The Art of Precis Writing

Precis writing is a skill that is required for academic and professional success and most importantly for competitive examinations. Precis writing is the art of summarising a given passage in a clear, concise and coherent manner. Precis writing involves reducing the length of the original text by about one-third while retaining its main ideas, tone, and style.

Precis writing can be challenging for many candidates, especially if they are not familiar with the rules and techniques of this form of writing. The following tips and techniques can help you improve your precis writing skills and score well in academic and competitive exams. 

1. Read the passage carefully and understand its main theme, purpose and tone. You should be able to identify the central idea and the supporting details of the passage. You should also note the tone and style of the author, whether it is formal, informal, persuasive, descriptive, etc.

2. Write down the main points of the passage in your own words, using simple and precise language. You should avoid copying any phrases or sentences from the original text, as this is not an effective technique and may affect your exam score. You should also avoid adding any information or opinion that is not present in the passage, as this will distort the meaning of the original text.

3. Organise your points in a logical order, following the structure of the original text. You should use transitional words and phrases to connect your points and show the relationship between them. You should also use appropriate punctuation and capitalization to mark the beginning and end of your precis.

4. Compare your precis with the original text and check for accuracy, completeness and coherence. You should make sure that your precis covers all the main ideas and details of the passage, without omitting or altering any essential information. You should also make sure that your precis is coherent and flows smoothly from one point to another.

5. Revise your precis and edit it for clarity, brevity and correctness. You should eliminate any unnecessary words or phrases that do not add any value or meaning to your precis. You should also check your grammar, spelling and punctuation and correct any errors that you find.

6. Finally, give your precis a suitable title that highlights the main theme of the precis using fewer words.  

Precis writing is a valuable skill that can help you demonstrate your comprehension, analysis and communication abilities in exams. By following these tips and techniques, you can master this skill and write an effective precis that will impress the examiners.