SPSC Test English Precis and Composition Syllabus

English Precis and Composition 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 and Composition in SPSC Test, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Precis Writing

   3 topics

   • Identifying the Central Theme
   • Condensation Techniques
   • Suggesting an Appropriate Title
2. 2

   Comprehension

   3 topics

   • Reading for Meaning
   • Answering in Own Words
   • Inference and Interpretation
3. 3

   Grammar and Usage

   4 topics

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

   Vocabulary

   4 topics

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

   Sentence Correction and Structure

   3 topics

   • Correction of Sentences
   • Active and Passive Voice
   • Direct and Indirect Narration
6. 6

   Translation

   2 topics

   • Sindhi/Urdu to English Translation
   • Preserving Tone and Context

English Precis and Composition flashcards for SPSC Test

25 of 51 cards from the English Precis and Composition deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. In precis writing, what is the 'central theme' of a passage?

   The single, main idea or core message that runs through the whole passage and around which all supporting details are organized.

2. List the key steps for identifying the central theme of a passage.

   1) Read the passage twice for overall sense. 2) Underline key/repeated words and the topic sentence. 3) Ignore examples and illustrations. 4) Ask 'What is the author mainly trying to say?' 5) State it in one sentence.

3. What is a precis, and to what length is the original usually reduced?

   A precis is a brief, clear summary of a passage in your own words, normally reduced to about one-third of the original length while keeping all essential ideas.

4. Name the main condensation (compression) techniques used in precis writing.

   Omitting examples/illustrations/repetition, using one-word substitutions for long phrases, combining sentences, using general terms for lists, removing rhetorical questions and direct speech, and avoiding unnecessary adjectives.

5. In which tense and person (voice) should a precis normally be written?

   Usually in the third person and in the past tense (reported form), in indirect speech, and in your own words, not the author's.

6. What four qualities must a good precis possess?

   It must be clear (clarity), brief (brevity/conciseness), complete (no essential idea omitted), and coherent (logical flow with proper connectives).

7. What makes a good title for a passage?

   It should be short (a word or short phrase), relevant to the central theme, catchy, and broad enough to cover the whole passage without being too general or too narrow.

8. In 'reading for meaning,' what is the difference between skimming and scanning?

   Skimming is reading quickly to grasp the general idea/gist of a text; scanning is searching rapidly for specific information (a name, date, or fact) without reading everything.

9. What does 'answering in your own words' require a student to do?

   To rephrase the relevant idea from the passage using different vocabulary and sentence structure (paraphrasing) rather than copying the author's exact words.

10. Define 'inference' in reading comprehension.

    Inference is a conclusion drawn from evidence and reasoning in the text rather than from an explicit statement; it is reading 'between the lines' to understand implied meaning.

11. What is the difference between a fact and an inference in a passage?

    A fact is directly stated in the text and verifiable; an inference is an implied meaning the reader logically deduces from clues, not stated outright.

12. List the eight parts of speech in English.

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

13. What is the function of a preposition, and give two examples.

    A preposition shows the relationship of a noun/pronoun to another word, usually of place, time, or direction. Examples: in, on, at, by, to, under, between.

14. What is the difference between a coordinating and a subordinating conjunction?

    A coordinating conjunction joins equal elements (and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet); a subordinating conjunction joins a dependent clause to a main clause (because, although, if, when, since, while).

15. What is the difference between an abstract noun and a concrete noun?

    An abstract noun names something intangible that cannot be perceived by the senses (honesty, beauty, freedom); a concrete noun names something physical and perceivable (table, dog, water).

16. Name the three main tenses and their four aspects/forms each.

    Tenses: Present, Past, Future. Forms: Simple (Indefinite), Continuous (Progressive), Perfect, and Perfect Continuous.

17. Give the structure (formula) of the Present Perfect tense.

    Subject + has/have + past participle (V3). Example: 'She has finished her work.'

18. Give the structure of the Past Perfect Continuous tense.

    Subject + had + been + present participle (V-ing) + (for/since + time). Example: 'They had been waiting for two hours.'

19. What are the three forms (principal parts) of an irregular verb? Give an example.

    Base form, past simple, and past participle. Example: go – went – gone; write – wrote – written.

20. What is the basic rule of subject-verb agreement?

    A verb must agree with its subject in number and person: a singular subject takes a singular verb, and a plural subject takes a plural verb.

21. In subject-verb agreement, what verb do two singular subjects joined by 'and' take, and what is the exception?

    Two singular subjects joined by 'and' usually take a plural verb. Exception: when they refer to a single idea/person, they take a singular verb (e.g., 'Bread and butter is my breakfast').

22. With 'either...or' / 'neither...nor', how does the verb agree with the subjects?

    The verb agrees with the subject nearer to it. Example: 'Neither the teacher nor the students were present.'

23. Do collective nouns like 'team', 'family', 'committee' take singular or plural verbs?

    They take a singular verb when treated as a single unit, and a plural verb when members are considered individually.

24. Are words like 'each', 'every', 'everyone', 'somebody', 'none' singular or plural for verb agreement?

    They are treated as singular and take a singular verb (e.g., 'Each of the boys is present').

25. What is the main use of a semicolon (;)?

    To join two closely related independent clauses without a conjunction, and to separate items in a list that already contain commas.

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