Precis Writing

What the official syllabus says

Paper 2: English (Main Examination), type of question 2:

PRECIS WRITING: A precis in about one-third of its length. (Marks allotted: 70)

Topics in detail

What a precis is

• A shortened version of a passage that keeps all its essential ideas, in the writer's order and with the writer's intent, in your own words.
• Length: about one-third of the original. Counting the words of the passage and fixing the target length before writing.
• Not a precis: a list of points, a commentary, a quotation of the passage's sentences, or your own views.

Method

• Reading the passage two or three times until its theme and line of argument are clear.
• Finding the main idea of each paragraph and separating it from examples, illustrations, repetition and figures of speech, which are left out.
• Writing a rough draft in your own words, then cutting it to the target length.
• Writing the fair copy as one connected paragraph, in the third person and usually in reported (indirect) form.
• Giving the precis a short title that sums up the theme, if one is asked for.
• Checking the final draft against the passage: no essential idea missing, nothing added, and the word count stated if asked.

Skills that help

• Replacing a phrase or a clause with a single word (one-word substitution).
• Turning a list of examples into one general statement.
• Converting direct speech into indirect speech.
• Recognising the tone of the passage (neutral, critical, persuasive) and keeping it.
• Practice passages: editorials, reports and speeches on public issues, of 300 to 450 words.

Overlaps

The vocabulary needed for compression (one-word substitutes, precise verbs) is listed on the grammar, vocabulary and usage page; reading comprehension builds the same close reading.