Precis

WRITING AND PRESENTATION SKILLS

 Features of Good Prècis
 Conveys the general argument with clarity so that the reader
understands what the writer is trying to convey
 All the important points of the original passage are included
 The language of a precis is that of its writer- be careful, not to
use the vocabulary of the original, it is brief, crisp and
uncomplicated and almost always written in reported speech.
 It has a suitable title
 Read carefully and identify the central idea in paragraph.

 Quickly calculate the total number of words in the passage.

 Re-read the passage a couple of times, until you are sure you
have grasped it clearly.

 Identify the most important points in the passage.

 Note-making is a method that comes in useful at this

juncture.
A precis is always written in the third person in reported
speech or in the past tense.

 When you condense a long passage or an article to a precis

retain key concepts and data and technical language used
in the original passage.

 Each paragraph or part of the original passage should be

dealt with according to its relative importance and not
merely according to the space assigned to it in the original
text.
Payattention to finer points.
Historical data should always be presented in the past tense.

Make sure to review your rough, draft, to rectify any language

errors in order to ensure free and easy reading.

Reduce the passage to one-third of its length.

You may indicate the number of words of the precis at the
end in brackets.
 Provide
an apt title for your precis. Often the theme of the
passage will give you an idea.

 Yourprecis ought to be intelligible even to a person who

has not read the original passage.