ECGC PO Précis Writing- All Details with Sample

Précis writing for ECGC PO: There are only a few days left for the ECGC PO exam. Check Revision Plan for ECGC PO 2022. You can refer to this revision plan so as to make the most of these remaining days. Also, please check last year’s analysis: ECGC PO 2021 Exam Detailed Analysis- Mar 14, 2021- All Shifts. Please keep in mind that apart from Reasoning Ability, English Language, Computer Knowledge, General Awareness, and Quantitative Aptitude you also have a descriptive section to attend to. This descriptive paper will have 2 sections:

• Essay Writing
• Précis Writing

In both the sections, you will have to select 1 question (out of the 2 given options) and each question will be of 20 marks. And you will be provided 40 minutes to deal with these 2 sections. So, in other words, you need to answer 1 question each on Essay Writing and Précis Writing in 40 minutes. It’s okay to be confused about what all will be asked in Précis Writing. Well! Fret not. In this article, we will be bringing forth all the information you need to have to score high in this section. 

Précis Writing- What is it all about?

When you rewrite a given paragraph so that the resultant text is much shorter than the original one but the resultant text retains the essence of the original paragraph, it is called Précis Writing. Have a look at its features which will help you get more clarity:

• The resultant text should keep the idea of the original paragraph.
• Examples, Illustrations etc. can be avoided when writing a Précis.
• Anybody reading a Précis should be able to comprehend the idea talked about over there.
• People often get confused between Paraphrasing and Précis Writing. But in paraphrasing, no details should be left out, whereas in Précis Writing, only the main idea expressed should be mentioned.

Précis Writing- Length?

This is one big question spinning around ECGC PO aspirants. What should be the length of a Précis? Going by the trends, the general practice is to keep it one-third of the original passage. But, please keep in mind that if there are explicit instructions given in the exam, you should abide by those. You can be a little bit less than the prescribed limit but don’t exceed the word limit even by a single word. For example, if the prescribed word limit is 170 words, it’s ok to write a Précis of 160/165 words but don’t make it 171 words in any case.

Skills You Need to Have

You don’t necessarily need to have all of these skills but the more skills you have, the better your Précis Writing will come out to be.

• Comprehension skills
• Reading skills
• Ability to write clearly, concisely and within a given word limit
• Ability to put across your thoughts in a logical way
• Word Power
• Grammar Skills

Précis- How to Write?

We have covered the methodology of Précis Writing in 12 steps below:

1. Give the given passage a read. Slowly read it twice so as to understand the overall idea the passage is conveying.
2. Make a note of the important points.
3. Highlight the really important keywords so that you can gauge the ideas the passage is taking you through.
4. Now start writing. Be very choosy about words and use simple language to state your point.
5. Remember: the overall picture of the passage needs to be understood and summarized.
6. Use your own words as far as possible.
7. Keep the word limit in mind. Follow it religiously.
8. Check the Précis in terms of spelling and grammar.
9. Ensure that you don’t put your personal opinion in Précis. Only what is there in the passage needs to be summarized.
10. You may omit examples and illustrations. It’s completely ok.
11. After writing it, read it at least 2 times to check any fallacy error or error related to grammar, spelling etc.
12. If asked, you can give the Précis an apt title as well.

Sample of Précis Writing

Original Passage

Crisis and opportunity: On Sri Lanka political crisis

Ranil Wickremesinghe must disprove his detractors with quick measures for economic recovery

The adage ‘every crisis contains the seeds of an opportunity’ could not have been truer for anyone than for Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. The severe economic crisis, which set off indefinite protests against President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his brother, (now former) Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, has pitchforked Mr. Wickremesinghe to an office that he had no chance of occupying until last week. Given the turmoil, Sri Lanka needed a government that would work towards stability and economic recovery. With Mahinda Rajapaksa resigning in the face of determined protests, and the Opposition leader unwilling to work under President Gotabaya, a rare opportunity opened up for Mr. Wickremesinghe. The former premier’s political prospects had almost ended with the 2020 parliamentary election, when his United National Party won no seats, and he himself made it as its lone member in Parliament on the principle of representation in proportion to the total votes it had received across the nation. Much of the UNP’s support base has also gone with Sajith Premadasa, his erstwhile party colleague, who now runs the main Opposition party, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB). Mr. Wickremesinghe finds himself in an extraordinary situation, as he is dependent on lawmakers of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), the party of the Rajapaksas that is the target of public anger. The SJB has offered conditional support to measures aimed at economic recovery.

Précis Writing

The Severe economic crisis in Sri Lanka has, by way of protests against Rajapaksas, made Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe the Prime Minister. Sri Lanka badly needed a government which would work on economic recovery. Mr Wickremesinghe is in an extraordinary situation as he depends on a party (Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna) which is the target of public anger. However, SJB has offered conditional support to the existing PM for measures which would better economic recovery.

Check the sample above. The original passage is around 230 words and the Précis is around 74 words (one-third of the original passage- not more than the limit but slightly less). Check other factors as well which we have previously discussed and they have been complied with. You need to follow suit.

This is all from us in this article. Wishing you good luck with your preparation!