You may understand a passage correctly and still write a weak précis.
Why?
Because understanding a passage and summarising it accurately are two different skills.
Many PFRDA Grade A aspirants lose quality in their précis through avoidable mistakes: including unnecessary details, missing essential arguments, changing the author’s meaning or making grammatical errors while shortening sentences.
The good news is that these mistakes can be identified and corrected through focused practice.
Let’s examine ten common précis writing mistakes with examples.
Mistake 1: Writing Without Identifying the Central Idea
Some aspirants begin summarising immediately after reading the passage.
As a result, they include several details but fail to communicate the author’s main message.
Example passage idea: Digital banking improves financial accessibility but requires stronger cybersecurity and financial literacy.
Weak précis:
“Digital banking allows customers to transfer money, pay bills and use mobile applications.”
Improved version:
“Digital banking expands financial access, but its effective use requires cybersecurity safeguards and customer awareness.”
Correction: Before writing, express the central idea of the passage in one sentence.
This will help you decide which supporting arguments must appear in your précis.
Mistake 2: Including Too Many Examples
The original passage may contain several examples to explain one argument.
A précis generally does not need to reproduce all of them.
Weak version:
“People use digital banking to pay electricity bills, recharge mobile phones, transfer funds, purchase railway tickets and shop online.”
Improved version:
“Digital banking enables convenient everyday financial transactions.”
Correction: Replace lists of similar examples with a concise general statement, provided the author’s meaning remains unchanged.
Remember that examples support the main argument; they do not always need separate mention.
Mistake 3: Missing Essential Arguments
This is one of the most serious mistakes in précis writing.
Consider a passage discussing Japan’s ageing population.
It explains declining birth rates, labour shortages, pressure on pensions, government support and technological solutions.
Weak version:
“Japan has an ageing population, and the government is introducing measures to increase the birth rate.”
This is relevant but incomplete.
Improved version:
“Japan’s declining birth rate and ageing population are creating labour shortages and pressure on social security, requiring family-support policies, economic reforms and technological adaptation.”
Correction: Identify the essential arguments before writing.
A shorter answer is not necessarily a better précis if it omits important information.
Mistake 4: Changing the Author’s Meaning
While paraphrasing, aspirants sometimes introduce a meaning that the original passage does not support.
Original idea:
“Employment insecurity and difficulties balancing work and family responsibilities contribute to delayed parenthood.”
Incorrect version:
“Young people avoid marriage because they are dissatisfied with their salaries.”
The original argument is broader than salary dissatisfaction.
Improved version:
“Employment uncertainty and work-life challenges contribute to delayed marriage and parenthood.”
Correction: Simplify the language without changing the meaning.
A précis should reflect the author’s position, not your interpretation beyond the passage.
Mistake 5: Exceeding the Word Limit
Suppose the question requires a précis of 140 words, but you submit 175 words.
Even if your answer contains relevant points, it does not comply with the prescribed length.
This often happens because aspirants repeat arguments or retain unnecessary explanations.
Weak version:
“Financial literacy is extremely important because it helps people understand various types of financial products and also enables them to make better decisions regarding their financial future.”
Improved version:
“Financial literacy helps individuals understand financial products and make informed decisions.”
Correction: Remove repetition, combine related ideas and replace lengthy expressions with concise alternatives.
Important: Always follow the word limit given in the actual examination question. There is no single word limit applicable to every précis exercise.
Mistake 6: Writing Too Little
Some candidates believe that a very short précis demonstrates strong compression.
However, excessive shortening can remove essential information.
For example, if a practice question asks for approximately 140 words and you write only 65 words, you may have omitted important arguments.
Weak version:
“Technology has benefits and disadvantages. People should use it carefully.”
Improved version:
“Technological advancement improves productivity and convenience, but excessive dependence can reduce physical activity and disrupt healthy routines. Its benefits should therefore be balanced with human physiological needs.”
Correction: Do not confuse brevity with completeness.
The goal is to preserve the essential meaning within the prescribed length.
Mistake 7: Making Grammatical Errors During Compression
Aspirants sometimes remove necessary words while trying to shorten sentences.
Incorrect:
“Government introduced schemes improve financial inclusion.”
Correct:
“The government introduced schemes to improve financial inclusion.”
Another example:
Incorrect:
“Declining birth rate and ageing population is creating labour shortage.”
Correct:
“Declining birth rates and an ageing population are creating labour shortages.”
Correction: Check subject-verb agreement, articles, prepositions and sentence completeness.
Never sacrifice grammatical accuracy merely to save a few words.
Mistake 8: Copying Long Sentences from the Passage
A précis should generally be expressed in your own words.
Copying several original sentences may indicate that you have not independently processed the information.
Original:
“The rapid expansion of digital financial services has significantly transformed the manner in which individuals conduct everyday monetary transactions.”
Improved paraphrase:
“Digital financial services have transformed everyday transactions.”
Correction: Understand the idea first, then express it naturally and concisely.
You do not need difficult synonyms. Simple and accurate language is preferable.
Mistake 9: Using an Unsuitable Title
A title should reflect the overall subject and central argument.
Suppose a passage discusses the causes, consequences and possible solutions to Japan’s demographic challenges.
Weak title:
“Robots in Japan”
This focuses on only one supporting detail.
Better title:
“Japan’s Demographic Challenges”
Correction: Choose a short title that represents the passage as a whole.
Avoid titles that are excessively narrow, vague or unnecessarily long.
Mistake 10: Adding Personal Opinions or New Information
A précis is not an essay.
You should not add recommendations, facts or judgments that are absent from the original passage.
Original idea:
“Financial inclusion requires affordable services, financial literacy and consumer protection.”
Incorrect précis addition:
“The government should make every banking service free and impose strict punishment on all private financial institutions.”
The passage does not support these recommendations.
Improved version:
“Meaningful financial inclusion depends on affordable services, financial awareness and effective consumer protection.”
Correction: Preserve the author’s arguments and conclusions without introducing your own opinions.
Quick Revision: 10 Mistakes at a Glance
| Common Mistake | What You Should Do |
|---|---|
| Missing the central idea | Identify the author’s main message first |
| Including too many examples | Generalise supporting illustrations |
| Omitting essential points | Prepare a brief outline |
| Changing the meaning | Paraphrase accurately |
| Exceeding the word limit | Remove repetition and combine ideas |
| Writing too little | Retain all essential arguments |
| Grammatical errors | Check sentence accuracy |
| Copying the passage | Use your own clear language |
| Unsuitable title | Reflect the overall message |
| Adding personal opinions | Remain faithful to the author |
A Five-Minute Self-Check Before Submitting Your Precis
After completing your next practice attempt, spend a few minutes reviewing it.
Ask yourself:
- Have I clearly communicated the central idea?
- Have I included the essential supporting arguments?
- Have I removed unnecessary examples and repetition?
- Have I preserved the author’s original meaning?
- Are my sentences grammatically correct?
- Is my title suitable?
- Have I followed the prescribed word limit?
This simple review can help you identify mistakes before submitting your answer.
Practice Exercise: Find the Mistakes
Read the following short passage.
Passage:
Financial literacy helps individuals understand savings, borrowing, insurance and retirement planning. Although digital financial services have expanded access, many people remain vulnerable to fraud and unsuitable financial decisions because they lack adequate financial knowledge. Therefore, expanding financial access must be accompanied by financial education and consumer protection.
Student’s Precis:
“Digital banking is growing rapidly in India. Everyone should use mobile banking because it is convenient. The government should provide free financial services to all citizens.”
Your Task
Identify at least three mistakes in this précis.
Think about:
- Does it preserve the central idea?
- Does it include the importance of financial literacy?
- Has the student introduced unsupported opinions?
- Does it reflect the author’s conclusion?
Suggested Correction
Title: Financial Literacy and Inclusion
“Financial literacy enables informed decisions about savings, borrowing, insurance and retirement planning. Although digital services have improved financial access, inadequate knowledge can expose individuals to fraud and unsuitable choices. Therefore, financial education and consumer protection must accompany the expansion of financial services.”
The corrected version preserves the author’s message without introducing unrelated opinions.
Are You Making These Mistakes in Your Own Precis?
Reading about mistakes is useful. But identifying them in your own writing is more important.
For example, two aspirants may write a précis on the same passage.
One may understand the passage but struggle to reduce it within the word limit.
Another may write concisely but omit essential arguments or make grammatical errors.
Both need different corrective exercises.
This is why Bank Whizz encourages aspirants to begin with an independent diagnostic attempt rather than memorising model answers.
Our approach is straightforward:
Attempt → Identify weaknesses → Understand corrections → Practise again.
If you are preparing for PFRDA Grade A Descriptive English, you can begin with the free diagnostic tests covering Essay Writing, Precis Writing and Reading Comprehension.
Attempt the Free PFRDA Grade A Diagnostic Tests – Bank Whizz
For aspirants who need a more structured improvement process, Bank Whizz also offers a dedicated PFRDA Grade A Descriptive English Mentorship Programme.
The objective is not simply to complete more mocks. It is to ensure that your next answer is better than your previous one.
Final Takeaway
A good précis is not necessarily the shortest summary.
It is one that communicates the author’s essential message accurately, clearly and concisely.
Before your next PFRDA Grade A précis attempt, remember three principles:
Understand before shortening.
Preserve meaning before reducing words.
Correct mistakes before attempting another mock.
Consistent practice with specific corrections is the most reliable way to develop stronger précis writing skills.