CSS and PMS Precis Writing Rules with Complete Guide

Precis writing is a crucial component of both CSS and PMS examinations, and mastering its rules can significantly improve your overall score. The title “CSS and PMS Precis Writing Rules with Complete Guide” reflects the need for a clear, structured, and practical approach to this skill. Many candidates struggle not because of weak English, but due to a lack of understanding of precis writing techniques, format, and examiner expectations. This guide is designed to simplify the rules, explain the correct method step by step, and help aspirants develop the ability to condense complex passages into precise, accurate summaries while preserving the original meaning and tone.

 How to Write a Good Precis for CSS and PMS?

Precis writing is an art if a person understands the logic of this writing then it’s easy for him to deliver the essence of the precis. As concerns to exams and practical jobs especially in the government sectors Precis performs a key role in delivering orders in ascending order. Here are a few dos and don’ts of precis, if we follow the rules and our precis paragraph is full of error-free, concerned grammar mistakes and the selection of words is appropriate then nobody can deny snatching your marks. Most people think precis writing is a phenomenon but in reality, it is a compressed form of the given paragraph logically, nothing else. For a good precis, one must follow the rules of the precis and please don’t try to be smart by putting your opinion in precis to show off your knowledge about the topic. This is full of stupidity. This paper is not to judge your knowledge. Write the precise according to the original passage. This is how you prepare for a good CSS and PMS precis.

How to write the Topic of a Precis 

In the CSS exam, only the topic of a precis consists of five marks out of twenty. It means fifteen marks for full precis and five for a phrase (a topic). This mark distribution elaborates on the importance of the topic in precis writing. Now, the question is how to write the topic of the precis. It’s very simple. I will quote an example to understand this concept. When you used to go to school and after a hectic day in school, you came back and you looked sad and then your mother asked what happened? Then your reply would be today my school day was bad, and then your mother asked what happened in your school. You told her about the bad events in school in detail. Right?

Precis writing samples For CSS and PMS with Examples

Here below I am sharing the precis writing sample for the clarification of your mind. If you read solved precis before then you get the whole idea about the original passage. This is a good precis. Have a look.

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How do you practice precis?

One should must practice at least thirty years of Precis past paper of CSS or PMS. Do one precis regular so that with in a month you can achieve your target. In case of error in precis first you need to redo it may be you can do it to next day but first you need to remove your error from Precis then you should go forward.

Uses of Precis Writing in Practical life

Precis writing as concerned with the exam point of view and in the practical life of an officer in his official matters has much importance. Therefore precis writing has the key importance in paper. In every official matter, the precis writing procedure starts from lower-level staff to upper-level officers and the officers demand pertinent and concise matters, for time-saving and they do not tolerate it at any level.

What are the 8 rules in writing a precis?

There are the eight rules and if you follow these rules with good grammar there is eighty five percent success score. While preparing for the Precis must keep

These rules in your mind. Here you go :

1st Precis rule-Understand the Passage carefully understand the message of the writer and read at least three time given passage. One should read the passage of the precis at least three times. Whether you understand the writer’s message, still go through at the minimum three readings. Just imagine that it is an essential part of the Precis.

2nd Precis rule-Identify the Main Idea The main idea is the crus of the precis .If you understand the main idea of the precis you get the right approach to write the precis .

3rd Precis rule-Maintain Clarity and Coherence Keep the clarity and coherence from first line to the last line of your precis writing passage. For this you can use the linking words that make the sense of the sentence.

4th Precis rule-Express in Your Own Words Precis should be written in your owns words. Don’t borrow the words from the precis. In case if you have shortage of synonyms of words then you can take maximum five percent from the given passage of the writer.

5th Precis rule-Be Concise Stay concise by using Idiomatic phrases in you passage.

6th Precis rule-Use Third Person Precis always be written in third person. Never ever use first or second person in your precis.

7th Precis rule-Length of the Precis Precis should be one third of the given passage. It not should be more or less. Yes, there is 5 to 10 words relaxation in plus or minus. But this relaxation is not recommended.

8th Precis rule-Tense of the Precis. The tense of the precis remains same as the tense of the writer. If it is written in present then you need to follow it and write your paragraph in present sentence.

These are the rules of the precis writing. One should must not skip even a single rule while writing precis.

Features of a Good Precis

Simply if you want to evaluate your precis, then write a precis which fulfils the precis and grammar rules. Then give it to any family member and ask him what I want to say in this piece of writing. If he understands the context of the precis writing which you consider, this is the message which you want to convey. Then you did it. There are two considerable points in precis which are the lifeline of the precis. One is the correct English and the second one is the concise message. If you cooked through it then no one can fail you. Hurry!

Do’s for Precis Writing in Exams

First of all, you should go for readings. Once you are done then extract the important points from the given passage. Write down the important points on the rough page in a sequence. Still, if you realize there is more essential information available in the paragraph then underline it. Now, at this stage, you need to understand the idea of the passage which is required for the title of the precis and contains five marks. At the moment, make a rough draft. Don’t take this piece of writing easy . This piece of writing is the root of your precis. So be careful at this phase.

Don’ts for precis Writing in Exams

 

1- Unnecessary Detail:

 A good precis does not have unnecessary detail. For instance, any example or any event. Even in a rough draft unnecessary detail should be your priority to avoid at every cost.

2-Original Paragraph:

One should avoid using specific words from the original paragraph. Your prime concern should be to use your vocabulary instead of hiring from the original passage. However in some cases, if you are running out of vocabulary then as a last option you can use the original passage vocabulary but it should not exceed 10% to 15% of the original passage.

3-Length of your precis: 

The examiner specified the exact length of your precis. Thus your precis should be one-third of the original passage. It is mandatory to complete the writer’s stance in these words. You can go for idiomatic expressions to make it concise. In such a situation, if you are short of an idiomatic expression, then the alternative way use the words in such a pattern which delivers it message in minimum words by keeping in mind that the length of the original passage remains one-third of your precis.

4- Word Count :

In other words if we go for the number of words then the same formula will be applied. Count the total number of words in an original passage and divide it into three. The number which comes after the division is the required number of your passage. Although there is a margin of five to ten number of words in plus and same in minus. One should prefer not to go for a minus word count. It is recommended to write down the original passage words and required passage words after the precis passage. It shows the serious attitude of the aspirant. However, practically examiner does not count the words of your passage. They are quite experienced. They count the words by their eyes only. Moreover, they have a sufficient idea of how many words should cover the lines, etc.

5-Mistakes while Writing.

At every next step try to figure out your grammatical while your writing .In this way, your last passage which would be your precis for the examiner would be free of mistakes.

6-Read the text:

Now you are done with your precis. At this stage, you need to read the text again and again because precis is a very sensitive matter while marking you as fail or pass. When you finished and still if you have time read your text again.

For any information regarding the exams and date sheet visit the official site of the government Federal Public Service Commission.

For other compulsory and optional subject details please click here.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, mastering precis writing for CSS and PMS examinations is not just about shortening a passage, but about conveying the core idea with clarity, accuracy, and balance. By understanding and consistently applying the correct rules, structure, and language techniques, aspirants can significantly improve their performance in this high-scoring yet technical section. Regular practice, careful reading, and awareness of common mistakes are key to developing confidence and precision. With the guidance provided in this complete guide, candidates can approach precis writing with a clear strategy and transform it from a challenging task into a strong scoring opportunity in CSS and PMS exams.

FAQs :

What is precis writing in CSS and PMS examinations?
Precis writing is the skill of summarizing a given passage in a concise and clear manner while retaining its original meaning, tone, and key ideas. It tests comprehension, vocabulary, and writing accuracy.

Why is precis writing important for CSS and PMS aspirants?
Precis writing carries significant marks and reflects a candidate’s ability to understand complex ideas and present them logically. A well-written precis can greatly improve the overall score in the English paper.

What are the basic rules of precis writing for CSS and PMS?
The basic rules include reading the passage carefully, identifying the central idea, writing in your own words, maintaining objectivity, keeping the length concise, and giving a suitable title.

How long should a precis be in CSS and PMS exams?
A precis is usually one-third of the original passage unless stated otherwise. Candidates should strictly follow the word limit mentioned in the question paper.

Can I use examples or personal opinions in a precis?
No, a precis must not include personal opinions, examples, or explanations. It should only reflect the ideas presented by the original author.

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