A précis is a shortened summary of a passage that concisely covers all the main ideas. To write an effective précis, one must read the passage multiple times to gain a thorough understanding. Important points should be underlined and irrelevant details omitted. An outline is then formed using the essential ideas in a logical sequence. When writing the précis, one must avoid personal comments and directly quoting from the original passage. The précis should be a continuous narrative written in the third person and past tense using one's own words to accurately summarize the key themes and information from the original text in a concise manner.

2. What is précis
 The term précis is derived from a French word, means
“precise” or “expressed accurately”.
 A précis is the shortened form of a passage. It is a miniature
replication of the original passage.
 Précis is a process of condensing a passage to its main points.
 It express theme of the passage as briefly as possible.
 A précis must briefly cover all the ideas in the passage.

3. GUIDELINES TO FOLLOW
 Read the passage a number of times so as to gain an
understanding of the passage.(the more u read it, more familiar
and clear will it become to your)
 Select a suitable title or heading of the passage.
 Underline and mark important ideas and essential points
from the original text.
 The title must reflect the theme of the passage.
 Irrelevant and incidental points such are examples,
illustrations or comments, by the author may be omitted.
 Using the essential points, an outline of the passage may be
formed.

4. AVOID FOLLOWING FACTORS
 Avoid comments of your own as told before do not use
“I think” “ in my opinion” etc.
 Avoid borrowing phrases and sentences from the
original.
 Avoid emphasizing wrong points.
 Avoid exceeding the original length by more than five
words.

5. CONTINUE
 A rough draft is written using the outline
formed.
 The essential points must appear in a logical
sequence .
 Avoid using words and sentences from original
passage.
 Avoid using words like ‘in my opinion’, ‘I
believe that’, etc.
 The précis must be written in simple and
unambiguous language.

6. REQUIREMENTS
 It must be in the form of continuous narrative.
 It should include all the important ideas expressed in the
original passage.
 It must exclude all that is unimportant and irrelevant.
 A précis is usually written in reported speech, and therefore in
the third person. Unless required, do not use the first
pronounce “I”, “we”.

7. CONTINUE
 Indirect speech i.e. reported speech: A précis is usually written
in indirect speech. Convert direct to indirect speech.
for example He said, “I’m selling my car”
“He said that he was selling his car”.
 Tense and person: it should be written in third person and
past tense. In the case of universal truth the present tense
should be used.

8. Continue
 Avoid bad style. Like:
1. Illustrations
2. Examples
3. Side remarks
4. Similes
5. Metaphors
Never omit an important idea … be careful about omitting
the info. What to omit and what to not.

9. Final Components
 Own words: A précis should be in your own words.
 Précis of a dialogue: The précis of a dialogue or conversation Should always
be expressed in the form of narrative.
 Objective approach: A précis should adopt an objective approach. We
should never add our personal ideas to a précis.. Put all the important
ideas and points in a logical order.
 One Paragraph: There could be two or more paras in the passage,
while making the précis write all the ideas in one paragraph.
 Rough Draft: After omitting all the unnecessary ideas, the writer
should prepare a rough draft to finalize it.

10. FINAL DRAFT
 Having read the rough draft and pointed out some mistakes
which may be found in the rough draft, we can prepare the
final draft.
THE PRÉCIS

11. Below is a passage and we will write a précis
based on this passage:

15. Try, try again and…..