Precis writing

What is the precis writing?

Precis writing is summarising a comprehension in limited words, covering all the important aspects and details of the passage given. Rules of Precis Writing. To avoid making any errors in writing a precis, follow a set of rules as mentioned below: Read the comprehension carefully. Note down the important points.

A Precis is a summary of a story.

The gist of the passage is written in as few words as possible.

The reader should understand the idea expressed in the first reading by only reading the Precis. So it should have all the essential points.

It is an exercise of comprehension.

It must always be shorter than the original passage.

Many people read carelessly and fail to understand the meaning of the passage for Precis Writing.

It helps them to pay attention to the reading as no one writes a Precis without reading it carefully. 

The Precis Writing format has some essential points that you should take care of while writing it.

The main important point for writing a Precis is that you should read the passage carefully.

Reading helps you to understand the gist of the passage and write it down more concisely.

The main message and theme of the passage should be conveyed through your Precis.  

Also, it is essential to note down that the general idea of the passage for Precis Writing should not be forgotten.

The key points should be written in the Precis.

The language of the Precis should be focused on.

Precis Writing has no fixed pattern.

However, we need to follow a particular procedure for the Precis to be more effective.

The right diction will help you write a good Precis.  

Dos and Don’ts for Precis Writing

Dos:

Do start with the main idea of the Precis so that the readers can quickly grasp the base of the Precis.

Pick out all the insignificant information in the passage and remove them from your Precis. Create a proper environment in order to incorporate all the important points it is important to mention the objective of writing the Precis.

Write the Precis in the original flow of the writer to ensure that the message of Precis Writing should be clear.

Add the relevant keywords and keep a check on the word count. Be sure to mention any historical fact in the past tense. 

Don’ts:

Do not use abbreviations or short forms.

Only use full forms while writing Precis Be sure not to insert any facts taken from the internet. Incorporate the only facts given in the passage.

Do not ask questions while Writing Precis.

If it is imperative, you can cover it in the form of a sentence.

Be sure not to revolve around the same content, The Writing flow should not be jerky.

It implies that you are not confident with your content.

Don't keep the Precis too long because it is a summary.

It should be short, crisp, and to the point.

Steps for Precis Writing

Start reading the paragraph carefully before writing the Precis.

It is essential to understand the central theme of the passage.

After identifying the idea, incorporate it in the required manner.

The word count is another important factor for a good Precis.

Check whether the total number of words is given or not. If not, then count the number of words. Generally, it should be one-third of the total words given in your passage.

You should be clear about the theme or idea of the passage for Precis Writing.

If you do not understand the theme, read the passage a couple of times, before starting to write your Precis.

Make sure you are clear about the idea. While reading, note down the points or highlight them.

Try to find the points that are irrelevant to your Precis.

The heading of your Precis is critical. It should give a brief idea of the passage given.

Choose your title, wisely. The Precis should be arranged in a manner so that the reader understands the gist quickly.

Logically organize your sentences and write them in reported speech.

For an official Precis, you are required to provide titles and designations instead of names.

 If there is no information provided, then write a personal name.

Make sure to follow the same throughout your Precis. 

Before submitting, read it carefully for mistakes. As it is already in a short manner, there should be a minimal error. At the end mention in a bracket the number of words of your Precis.

Elements of Precis

Clarity: A Precis is actually a summary of the story, hence a reader should clearly understand what the story is about. Your Precis should be easy for readers to understand.

Correctness: Always take care of punctuation, grammar, and sentence structure mistakes while Writing a Precis. Be sure to double-check all of the dates, addresses, facts, and figures that were used in the original passage.

Objectivity: Be objective while Writing a Precise. You should only talk about facts in your Precis. Do not try to give your opinions and views.

Conciseness: Always be concise while Writing a summary of a story. A writer should avoid repeating things and using unnecessary words.

Coherence: Your piece of Precis should make sense. You can say what you want to say, but it should be presented clearly. Readers should not get lost or confused while reading your Precis. Use effective words that help readers understand better. 

Features of a Good Precis

A good Precis must have clarity, brevity, and Precision.

It should not be just writing the sentences directly from the passage for Precis Writing.

It should be written in your own words.

It is a miniature version of the given passage.

The Precis should be well-knit and well connected.

It would be best if you used linking words like so, therefore, and, because, further, etc. It must have a good title. Must have coherence and follow the order of the original extract.It must contain only the information given in the passage of Precis Writing. (Image Will Be Uploaded Soon) 

Characteristics of Precis

The following are some of the primary Characteristics of Precis.

A Precis is usually short and to the point, as compared to the original passage it is an ideal demonstration of content in the original passage.

Precis filters out supporting ideas, supplementary details, and illustrations of the original passage.

It is written from the point of view of the original authors of the content Indirect speech is usually used in Precis Writing Third-person pronouns are mostly preferred in Precis Writing.

What a Precis is Not?

It should not be just a summary or abstract of the passage given.

It must not have disconnected facts and statements.

You cannot write your own opinion in your Precis.

It should not contain any questions.

Solved Examples

Given below is a common question on Precis Writing.

1. What are Precis  Writing examples?

Ans: It is Writing the gist of a passage. It is supposed to convey the summary of the passage without changing the idea or theme with the use of minimal words.

Approach for Precis Writing:

To write a good precis, read the passage given in question carefully.

It is advisable to read the passage multiple times and thoroughly understand the paragraph.

 After you finished reading the passage, think of a suitable title for your precis.

While you write a precis, follow a logical sequence of events as given in the original passage.

Avoid phrases like “In my opinion”, “In my view” etc. 

The precis should be written in past tense and indirect speech.

Use easily understandable language. 

Ask yourself questions like:

What is the basic theme of the passage?

Which are the most important points in the passage?

Which are the points that I can eliminate?

A good practice would be to make a rough note of these points.

Precis Writing Example 1

Read the passage carefully and write a summary of the same in your own words.
No paraphrasing/rephrasing is allowed.

Nigeria spends an average of US $22 billion each year on food imports. Its major food imports include wheat, sugar and fish. Another big import, rice, accounts for about US$1.65 billion. Most of the country’s rice is imported from Thailand and India. This has led analysts to predict it will be the world’s second-largest importer of rice after China in 2019.

There are a few reasons that Nigeria’s demand for rice is so high. Among them is rapid urbanisation; people who arrive in cities and seek out cheap, nutritious, filling food invariably turn to rice. More traditional coarse grains like sorghum and millet have become less popular over the years. This, according to research, is because rice is “a more convenient and easy staple to prepare compared to other traditional cereals across income levels in the urban areas”.

Now Nigeria’s government is trying to stem the tide of imported rice. Towards the end of 2018, it announced its intention to halt rice imports entirely. In doing so, it hopes to save a great deal of money.

But is this plan realistic? Unfortunately, it’s not. Nigeria’s agricultural sector simply isn’t equipped to produce the amount of rice to meet demand. It is battling natural and climatic factors, a lack of funding and training for farmers, and a dearth of government support. To turn this around, the government needs to invest heavily in rice farmers.

Precis Writing Answer

Nigeria and its Import of Rice

There are reasons for the high demand for rice in Nigeria, which makes it to import $1.65 billion worth of rice out of a total $22 billion food imports each year and is predicted to become world’s second-largest importer of rice after China in 2019. Rapid urbanization, cheapness and nutritional value are some of the reasons for its high demand. The choice of rice is because of its convenience and easiness to prepare. 

The Government is putting a blanket ban on rice imports as announced towards the end of 2018 in order to save money. But the plan is unrealistic by design since Nigeria’s agricultural sector is not prepared to meet its rice demand. On top of that, Nigeria is battling other factors too of natural and climatic nature, dearth of funding and farmers’ training. To solve these problems, the Government should invest in rice farmers aggressively. 

Precis Writing Example 2

2. Read the passage carefully and write a summary of the same in your own words.
No paraphrasing/rephrasing is allowed.

Recently, the National Health Authority (NHA) and the All India Transporters Welfare Association (AITWA) have announced a partnership through a memorandum of understanding (MoU). This partnership aims to provide healthcare services to around 10 million truck drivers under the Ayushman Bharat (AB)-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY). The NHA and the AITWA will work together in order to identify truck drivers and employees of transport companies who are eligible for the scheme. The Common Service Centres (CSCs), which comes under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, will work toward facilitating the verification of drivers using the NHA’s Beneficiary Identification System. This collaboration will help thousands of eligible families access in-patient care for serious illnesses at a nationwide network of 19,002 government and private hospitals empanelled under the PM-JAY. After the verification, the eligible drivers can get their AB PM-JAY e-cards at the nearest AITWA Highway Hero Centres. In the first phase, a pilot project will be conducted at key locations under the AITWA and the AB PM-JAY. This will be expanded to other towns across the country. Eligible drivers and employees of different transport companies will be able to avail themselves of the benefits after getting the PM-JAY cards. NHA officials will work closely with the teams of the AITWA and the CSCs to conduct the drive to identify beneficiaries.
Title: Healthcare Services for Truck Drivers under Ayushman Bharat

Summary:
To identify and provide healthcare services to 10 million truck drivers employees of transport companies under the AB PM-JAY, the NHA and AITWA announced a partnership through a MoU. In-patient care will be accessible to thousands of eligible families at around 19,002 government and private hospitals. The first phase aims to conduct a pilot project at key locations. The eligible drivers can obtain their AB PM-JAY e-cards at the nearest AITWA Highway Hero Centres and avail the benefits after their verification using NHA’s Beneficiary Identification System is done by the CSCs.