Precis Learning Portal
Writing High Scoring Precis
1.Read the passage attentively. Go over it repeatedly until you are fully confident you grasp what the author is conveying. Look for the writer’s central idea. Examine each sentence until you identify the topic sentence. Study it carefully. If there are any words or expressions you do not clearly understand, consult a dictionary.
2.While reading, jot down brief notes on points that appear significant to the author. After finishing, review your notes. Do some of them seem less important in light of the main idea? Those are the points to leave out in your précis.
3.Then express that main idea in your own words. Keep it as brief as possible. Do not add any personal ideas or opinions.
4.Edit your writing to ensure that your version is correct.
5.Review your version to confirm that the order of facts or ideas matches exactly the order in the original.
6.Read your précis again with the aim of reducing its length by half.