PMS Examination English (Precis, Comprehension & Translation) Syllabus

English (Precis, Comprehension & Translation) syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for English (Precis, Comprehension & Translation) in PMS Examination, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Precis Writing

   4 topics

   • Principles of Precis
   • Identifying the Central Idea
   • Condensation Techniques
   • Suggesting an Appropriate Title
2. 2

   Comprehension

   4 topics

   • Reading Strategies
   • Inference and Interpretation
   • Answering in Own Words
   • Contextual Vocabulary
3. 3

   Grammar and Usage

   4 topics

   • Parts of Speech
   • Tenses and Voice
   • Subject-Verb Agreement
   • Punctuation and Capitalization
4. 4

   Vocabulary and Idioms

   4 topics

   • Synonyms and Antonyms
   • Idioms and Phrasal Verbs
   • One-Word Substitutions
   • Pairs of Words
5. 5

   Sentence Correction

   3 topics

   • Common Grammatical Errors
   • Sentence Structure and Clarity
   • Active and Passive Transformation
6. 6

   Translation (Urdu to English)

   3 topics

   • Translation Principles
   • Idiomatic and Cultural Nuances
   • Maintaining Sense and Flow

English (Precis, Comprehension & Translation) flashcards for PMS Examination

23 of 51 cards from the English (Precis, Comprehension & Translation) deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What is a precis?

   A clear, concise summary of a passage that restates its essential ideas in the writer's own words, typically reduced to about one-third of the original length while preserving the original meaning, order, and tone.

2. What is the standard length of a precis relative to the original passage?

   Roughly one-third (about 33%) of the original passage's word count.

3. In which grammatical person and tense should a precis generally be written?

   In the third person and usually the past tense (indirect/reported speech), regardless of the original passage's person or tense.

4. List four essential qualities of a good precis.

   Clarity, conciseness (brevity), coherence, and completeness (covering all main ideas without distortion).

5. Should a precis include the writer's own opinions, examples, or illustrations?

   No. A precis must exclude personal opinions, examples, illustrations, repetitions, and unnecessary details, retaining only the essential ideas of the original.

6. What is the 'central idea' of a passage?

   The main thought or controlling theme that the entire passage develops and supports; the single most important point the author conveys.

7. Name three techniques for identifying the central idea of a passage.

   Examine the topic sentence (often first/last sentence of paragraphs), identify recurring/key words and ideas, and note the title or any concluding statement that ties the passage together.

8. What is the difference between the topic and the central idea of a passage?

   The topic is the general subject (what the passage is about), while the central idea is the specific point or claim the author makes about that topic.

9. List four condensation techniques used in writing a precis.

   Replacing long phrases/clauses with single words, omitting examples and repetitions, combining related sentences, and using general terms in place of lists of specifics.

10. How can a list of specific items be condensed in a precis?

    By replacing the list with a single general or umbrella term (e.g., 'apples, oranges, and bananas' becomes 'fruits').

11. What grammatical conversion helps condense sentences in a precis?

    Converting clauses into phrases and phrases into single words (e.g., 'a man who has courage' becomes 'a courageous man').

12. What are the key requirements of a good title for a passage?

    It should be short, relevant, catchy, and reflect the central idea of the passage; usually a word or short phrase rather than a full sentence.

13. Where in a passage do clues to an appropriate title most often appear?

    In the topic sentence, recurring key words, the opening or concluding lines, and the central idea around which the passage revolves.

14. What is skimming as a reading strategy?

    Reading quickly to get the general idea, gist, or overall meaning of a text without focusing on every word or detail.

15. What is scanning as a reading strategy?

    Reading rapidly to locate specific information (a name, date, fig, or fact) without reading the whole text in detail.

16. Differentiate skimming from scanning.

    Skimming seeks the general gist/main idea of a text; scanning seeks specific pieces of information. Skimming is for overall understanding; scanning is for targeted searching.

17. What is intensive (close) reading?

    Slow, careful reading of a text to understand its full meaning, details, structure, and nuances; used for comprehension passages and study.

18. What is an inference in reading comprehension?

    A logical conclusion the reader draws from textual evidence and reasoning about information that is implied but not directly stated.

19. Distinguish between a literal and an inferential comprehension question.

    A literal question asks for information stated directly in the text; an inferential question requires deducing meaning that is implied or 'read between the lines.'

20. Why must comprehension answers be written 'in your own words'?

    To demonstrate genuine understanding rather than mechanical copying; rephrasing shows the reader has grasped and processed the meaning of the text.

21. What does 'contextual vocabulary' mean in comprehension?

    Determining the meaning of a word from the surrounding context (the sentence and passage) rather than from a dictionary definition in isolation.

22. Name three context clues used to infer a word's meaning.

    Synonym/definition clues, antonym/contrast clues, and example or inference clues within the surrounding text.

23. What are the eight traditional parts of speech in English?

    Noun, pronoun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition, conjunction, and interjection.

See more English (Precis, Comprehension & Translation) flashcards →

Planning English (Precis, Comprehension & Translation) for PMS Examination

English (Precis, Comprehension & Translation) (PMS Examination) FAQ