The Art Of Good Precis Writing by Waheed

Learn how to write a killer precis for different paragraph either for school, college and universities exam or just for personal notes.
- Made by Waheed

1. Precis Writing

2. What is Precis A precis is a clear, concise summary of a passage.  It presents only the essential points and main theme.  A good precis is usually one-third the length of the original passage.

3. Essentials of a Good Precis (The 3 C’s) 1. Clear : Easy to read and understand.  2. Concise : Covers all key points without unnecessary words.  3. Complete : Includes all essential ideas from the original text.

4. Why Precis Writing Required? Reading: Helps improve comprehension and focus.  Writing: Trains us to express thoughts clearly and briefly. 

5. Steps to write a precis There are five steps to write a precis. Reading Analyze Initial Draft Revise & edit Final Copy

6. Reading Read the passage carefully.  Re-read multiple times if needed.  Understand the main idea and theme.

7. 2. Analyze Identify important points, keywords, and phrases.  Underline or highlight key sentences.  Count the words in the original passage.

8. 3. Initial Draft Write in sequence of the original ideas.  Use third-person and indirect speech.  Remove examples, repetitions, and minor details.  Do not add opinions or alter facts.

9. 4. Revise & edit Ensure all main points are included.  Shorten further where possible.  Replace figures of speech with literal expressions.  Convert long phrases into single words.  Fix grammar and spelling errors.

10. 5. Final Copy Write a clean, final version of the precis.  Place the chosen title at the top.  Ensure clarity, neatness, and completeness.

11. Precis of a Phrase or Clause Example 1 (Clause):  Original: " Although it was raining , they went hiking . "   Precis: " They hiked despite rain . " Example 2 (Phrase):   Original: " In spite of his illness "  Precis: " Despite illness "

12. Precis of a Sentence Example Original: " The students who had prepared well were able to complete the exam with ease . "   Precis: " Well-prepared students finished the exam easily . "

13. Precis of a Paragraph Example:  Original Paragraph:  " The internet has transformed how we communicate, shop, and work. It has connected people globally and made information easily accessible . However, it has also raised issues like privacy and misinformation ." Precis:  "The internet has revolutionized communication and access to information , though it also brings challenges like privacy concerns ."

14. Title for Precis Choose a short, clear title.  It should reflect the central idea of the passage.  Avoid vague or too broad titles.

15. Recap – Key Takeaways A precis is a concise summary of a passage.  Focus on the 3 C’s: Clear, Concise, Complete.  Follow the 6 steps: Read → Analyze → Draft → Edit → Final Copy  Know how to precis of phrases, sentences, and paragraphs. How to Set the Title of Our precis