Unit-IV

Functional English (GE-105)

Precis writing

A precis is a gist of any passage in as few words as possible. Precis writing is a skill that involves
summarizing the main points and essential ideas of a given text in a concise and clear manner. The
word "precis" is derived from the French word “précis” meaning "precise" or "exact," and in the
context of writing, it refers to a brief and condensed version of a longer piece.

The goal of precis writing is to capture the key elements of a text, such as its main ideas, arguments,
and supporting details, while maintaining the original meaning and tone. Precis writing requires a
thorough understanding of the source material and the ability to distill its essence into a shorter
form without omitting important information.

Rules for Precis Writing

 Read the passage carefully at least three times in order to grasp what the writer has said.
 Underline the important points to be included in your precis. A point is important if it is
intimately connected with the main subject and if it is essential for a clear exposition of the
theme.
 A precis should be an objective summary without personal opinions or interpretations.
Stick to the facts presented in the original text.
 Ensure that your precis is clear, coherent, and logically organized. Use precise language
and maintain the original flow of ideas to convey the author's message effectively.
 Use your own language in the precis while words and phrases from the original may be
used in the precis. Whole sentences should not be lifted out of the original to be included
in it.
 Never write a lengthy precis. Before writing precis, count the words carefully and then
divide them by three. Then you must take care that you can write words of precis only 10
more or less than 1/3rd of the passage.
 Examples and illustrations should be left out of the precis. Figures of speech should also
be removed.
 Be very careful about the Language you write. Mistakes of grammar and spelling are
penalized as much in the precis as in other forms of composition.
Unit-IV

 See that your precis is a readable piece of English and that its ideas can be understood even
by a person who has not gone through original.
 Your precis should be a connected whole. As such it should not be divided into paragraph
until the original text is very long.
 Don’t use the direct form of speech in precis. If the author has written in the first person
pronoun using “I” and “my” , you should write it in third person pronoun: “he” and “his”.
The precis may, in such cases begin thus: “The author says……” or “According to the
author…..”.
 Think of a suitable title for the precis. The title ordinarily not be a complete sentence. A
title must be supplied even though if may not have been asked for.
 Indicate the number of words in your precis at the end.

Sample Precis

We should face facts as they exist. We arc multilingual it is true, and a very poor country too. The
fear of getting employment or not getting employment springs, out of that poverty of ours. But
once we took courage in both our hands and began to work, poverty would vanish, And then those
languages which have created a narrow regional spirit instead of being the curse that they seem to
us today, would function as magnificent vehicles of expression for the rich variety of cultural
patterns and modes of living, and thought that we have developed. Let us hope that day dawns
very soon. A regional language as the medium of instruction can facilitate the process of education.
It helps the child to learn with ease and interest. But if it is thrust on an unwilling minority used to
another allied language it can vitiate the very process of education. It is supposed to help and would
create difficulties of a socio-political nature. (180 words)

Precis

Our country though poor yet has many languages. If with effort and dedication, we are able to
wipe out poverty these languages will become a great asset. A regional language can help the child
in picking up things easily. It is only when a language is forced upon the people that it checks the
very process of education. (58 words)

Title

Education and Regional Language

Exercise: Make precis of the given text.

The memorized style of speaking is when the manuscript is committed to memory and recited to
the audience verbatim (word for word). In the days when elocution was taught, this was a typical
approach. A speech was a recitation. The Optimists Club (a national organization) used to have a
“Oratory” contest for high school students. Contestants wrote essays on a given theme, to create a
speech at a specific time length (e.g.: three minutes). The essay was memorized and the delivery
was judged by 1) the quality of the writing, 2) the accuracy with which it was recited; and 3) the
precise length of time. Such contests seem archaic by today’s more casual and somewhat less
formal standards.

Where is a memorized delivery style still common? Due to copyright laws and licensing contract
agreements (other than scripts that are in the public domain), actors on stage are obligated to
memorize the script of the play and perform it verbatim exactly as written. It is typical for speakers
on high school and university speech and debate teams to memorize their competitive speeches.
Corporate conventions often use large LCD monitors on the front of the stage as teleprompters.
This allows the speaker to move more freely across the stage while sticking to his or her script.
Some monologists (such as the stand-up comics mentioned at the start of the chapter) also use a
memorized delivery style. In all cases, they create the impression that the speech is spontaneous.
You might consider using the memorized delivery style if your speech is relatively short, or you
know you will have to deliver your speech repeatedly such as a tour operator would.