. It is essence of the entire matter therein covering salient points, facts and the statements. A precis presents the main idea and the theme sifting out unnecessary details, word play, illustrations, exemplification and the frills of idioms, phrases, sayings, comparisons etc. An ideal precis consists of only ¼ of the words used in the original matter but never more than 1/3, although there is no hard rule.
The real trick lies in correctly grasping the meaning of the passage, its theme and general idea. The precis writing teaches the student to express an idea in his own words in brief, focus on the main theme and the real art of separating grains from the chaff.
A ‘Precis’ is a brief summary of paragraph, passage or an essay dealing with a subject. It is essence of the entire matter therein covering salient points, facts and the statements. A precis presents the main idea and the theme sifting out unnecessary details, word play, illustrations, exemplification and the frills of idioms, phrases, sayings, comparisons etc. An ideal precis consists of only ¼ of the words used in the original matter but never more than 1/3, although there is no hard rule.
The real trick lies in correctly grasping the meaning of the passage, its theme and general idea. The precis writing teaches the student to express an idea in his own words in brief, focus on the main theme and the real art of separating grains from the chaff.
SOME USEFUL TIPS
1. Read the passage carefully with application of mind. Read it again and again for better understanding.
2. Write down salient points or words.
3. Think of a suitable caption or title. It must express the theme of the passage.
4. Write down a rough precis and see if it covers all points and explains the theme. Check with the original passage.
5. Count words or lines to see it does not exceed 1/3 of the original limit.
6. Use simple student language. Don’t repeat words or sentences. Avoid quotations, proverbs or illustrations.
7. Write precis in third person, indirect speech and in past tense as far as possible.
8. Check spellings, grammar and sentences to see if corrections are needed.
Examples
(1) Passage
Examination days are the most critical days of the lives of the students. There is a kind of turmoil and panic among them. Every student appears to be in the grip of the examination fever. He is extremely busy with his books, lessons, notes, reading and cramming. The thought of failure or low marks turns him pale and a shiver goes down his spine. He forgets all other activities and turns heaven and earth to prepare himself to face the dreaded question paper. He does not remember to eat food even. As the days of examination draw nearer, the fever rises to touch the highest point and restlessness plus agitation haunts the mind constantly. A student becomes a picture of worry. Some students feel so miserable that the family members pity him. “Woe, that’s me!” is written all over a student’s face.
But is examination such a monster? No, sir. The examinations urge and inspire the students to work and study hard. They make students serious, regular, punctual and disciplined as regards their studies and other activities. A student is cleansed of his frivolous and churlish tendencies.
Examinations instil a sense of responsibility and a desire to do better and outscore others in the marks. They generate healthy competition, encourage a student to sharpen his wits and develop his potentials to the fullest. Thus, he gets prepared to face far more severe and complicated tests of life. The discipline and skills created during the preparations for examinations become one’s assets which prove so helpful in real life situations. Thus, the talent, temperament, seriousness, skills, abilities and discipline acquired during studies, exercises and training stand in good stead later in student’s adult professional life.
(About 300 words
1. Read the passage carefully with application of mind. Read it again and again for better understanding.
2. Write down salient points or words.
3. Think of a suitable caption or title. It must express the theme of the passage.
4. Write down a rough precis and see if it covers all points and explains the theme. Check with the original passage.
5. Count words or lines to see it does not exceed 1/3 of the original limit.
6. Use simple student language. Don’t repeat words or sentences. Avoid quotations, proverbs or illustrations.
7. Write precis in third person, indirect speech and in past tense as far as possible.
8. Check spellings, grammar and sentences to see if corrections are needed.
Examples
(1) Passage
Examination days are the most critical days of the lives of the students. There is a kind of turmoil and panic among them. Every student appears to be in the grip of the examination fever. He is extremely busy with his books, lessons, notes, reading and cramming. The thought of failure or low marks turns him pale and a shiver goes down his spine. He forgets all other activities and turns heaven and earth to prepare himself to face the dreaded question paper. He does not remember to eat food even. As the days of examination draw nearer, the fever rises to touch the highest point and restlessness plus agitation haunts the mind constantly. A student becomes a picture of worry. Some students feel so miserable that the family members pity him. “Woe, that’s me!” is written all over a student’s face.
But is examination such a monster? No, sir. The examinations urge and inspire the students to work and study hard. They make students serious, regular, punctual and disciplined as regards their studies and other activities. A student is cleansed of his frivolous and churlish tendencies.
Examinations instil a sense of responsibility and a desire to do better and outscore others in the marks. They generate healthy competition, encourage a student to sharpen his wits and develop his potentials to the fullest. Thus, he gets prepared to face far more severe and complicated tests of life. The discipline and skills created during the preparations for examinations become one’s assets which prove so helpful in real life situations. Thus, the talent, temperament, seriousness, skills, abilities and discipline acquired during studies, exercises and training stand in good stead later in student’s adult professional life.
(About 300 words)
