Precis Writing: Rules, Method and Worked Examples
A precis (pronounced PRAY-see) is a short version of a passage that keeps the main ideas and leaves out everything else. It is written in your own words, in the third person, and is usually about one third of the length of the original. A precis is also called a summary, and many exam papers use the two words for the same task, a point explained below.
Precis writing tests three skills at once: reading carefully, deciding what matters, and writing it briefly and clearly. This lesson gives the rules, a method you can use on any passage, two fully worked examples with the original passage, the first draft and the final precis with word counts, and the mistakes that cost marks.
What Is a Precis?
The word comes from French and means "cut short". A precis is not a copy of the passage with a few lines removed. It is a fresh, condensed piece of writing that gives a reader who has not seen the original a complete and accurate idea of it.
A precis states the central idea and the main supporting points of a passage in about one third of its words, in your own language, in the third person, with nothing added that is not in the original.
Precis, summary and paraphrase
People often mix these three tasks up. Students searching for "summary writing" are usually asking for the same skill.
| Task | Length | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Precis | About one third of the original | Gives the central idea and main points in a strict, fixed length, with a title |
| Summary | Often a short fixed limit given in the question | Gives the gist of the text; many boards use the word for the same task as a precis |
| Paraphrase | About the same as the original | Restates every idea in different words, keeping all the details |
Check your question paper: if a word limit is given, follow it; if not, aim for one third.
Rules of Precis Writing
- Keep to one third of the length. A 180-word passage needs a precis of about 60 words. A small difference (a few words) is acceptable. Do not count the title in the length unless your teacher asks you to.
- Write in your own words. Do not copy long phrases or whole sentences from the passage. Use simple, correct words of your own.
- Include only what is in the passage. No new facts, no comments, no opinions, no advice of your own. Do not write "I think" or "in my opinion".
- Leave out examples, illustrations, figures of speech and repetition. Keep the idea; drop the picture used to explain it.
- Leave out direct speech and quotations. Report the idea in indirect speech instead. The lesson on direct and indirect speech shows how.
- Write in the third person. Never write "I", "we" or "you", even if the passage does. Change we must save water to everyone should save water.
- Keep the order of ideas the same as in the passage.
- Write one paragraph of connected sentences, not a list of points.
- Use the same tense as the passage or the simple present for general statements. Do not mix tenses without a reason.
- Give the precis a suitable title if the question asks for one. A title is short, tells the main idea and is not a full sentence.
- Write clearly and correctly. Use joining words so the sentences connect, and check spelling and punctuation.
Some teachers prefer a title above the precis; others want a heading only when the question asks for it. Some boards allow a one-line note of the word count at the end. Follow the pattern your teacher teaches.
How to Write a Precis: Step by Step
Step 1: Read the passage two or three times
Read once quickly to get the general idea, then slowly with a pencil. Do not begin writing after one reading.
Step 2: Find the central idea
Ask: "What is this passage about, in one sentence?" The central idea is often in the first or last sentence, but not always.
Step 3: Underline the main points
Underline or note the key supporting ideas. Cross out examples, repeated ideas, descriptions and comparisons. A useful test: if removing a sentence does not change the main message, it can go.
Step 4: Write a title
Choose a short title that covers the whole passage, for example Saving Water or Mobile Phones and Young People.
Step 5: Write the first draft
Without looking at the passage, write the main points in your own words in a connected paragraph. The first draft will usually be too long. That is normal.
Step 6: Shorten the draft
Count the words. Then reduce it to one third by:
- joining short sentences into one with and, but, so, since, because;
- replacing a phrase with one word (in spite of the fact that becomes although; a large number of becomes many);
- removing adjectives, adverbs and details that are not essential.
Step 7: Check and write the fair copy
Check that all the main points are present, that nothing new has been added, and that the grammar and spelling are correct. Write the final precis and note the word count.
To save words, learn the common shortening patterns: "Because of the fact that" → because; "In the event that" → if; "It is a fact that" → leave it out; "People who live in villages" → villagers; "A great many" → many.
Worked Example 1: Saving Water
Question: Write a precis of the following passage in about one third of its length and give it a suitable title.
Water is the most precious resource on earth, yet we waste it as though it were endless. Only a small part of the world's water is fresh, and most of that is locked in glaciers or lies deep underground. In many Indian cities, taps run dry for hours every day, while in villages women walk long distances to fetch a single pot of water. Leaking pipes, careless use in homes and the pollution of rivers by factories make the problem worse. Simple habits can help. Closing a tap while brushing teeth, repairing a dripping pipe and watering plants in the evening save a great deal of water over a year. Rainwater harvesting, which collects the rain falling on roofs and stores it for later use, has already revived wells in many towns. If every citizen takes small steps, the nation can secure its water for future generations.
Thinking it through. The central idea: water is precious but wasted, and small steps can save it. The main points: little of the water is fresh; shortages exist in cities and villages; leaks, careless use and pollution worsen it; habits and rainwater harvesting help; everyone must contribute. What goes out: the "pot of water", the factory detail, the toothbrush example, the "wells in many towns" detail.
Water is precious but wasted, and only a little of it is fresh. Indian cities face daily shortages, villagers walk far for water, and leaks, careless use and polluted rivers worsen the problem. Habits like closing taps, mending pipes and watering plants in the evening save water, and rainwater harvesting has revived wells. If everyone helps, future generations will have water.
Saving Water
Water, though precious, is wasted carelessly, and little of it is fresh. Shortages, leaking pipes, careless use and polluted rivers worsen the problem. Saving habits such as closing taps and mending pipes, and rainwater harvesting, can help, and if every citizen contributes, water will be secured for future generations.
Worked Example 2: Mobile Phones and Young People
Question: Write a precis of the passage in about 60 words and give it a title.
Mobile phones have changed the way young people spend their free time. A student who once visited the library or played in the park after school now often spends hours watching short videos and chatting online. Such use is not wholly harmful: phones allow quick access to information, help students attend online classes and keep families in touch across distances. However, too much screen time brings problems. Eyes grow tired, sleep is disturbed by late-night browsing, and the habit of constant scrolling shortens the ability to concentrate on a single task. Many teachers have noticed that students find it hard to read a long passage patiently. Parents, too, complain that children no longer join family conversations. The solution is not to ban phones, which would be neither practical nor fair, but to use them wisely. Fixed hours for screen use, phone-free meals and a daily period for reading or outdoor play can restore the balance. When young people control the device instead of being controlled by it, technology becomes a useful servant and not a harmful master.
Thinking it through. The central idea: phones help but overuse harms, so they should be used wisely. Main points: change in free time; benefits (information, classes, family contact); harms (tired eyes, poor sleep, weak concentration, less family talk); banning is not the answer; fixed hours and phone-free times restore balance. What goes out: the library and park comparison, "servant and master", the teachers' and parents' remarks as separate points.
Mobile phones have changed how young people spend free time, replacing the library and playground with videos and chatting. Phones give quick information, online classes and family contact, but too much screen time tires the eyes, disturbs sleep, weakens concentration and reduces family conversation. Banning phones is neither practical nor fair; fixed screen hours, phone-free meals and time for reading or play can restore balance, so that people control technology and are not controlled by it.
Mobile Phones and Young People
Mobile phones have changed how young people spend their free time. They provide information, online classes and family contact, but excessive use tires the eyes, disturbs sleep, weakens concentration and reduces family conversation. Since banning phones is impractical, the remedy is wise use through fixed screen hours, phone-free meals and a daily period for reading or outdoor play.
What changed between the draft and the final precis?
- The comparison with the library and playground was removed, because it is an illustration.
- "Too much screen time" became excessive use, which is shorter and avoids copying.
- "Neither practical nor fair" became impractical.
- The last clause about control, which only repeated the idea, was dropped.
Common Mistakes in Precis Writing
| ❌ Mistake | ✅ Correct |
|---|---|
| Copying sentences from the passage | Express each idea in your own words |
| Including examples and comparisons | Leave out illustrations; keep only the idea |
| Adding your own opinion ("I think phones are bad") | Write only what the passage says |
| Writing in the first person ("We should save water") | Use the third person ("Everyone should save water") |
| Quoting the speaker's exact words | Report them in indirect speech |
| Writing a list of points | Write one connected paragraph |
| Far too long (half the passage) or too short (a single sentence) | About one third of the original |
| No title when one is asked for | Add a short title that sums up the passage |
| Changing the order of ideas or missing a main point | Keep the passage's order and cover every main point |
A Quick Checklist
- Is the length about one third of the original?
- Is every main point present, with nothing added?
- Is it in my own words, in the third person?
- Have I removed examples, quotations and repetition?
- Is it one paragraph with a suitable title?
- Are the spelling, grammar and punctuation correct?
Better precis writing also depends on better reading. See the post on how to improve your English reading comprehension, and revise how a paragraph is built in how to write a perfect paragraph in English.
✏️ Quick Practice — What Should Go Into a Precis?
Say whether each item from a passage about a village library should be kept (K) or left out (L) in a precis.
- The library was opened in 2015 for the villagers' children, to give them books. (the main purpose)
- "It is like a lighthouse in the darkness of ignorance," said the headmaster. (a quotation with a comparison)
- Reading clubs and story hours helped children improve their marks. (the main result)
- For example, Sunita from Class 6 read twelve books in a year. (an example)
- The library needs more funds to buy new books. (the writer's final point)
- I think every village in India should have such a library. (the writer's own opinion in your precis)
Answers: 1. K | 2. L | 3. K | 4. L | 5. K | 6. L (it is your own opinion, not part of the passage)
✏️ Quick Practice — Write the Precis
Read the passage (88 words) and write a precis of about 30 words with a title.
Regular exercise is one of the simplest ways to stay healthy. A brisk walk of thirty minutes every day strengthens the heart, keeps the weight under control and improves the mood. Many people say that they have no time, but exercise need not be a long or costly affair. Climbing stairs instead of using the lift, cycling to the market and playing with children all count. Doctors add that exercise helps people sleep better and work with more energy. A little effort each day, therefore, brings lasting benefits.
Answer (one possible model, 29 words): Daily Exercise | Regular exercise, even a daily brisk walk or climbing stairs, strengthens the heart, controls weight, improves mood and sleep, and gives energy, so small daily effort brings lasting benefits. (Any precis that keeps these points in your own words, in about 30 words, is correct.)
✏️ Quick Practice — Shorten the Phrase
Replace each phrase with one word.
- in spite of the fact that
- a large number of
- people who live in villages
- at this point in time
- because of the fact that
Answers: 1. although | 2. many | 3. villagers | 4. now | 5. because (since is also correct)
Summary
A precis is a short, accurate version of a passage, about one third of the original length, in your own words and the third person, with no examples, quotations or opinions and with a suitable title. Read the passage two or three times, find the central idea, note the main points, write a first draft, cut it down by joining sentences and replacing phrases with single words, and check the result against the passage. When a question asks for a summary, use the same method and follow the word limit given. To practise reporting what someone said, revise direct and indirect speech, and compare this task with message writing, where you also pass on information briefly.