English Precis Writing Rules (Precis & Composition)

Precis writing definition:

“A precis is a brief, original summary of the important ideas given in a long selection. Its aim is to give the general effect created by the original selection.” Precis writing is a concise summary that forsakes all unnecessary details (including illustrations, amplifications, and embellishments) in favor of reproducing the logic, development, organization and emphasis of the original.

Precis writing aims at intelligent reading and clear, accurate writing. It is a skill of both analysis and genesis that critically questions every thought included and excluded, each word used to express those thoughts, and the proportions and arrangements of those thoughts — both in the original and in the precis. In its exaction it mercilessly reveals an author’s wordiness and looseness or thinness of thought and construction. It should strengthen our style, our sense of proportion and emphasis, and our sensitivity to word meanings and an author’s viewpoint,

Four main pillars of Precis Writing
1. Simple
2. Concise
3. Clear
4. Complete

Elements of Good Precis
1. A good Precis should give leading thoughts and general impression of the passage
summarized.
2. A good Precis should be continuous and compact piece of prose.
3. A Precis should be clear, concise and complete in sense of original thoughts.
4. The precis should be written from the original author’s point of view, without editorializing.
5. Indirect Speech should be used.
6. 3rd person pronoun should be used and should be in past tense.

A Precis must fulfill following requirements
1. All Important/relevant Ideas must be included
2. All unimportant/irrelevant ideas must be excluded
3. It must be in the form of continuous narrative