Year 6 English: Précis: summarising a longer passage
Part of the Year 6 English writing for purpose: narrative, non-fiction, persuasive and discursive chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Précis: summarising a longer passage
A précis is a summary of a longer passage. It keeps the key points and leaves out examples, repeated words and small details. Write it in your own words, and check that it is shorter than the passage.
The passage
The old mill by the river was built in the eighteenth century to grind corn for the village. For more than a hundred years, its great wheel turned day and night, and the miller's family lived in the cottage beside it. Children played on the banks, and farmers brought their sacks along the lane each autumn. When the mill closed in 1950, the wheel stopped for the first time, and the village grew quiet. Today the mill has been restored by volunteers, who open its doors on summer weekends so that visitors can watch the wheel turn once more.
Key ideas
- A précis keeps the key points, in no more than 25 words.
- Leave out examples, repeated words and small details.
- Write the summary in your own words, and check its length.
Method. Read the first sentence, and find the main idea.
- Read the first sentence. The mill was built in the eighteenth century to grind corn.to grind corn
- Name the key point. The first key point is that the mill was built to grind corn.built to grind corn
- Write the answer. built to grind corn for the village
Check. The key point is the purpose of the mill. ✓
Method. Read the last sentence, and find what is important.
- Read the last sentence. Volunteers have restored the mill, and visitors can see it.restored by volunteers
- Name the key point. The mill is restored and open on summer weekends.open on summer weekends
- Write the answer. restored by volunteers, open on summer weekends
Check. The key point is the restoration and the opening. ✓
Method. Keep the key points, and leave out examples and small details.
- Find the key points. The closing date is a key point.closed in 1950
- Choose the detail to leave out. Children playing is an example, so it can be left out.children played on the banks
- Write the answer. children played on the banks
Check. The example is left out. ✓
Watch out
Watch out: a précis is not a copy of the passage. Write your own sentences, and count the words to check the limit.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Ask your child to read a short news story, then to write its key points in one sentence of no more than twenty-five words.
Exercise 12D Practice: précis
Method. Read the second sentence, and find the main idea.
- Read the sentence. The wheel turned day and night for more than a hundred years.turned day and night
- Name the key point. The key point is that the wheel turned for over a century.the wheel turned for over a century
- Write the answer. the wheel turned for over a century
Check. The key point is the wheel turning for a long time. ✓
Method. Read the sentence, and find what changed.
- Read the sentence. The mill closed in 1950, so the wheel stopped.closed in 1950
- Name the key point. The key point is the closure in 1950.closed in 1950
- Write the answer. closed in 1950
Check. The key point is the closure. ✓
Method. Keep the key points, and write them in fewer words, in your own words.
- Find the key points. Each key point is one idea from the passage.key points
- Write the summary. The summary has at most 25 words.The mill was built to grind corn in the eighteenth century, turned for a century, closed in 1950, and was restored by volunteers.
- Write the answer. The mill was built to grind corn in the eighteenth century, turned for a century, closed in 1950, and was restored by volunteers.
Check. The précis keeps the key points in 25 words or fewer. ✓
Watch out. A précis leaves out examples and repeated words. It keeps the main points only.
Method. Find the main point.
- Find the main point. The main point is the use of the mill area.use of the mill area
- Write the précis. It is short and keeps the main point.Children and farmers used the mill area each year
- Write the answer. Children and farmers used the mill area each year.
Check. The précis keeps the main point. ✓
Method. Decide which detail is an example rather than a key point.
- Check the first. The family living in the cottage is an example of life at the mill.an example
- Check the second. The mill is the key subject.key subject
- Write the answer. the miller's family lived in the cottage
Check. The family detail is an example. ✓
Method. Think about the reader's time.
- Think about the reader. The reader wants the main points quickly.quickly
- Think about the value. A précis helps the reader decide whether to read more.decide
- Write the answer. It gives the main points quickly, so the reader can decide whether to read the whole text.
Check. A précis saves time. ✓
Method. Keep the key points, and write them in fewer words, in your own words.
- Find the key points. Each key point is one idea from the passage.key points
- Write the summary. The summary has at most 25 words.The mill, built to grind corn, turned for a century and was restored by volunteers
- Write the answer. The mill, built to grind corn, turned for a century and was restored by volunteers.
Check. The précis keeps the key points in 25 words or fewer. ✓
Watch out. A précis leaves out examples and repeated words. It keeps the main points only.
Method. Look at the key points listed in the passage.
- Find the key points. The passage has four key points: built, turned, closed and restored.four
- Write the answer. four
Check. There are four key points. ✓
Method. Think about what a précis keeps.
- Think about examples. Examples are details that support the key points.supporting details
- Decide. They are left out in a précis.left out
- Write the answer. It leaves them out, unless an example is the key point.
Check. Examples are left out. ✓
Method. Look at the instruction for the précis.
- Find the limit. The limit is no more than 25 words.25
- Write the number. The number is twenty-five.twenty-five
- Write the answer. twenty-five
Check. The limit is twenty-five words. ✓