THE PROCESS OF WRITING PRECIS – MCQ’S

1. The four main steps involved in précis writing are:
   A. Drafting, editing, revising, and publishing
   B. Structuring, paraphrasing, elimination, and compression
   C. Reading, memorising, copying, and summarising
   D. Describing, narrating, analysing, and concluding
2. Structuring in précis writing mainly refers to:
   A. Changing the topic of the passage
   B. Organising ideas in a clear and logical order
   C. Adding more examples to the passage
   D. Expanding the length of the summary
3. In a well-structured précis, the ideas should appear:
   A. In any random order
   B. In the reverse order of the passage
   C. In the same sequence as the original passage
   D. In alphabetical order
4. A well-structured précis usually has how many basic parts?
   A. Two
   B. Three
   C. Four
   D. Five
5. Which of the following is NOT a part of a well-structured précis?
   A. Introduction
   B. Body
   C. Conclusion
   D. Appendix
6. The introduction of a précis mainly:
   A. Gives examples from the passage
   B. Presents the main idea of the passage
   C. Explains every detail of the passage
   D. Lists all supporting arguments
7. Paraphrasing means:
   A. Copying the original sentence exactly
   B. Writing the ideas in your own words without changing the meaning
   C. Adding new ideas to the passage
   D. Translating the passage into another language
8. In paraphrasing, the writer must:
   A. Keep the exact words of the author
   B. Change the main meaning of the passage
   C. Express the same meaning using different words
   D. Add personal opinions
9. Elimination in précis writing means:
   A. Adding more examples
   B. Removing unnecessary details
   C. Expanding the explanation
   D. Repeating important ideas
10. Which of the following is usually removed during elimination?
    A. Main ideas
    B. Supporting arguments
    C. Minor details and repetitions
    D. The central theme
11. Compression in précis writing means:
    A. Increasing the length of the passage
    B. Writing the passage in poetic form
    C. Reducing the length while keeping the important ideas
    D. Repeating the ideas for clarity
12. Compression helps the writer to:
    A. Express ideas in fewer words
    B. Add more explanations
    C. Change the meaning of the passage
    D. Make the passage longer
13. Combining related ideas into fewer words is part of:
    A. Structuring
    B. Compression
    C. Elimination
    D. Editing
14. The main purpose of elimination and compression in précis writing is to:
    A. Increase the size of the passage
    B. Make the passage more complex
    C. Reduce the passage while keeping the main ideas
    D. Change the writer’s message
15. By following the steps of structuring, paraphrasing, elimination, and compression, a writer can produce a précis that is:
    A. Long and descriptive
    B. Clear, concise, and accurate
    C. Informal and conversational
    D. Detailed and repetitive

Answers:

1. B
2. B
3. C
4. B
5. D
6. B
7. B
8. C
9. B
10. C
11. C
12. A
13. B
14. C
15. B

Dr Aswathy Aravindakshan

Dr Aswathy Aravindakshan is a teacher, bilingual writer and artist with over two decades of experience in teaching English language and literature. She currently serves as Assistant Professor of English at NSS College for Women, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. Her blog, ashlit.in brings together academic resources, creative writing in Malayalam and English, and visual art. The platform features lecture notes, study materials, poems, reflections, short prose, and a curated collection of her paintings. Through this space, she seeks to foster learning, creativity, and meaningful engagement with literature and the arts.