The word "precise" is derived from French and means a summary. A precise is a clear concise and logical summary of a written work and convey the summary in minimum words, keeping its essential ideas only. Summarising makes use of comprehension and analytical skills. It is important that before you write a precise, you clearly understand its idiosyncrasies and prerequisites.

A precise is a shortening in your own words, and not an essay or the re-writing of the written work, it explains the main point and structure of the original work.
Read the given passage carefully and thoroughly at an appropriate pace to get a general idea of its meaning. Read it again and again until you are familiar with its content and then you can write an accurate precise around it.
Readers should have a clear idea about the main content when reading the precise.

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Introduce the Work

1. Summarizing/Precis Writing

Summarizing makes use of comprehension and analytical skills

2. Practising Comprehension/Analytical Skills

**Comprehension skills should be practised whenever possible, not only in test situations.
Reinforce your comprehension skills daily:

when listening to conversations, instructions or the radio
when watching television programs or films
when reading books, newspapers or magazine articles

3. Listening Skills

** Listen to the complete instruction before starting.**

Often only a certain section of the instruction is heard, resulting in misunderstanding, inefficiency and a loss of time. for example, at an airport, you may be instructed over the intercom to proceed to a certain gate at a certain time and to board a certain bus.
It may be useful to repeat the instructions.
If the instruction is long and complicated, it may help to summarise it in point form:
a. proceed to gate 8
b. board at 09h00
c. board bus 10

Instructions and Directions

In order to follow instructions successfully, it is essential to develop your listening and analytical skills
When giving instructions, you need to express yourself in a simple, clear and concise manner. *Ambiguity must be avoided. There should be no doubt as to what is required.
Instructions may be non-verbal or verbal. Non-verbal signs overcome language barriers e.g. signs on public toilets and traffic signs. Practical instructions may often be given in the pictorial form.

You are constantly confronted with verbal and written instructions.

You may have to fill in a form, give or follow directions from one place to another, follow medication instructions, read a map, follow a recipe, use a knitting or sewing pattern, build a model aeroplane or navigate a website on the internet.