Precis Writing - 1 | Business Correspondence and Reporting (Old Scheme) - CA Foundation PDF Download

 Page 1


To enable learners: 
1. To apply the skills and strategies of a successful reader.
2. To develop their critical thinking, reading and writing skills. 
3. Learn condensing and synthesizing techniques. 
4. To develop a basic understanding of précis writing and its nuances.
w Skim (reading the text quickly) to identify the main idea / theme of text.
w Scan (look at all parts of text carefully) for details.
w Dierentiate between main ideas and supporting details.
w Sift through the given material to identify the most important details.
w Provide an appropriate title for the given information / text. 
w Write a précis of the given text in as few words as possible. 
7
CHAPTER
PRÉCIS WRITING
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
  INTRODUCTION
A shortening of a text, in one’s own words, is known as précis writing. The term is derived from the French 
word précis meaning ‘precise’ . Thus, a précis gives an accurate and concise description of the substance (or 
the main idea) contained in the text without losing its meaning. In fact, it is an exact reproduction of the 
logic, organization, and emphasis of the original text. 
Précis writing is a very useful exercise as it gives us training in careful reading and develops our capacity to 
discriminate between the essential and the non-essential. Since it insists on an economy of words, you learn 
to choose your words carefully and construct your sentences in a concise manner.
Dierence between Précis and Summary
Usually the word ‘summary’ is used loosely to refer to ‘précis’ . However, there are subtle dierences between 
them.
The rst and the most important dierence is that a précis is a brief statement of a piece of writing such as a 
GOALS
Page 2


To enable learners: 
1. To apply the skills and strategies of a successful reader.
2. To develop their critical thinking, reading and writing skills. 
3. Learn condensing and synthesizing techniques. 
4. To develop a basic understanding of précis writing and its nuances.
w Skim (reading the text quickly) to identify the main idea / theme of text.
w Scan (look at all parts of text carefully) for details.
w Dierentiate between main ideas and supporting details.
w Sift through the given material to identify the most important details.
w Provide an appropriate title for the given information / text. 
w Write a précis of the given text in as few words as possible. 
7
CHAPTER
PRÉCIS WRITING
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
  INTRODUCTION
A shortening of a text, in one’s own words, is known as précis writing. The term is derived from the French 
word précis meaning ‘precise’ . Thus, a précis gives an accurate and concise description of the substance (or 
the main idea) contained in the text without losing its meaning. In fact, it is an exact reproduction of the 
logic, organization, and emphasis of the original text. 
Précis writing is a very useful exercise as it gives us training in careful reading and develops our capacity to 
discriminate between the essential and the non-essential. Since it insists on an economy of words, you learn 
to choose your words carefully and construct your sentences in a concise manner.
Dierence between Précis and Summary
Usually the word ‘summary’ is used loosely to refer to ‘précis’ . However, there are subtle dierences between 
them.
The rst and the most important dierence is that a précis is a brief statement of a piece of writing such as a 
GOALS
7.2
PRÉCIS WRITING
report, article or a chapter from a book; whereas a summary is a short account of longer pieces of work such 
as a thesis or a novel. 
Secondly, the précis follows the order and proportion of the material in the original, whereas the writer of 
the summary is free to change the order and proportion if he wishes to do so.
Another important dierent between the two is that the précis states only the thought of the original text; 
whereas, the writer of the summary is free to interpret the material and to comment on it.
What are the Qualities of a good Précis?
Since a good précis displays the writer’s writing skills, it must possess the following qualities: 
1. Clarity
It is essential that the ideas presented in the précis should be clear and comprehensible. By using simple 
language and structures, the writer can ensure that there is no ambiguity. 
2. Objectivity 
The writer must have an objective approach. He should be able to write a précis that is unbiased and 
purely a summary of the original text. 
3.  Correctness
The writer must ensure that not just the facts, but also the grammar and sentences are without aws. 
Such errors can obscure the meaning of the message. 
4.  Coherence
A good précis should be coherent i.e. the ideas must be presented in a way that shows the connections 
clearly. 
5.  Completeness
The writer should include all the important facts from the text in the précis. No important fact can be 
omitted to make the summary short. 
6.  Conciseness
Conciseness is a desirable quality of a good précis. A piece of writing is considered concise if it conveys 
the message in the fewest possible words. But the writer should not omit essential facts to achieve 
conciseness. 
  PRÉCIS WRITING PROCEDURE
Step 1
Read the passage carefully- more than once if so required. The rst requirement of the writer is to understand 
the text well enough to extract its central / main idea. 
Step 2
Decide what facts or ideas in the text are essential and what are of secondary or of no importance. It is a good 
idea to underline the important terms and ideas. 
Page 3


To enable learners: 
1. To apply the skills and strategies of a successful reader.
2. To develop their critical thinking, reading and writing skills. 
3. Learn condensing and synthesizing techniques. 
4. To develop a basic understanding of précis writing and its nuances.
w Skim (reading the text quickly) to identify the main idea / theme of text.
w Scan (look at all parts of text carefully) for details.
w Dierentiate between main ideas and supporting details.
w Sift through the given material to identify the most important details.
w Provide an appropriate title for the given information / text. 
w Write a précis of the given text in as few words as possible. 
7
CHAPTER
PRÉCIS WRITING
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
  INTRODUCTION
A shortening of a text, in one’s own words, is known as précis writing. The term is derived from the French 
word précis meaning ‘precise’ . Thus, a précis gives an accurate and concise description of the substance (or 
the main idea) contained in the text without losing its meaning. In fact, it is an exact reproduction of the 
logic, organization, and emphasis of the original text. 
Précis writing is a very useful exercise as it gives us training in careful reading and develops our capacity to 
discriminate between the essential and the non-essential. Since it insists on an economy of words, you learn 
to choose your words carefully and construct your sentences in a concise manner.
Dierence between Précis and Summary
Usually the word ‘summary’ is used loosely to refer to ‘précis’ . However, there are subtle dierences between 
them.
The rst and the most important dierence is that a précis is a brief statement of a piece of writing such as a 
GOALS
7.2
PRÉCIS WRITING
report, article or a chapter from a book; whereas a summary is a short account of longer pieces of work such 
as a thesis or a novel. 
Secondly, the précis follows the order and proportion of the material in the original, whereas the writer of 
the summary is free to change the order and proportion if he wishes to do so.
Another important dierent between the two is that the précis states only the thought of the original text; 
whereas, the writer of the summary is free to interpret the material and to comment on it.
What are the Qualities of a good Précis?
Since a good précis displays the writer’s writing skills, it must possess the following qualities: 
1. Clarity
It is essential that the ideas presented in the précis should be clear and comprehensible. By using simple 
language and structures, the writer can ensure that there is no ambiguity. 
2. Objectivity 
The writer must have an objective approach. He should be able to write a précis that is unbiased and 
purely a summary of the original text. 
3.  Correctness
The writer must ensure that not just the facts, but also the grammar and sentences are without aws. 
Such errors can obscure the meaning of the message. 
4.  Coherence
A good précis should be coherent i.e. the ideas must be presented in a way that shows the connections 
clearly. 
5.  Completeness
The writer should include all the important facts from the text in the précis. No important fact can be 
omitted to make the summary short. 
6.  Conciseness
Conciseness is a desirable quality of a good précis. A piece of writing is considered concise if it conveys 
the message in the fewest possible words. But the writer should not omit essential facts to achieve 
conciseness. 
  PRÉCIS WRITING PROCEDURE
Step 1
Read the passage carefully- more than once if so required. The rst requirement of the writer is to understand 
the text well enough to extract its central / main idea. 
Step 2
Decide what facts or ideas in the text are essential and what are of secondary or of no importance. It is a good 
idea to underline the important terms and ideas. 
7.3
BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE AND REPORTING
Step 3 
Select a suitable title for the proposed précis. 
Step 4
Collect all the key points and prepare a rst draft of the précis, keeping in mind the need to reduce the original 
text to one-third its length. 
The main thoughts expressed in the passage, the ideas it contains, the opinions presented and the conclusion 
arrived at should be a part of the rough draft. 
Step 5
Read the draft. It may so happen that it is too long. Shorten it further, if necessary, by omitting anything 
which is not necessary to the central idea or by remodeling the sentences. (Normally, you should succeed in 
producing a good précis by the second draft.)
Step 6
When you have made your second (or nal) draft, carefully revise your précis to ensure that you have the 
bare minimum of words necessary to express the idea of the passage. Check to make sure that the précis has 
been written in words that are your own and not those of the author.
Points to Remember 
l A précis must not exceed one-third of the length of the original passage. 
l Identify the central idea and omit unnecessary details. 
l Eliminate wordy expressions from the précis. 
l Avoid unnecessary repetition. 
l Every précis should have a short and appropriate title. 
l It should be written in the words of the précis-writer. 
l The main ideas of the original text should be presented in the same order in the précis. 
l Do not introduce ideas of your own in the précis. 
l Do not criticize or change the author’s ideas.
l Always use the third person, reported speech and past tense while writing a précis. Only universal truths 
should be written in the present tense. 
 SOLVED EXAMPLE
Q. 1 Write a précis of the passage given below. 
A life of action and danger moderates the dread of death. It not only gives us fortitude to bear pain, but also 
teaches us at every step the precarious tenure on which we hold our present being. Sedentary and studious 
men are the most apprehensive on this score. Dr. Johnson was an instance in point. A few years seemed to 
him soon over, compared with those sweeping contemplations on time and innity with which he had been 
used to pose himself. In the still life of a man of letters there was no obvious reason for a change. He might sit 
in an armchair and pour out cups of tea to all eternity would it had been possible for him to do so. The most 
Page 4


To enable learners: 
1. To apply the skills and strategies of a successful reader.
2. To develop their critical thinking, reading and writing skills. 
3. Learn condensing and synthesizing techniques. 
4. To develop a basic understanding of précis writing and its nuances.
w Skim (reading the text quickly) to identify the main idea / theme of text.
w Scan (look at all parts of text carefully) for details.
w Dierentiate between main ideas and supporting details.
w Sift through the given material to identify the most important details.
w Provide an appropriate title for the given information / text. 
w Write a précis of the given text in as few words as possible. 
7
CHAPTER
PRÉCIS WRITING
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
  INTRODUCTION
A shortening of a text, in one’s own words, is known as précis writing. The term is derived from the French 
word précis meaning ‘precise’ . Thus, a précis gives an accurate and concise description of the substance (or 
the main idea) contained in the text without losing its meaning. In fact, it is an exact reproduction of the 
logic, organization, and emphasis of the original text. 
Précis writing is a very useful exercise as it gives us training in careful reading and develops our capacity to 
discriminate between the essential and the non-essential. Since it insists on an economy of words, you learn 
to choose your words carefully and construct your sentences in a concise manner.
Dierence between Précis and Summary
Usually the word ‘summary’ is used loosely to refer to ‘précis’ . However, there are subtle dierences between 
them.
The rst and the most important dierence is that a précis is a brief statement of a piece of writing such as a 
GOALS
7.2
PRÉCIS WRITING
report, article or a chapter from a book; whereas a summary is a short account of longer pieces of work such 
as a thesis or a novel. 
Secondly, the précis follows the order and proportion of the material in the original, whereas the writer of 
the summary is free to change the order and proportion if he wishes to do so.
Another important dierent between the two is that the précis states only the thought of the original text; 
whereas, the writer of the summary is free to interpret the material and to comment on it.
What are the Qualities of a good Précis?
Since a good précis displays the writer’s writing skills, it must possess the following qualities: 
1. Clarity
It is essential that the ideas presented in the précis should be clear and comprehensible. By using simple 
language and structures, the writer can ensure that there is no ambiguity. 
2. Objectivity 
The writer must have an objective approach. He should be able to write a précis that is unbiased and 
purely a summary of the original text. 
3.  Correctness
The writer must ensure that not just the facts, but also the grammar and sentences are without aws. 
Such errors can obscure the meaning of the message. 
4.  Coherence
A good précis should be coherent i.e. the ideas must be presented in a way that shows the connections 
clearly. 
5.  Completeness
The writer should include all the important facts from the text in the précis. No important fact can be 
omitted to make the summary short. 
6.  Conciseness
Conciseness is a desirable quality of a good précis. A piece of writing is considered concise if it conveys 
the message in the fewest possible words. But the writer should not omit essential facts to achieve 
conciseness. 
  PRÉCIS WRITING PROCEDURE
Step 1
Read the passage carefully- more than once if so required. The rst requirement of the writer is to understand 
the text well enough to extract its central / main idea. 
Step 2
Decide what facts or ideas in the text are essential and what are of secondary or of no importance. It is a good 
idea to underline the important terms and ideas. 
7.3
BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE AND REPORTING
Step 3 
Select a suitable title for the proposed précis. 
Step 4
Collect all the key points and prepare a rst draft of the précis, keeping in mind the need to reduce the original 
text to one-third its length. 
The main thoughts expressed in the passage, the ideas it contains, the opinions presented and the conclusion 
arrived at should be a part of the rough draft. 
Step 5
Read the draft. It may so happen that it is too long. Shorten it further, if necessary, by omitting anything 
which is not necessary to the central idea or by remodeling the sentences. (Normally, you should succeed in 
producing a good précis by the second draft.)
Step 6
When you have made your second (or nal) draft, carefully revise your précis to ensure that you have the 
bare minimum of words necessary to express the idea of the passage. Check to make sure that the précis has 
been written in words that are your own and not those of the author.
Points to Remember 
l A précis must not exceed one-third of the length of the original passage. 
l Identify the central idea and omit unnecessary details. 
l Eliminate wordy expressions from the précis. 
l Avoid unnecessary repetition. 
l Every précis should have a short and appropriate title. 
l It should be written in the words of the précis-writer. 
l The main ideas of the original text should be presented in the same order in the précis. 
l Do not introduce ideas of your own in the précis. 
l Do not criticize or change the author’s ideas.
l Always use the third person, reported speech and past tense while writing a précis. Only universal truths 
should be written in the present tense. 
 SOLVED EXAMPLE
Q. 1 Write a précis of the passage given below. 
A life of action and danger moderates the dread of death. It not only gives us fortitude to bear pain, but also 
teaches us at every step the precarious tenure on which we hold our present being. Sedentary and studious 
men are the most apprehensive on this score. Dr. Johnson was an instance in point. A few years seemed to 
him soon over, compared with those sweeping contemplations on time and innity with which he had been 
used to pose himself. In the still life of a man of letters there was no obvious reason for a change. He might sit 
in an armchair and pour out cups of tea to all eternity would it had been possible for him to do so. The most 
7.4
PRÉCIS WRITING
rational cure after all for the inordinate fear of death is to set a just value on life. If we mere wish to continue 
on the scene to indulge our head-strong humour and tormenting passions, we had better be gone at once; 
and if we only cherish a fondness for existence according to the good we desire from it, the pang we feel at 
parting which it will not be very server.
 SOLUTION
Step 1: 
Identify the main idea: The text discusses people’s fear of death. It details why some people fear death and 
how this fear can be overcome. 
Step 2: 
Identify the main points / facts:
a) We do not fear death if we live an active life. 
b) Those people who fear death the most are the ones who spend much time sitting and studying. 
c) This happens because they lead an inactive and peaceful life and do not want any change. 
d) The most sensible way of ridding oneself of the fear of death is by valuing life. 
e) We should be comfortable with the knowledge that life is unpredictable and that our hold upon life is 
very uncertain. 
Step 3:
Provide a suitable title: The Fear of Death.
Step 4:
Write the rst draft: 
If we lead an active life facing dangers, we will fear death less. People who spend a lot of their time lazing 
around and leading a peaceful life are the ones who are most afraid of death. This is because they do not 
want any change. The most sensible way of getting rid of the fear of death is to value life properly. If we do 
not give unnecessary importance to our life, we will not feel the pang of death.
Step 5: 
Edit your work. 
Remember that the précis cannot be more than a third of the length of the original text. Since the given 
passage is approximately 200 words, the précis cannot exceed 65 words. However the rst draft consists of 
80 words. Therefore it needs to be edited. Example: 
‘People who spend a lot of their time lazing around and leading a peaceful life are the ones who are most afraid of 
death. This is because they do not want any change. ’ can be rewritten more succinctly in the following manner: 
‘People, who lead a lazy and peaceful life, are the most afraid of death. ’
Step 6: 
Write the nal draft. 
The Fear of Death 
If we lead an active life facing dangers, we will fear death less. People, who lead a lazy and peaceful life, fear 
Page 5


To enable learners: 
1. To apply the skills and strategies of a successful reader.
2. To develop their critical thinking, reading and writing skills. 
3. Learn condensing and synthesizing techniques. 
4. To develop a basic understanding of précis writing and its nuances.
w Skim (reading the text quickly) to identify the main idea / theme of text.
w Scan (look at all parts of text carefully) for details.
w Dierentiate between main ideas and supporting details.
w Sift through the given material to identify the most important details.
w Provide an appropriate title for the given information / text. 
w Write a précis of the given text in as few words as possible. 
7
CHAPTER
PRÉCIS WRITING
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
  INTRODUCTION
A shortening of a text, in one’s own words, is known as précis writing. The term is derived from the French 
word précis meaning ‘precise’ . Thus, a précis gives an accurate and concise description of the substance (or 
the main idea) contained in the text without losing its meaning. In fact, it is an exact reproduction of the 
logic, organization, and emphasis of the original text. 
Précis writing is a very useful exercise as it gives us training in careful reading and develops our capacity to 
discriminate between the essential and the non-essential. Since it insists on an economy of words, you learn 
to choose your words carefully and construct your sentences in a concise manner.
Dierence between Précis and Summary
Usually the word ‘summary’ is used loosely to refer to ‘précis’ . However, there are subtle dierences between 
them.
The rst and the most important dierence is that a précis is a brief statement of a piece of writing such as a 
GOALS
7.2
PRÉCIS WRITING
report, article or a chapter from a book; whereas a summary is a short account of longer pieces of work such 
as a thesis or a novel. 
Secondly, the précis follows the order and proportion of the material in the original, whereas the writer of 
the summary is free to change the order and proportion if he wishes to do so.
Another important dierent between the two is that the précis states only the thought of the original text; 
whereas, the writer of the summary is free to interpret the material and to comment on it.
What are the Qualities of a good Précis?
Since a good précis displays the writer’s writing skills, it must possess the following qualities: 
1. Clarity
It is essential that the ideas presented in the précis should be clear and comprehensible. By using simple 
language and structures, the writer can ensure that there is no ambiguity. 
2. Objectivity 
The writer must have an objective approach. He should be able to write a précis that is unbiased and 
purely a summary of the original text. 
3.  Correctness
The writer must ensure that not just the facts, but also the grammar and sentences are without aws. 
Such errors can obscure the meaning of the message. 
4.  Coherence
A good précis should be coherent i.e. the ideas must be presented in a way that shows the connections 
clearly. 
5.  Completeness
The writer should include all the important facts from the text in the précis. No important fact can be 
omitted to make the summary short. 
6.  Conciseness
Conciseness is a desirable quality of a good précis. A piece of writing is considered concise if it conveys 
the message in the fewest possible words. But the writer should not omit essential facts to achieve 
conciseness. 
  PRÉCIS WRITING PROCEDURE
Step 1
Read the passage carefully- more than once if so required. The rst requirement of the writer is to understand 
the text well enough to extract its central / main idea. 
Step 2
Decide what facts or ideas in the text are essential and what are of secondary or of no importance. It is a good 
idea to underline the important terms and ideas. 
7.3
BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE AND REPORTING
Step 3 
Select a suitable title for the proposed précis. 
Step 4
Collect all the key points and prepare a rst draft of the précis, keeping in mind the need to reduce the original 
text to one-third its length. 
The main thoughts expressed in the passage, the ideas it contains, the opinions presented and the conclusion 
arrived at should be a part of the rough draft. 
Step 5
Read the draft. It may so happen that it is too long. Shorten it further, if necessary, by omitting anything 
which is not necessary to the central idea or by remodeling the sentences. (Normally, you should succeed in 
producing a good précis by the second draft.)
Step 6
When you have made your second (or nal) draft, carefully revise your précis to ensure that you have the 
bare minimum of words necessary to express the idea of the passage. Check to make sure that the précis has 
been written in words that are your own and not those of the author.
Points to Remember 
l A précis must not exceed one-third of the length of the original passage. 
l Identify the central idea and omit unnecessary details. 
l Eliminate wordy expressions from the précis. 
l Avoid unnecessary repetition. 
l Every précis should have a short and appropriate title. 
l It should be written in the words of the précis-writer. 
l The main ideas of the original text should be presented in the same order in the précis. 
l Do not introduce ideas of your own in the précis. 
l Do not criticize or change the author’s ideas.
l Always use the third person, reported speech and past tense while writing a précis. Only universal truths 
should be written in the present tense. 
 SOLVED EXAMPLE
Q. 1 Write a précis of the passage given below. 
A life of action and danger moderates the dread of death. It not only gives us fortitude to bear pain, but also 
teaches us at every step the precarious tenure on which we hold our present being. Sedentary and studious 
men are the most apprehensive on this score. Dr. Johnson was an instance in point. A few years seemed to 
him soon over, compared with those sweeping contemplations on time and innity with which he had been 
used to pose himself. In the still life of a man of letters there was no obvious reason for a change. He might sit 
in an armchair and pour out cups of tea to all eternity would it had been possible for him to do so. The most 
7.4
PRÉCIS WRITING
rational cure after all for the inordinate fear of death is to set a just value on life. If we mere wish to continue 
on the scene to indulge our head-strong humour and tormenting passions, we had better be gone at once; 
and if we only cherish a fondness for existence according to the good we desire from it, the pang we feel at 
parting which it will not be very server.
 SOLUTION
Step 1: 
Identify the main idea: The text discusses people’s fear of death. It details why some people fear death and 
how this fear can be overcome. 
Step 2: 
Identify the main points / facts:
a) We do not fear death if we live an active life. 
b) Those people who fear death the most are the ones who spend much time sitting and studying. 
c) This happens because they lead an inactive and peaceful life and do not want any change. 
d) The most sensible way of ridding oneself of the fear of death is by valuing life. 
e) We should be comfortable with the knowledge that life is unpredictable and that our hold upon life is 
very uncertain. 
Step 3:
Provide a suitable title: The Fear of Death.
Step 4:
Write the rst draft: 
If we lead an active life facing dangers, we will fear death less. People who spend a lot of their time lazing 
around and leading a peaceful life are the ones who are most afraid of death. This is because they do not 
want any change. The most sensible way of getting rid of the fear of death is to value life properly. If we do 
not give unnecessary importance to our life, we will not feel the pang of death.
Step 5: 
Edit your work. 
Remember that the précis cannot be more than a third of the length of the original text. Since the given 
passage is approximately 200 words, the précis cannot exceed 65 words. However the rst draft consists of 
80 words. Therefore it needs to be edited. Example: 
‘People who spend a lot of their time lazing around and leading a peaceful life are the ones who are most afraid of 
death. This is because they do not want any change. ’ can be rewritten more succinctly in the following manner: 
‘People, who lead a lazy and peaceful life, are the most afraid of death. ’
Step 6: 
Write the nal draft. 
The Fear of Death 
If we lead an active life facing dangers, we will fear death less. People, who lead a lazy and peaceful life, fear 
7.5
BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE AND REPORTING
change and are most afraid of death. The most sensible way of getting rid of the fear of death is to value life 
properly. If we do not give unnecessary importance to our life, we will not feel the pang of death.
 SAMPLE
1. Sentence Correction is probably the easiest sub-section within the Verbal section of the GMAT for you to 
improve. Doing well on this section is really a function of knowing your grammar rules very well and then 
practicing them ad nauseum with high quality practice problems. Spend some time guring out what 
the best materials are, study those materials, and then go back and study the materials a few more times 
to make sure you have the grammar rules down cold. It is important to do this because you will want to 
get these questions done quickly so you can save time for the more time-consuming Critical Reasoning 
and Reading Comprehension sections.
There are a few good books out there to learn the fundamentals of sentence correction, but I used 
the Manhattan GMAT Sentence Correction Guide. I have also looked through the Aristotle Sentence 
Correction book and can say that is of very high quality as well. The Manhattan GMAT book was really 
great and was very clear and concise in describing all the grammar rules I needed to learn. My main 
complaint about it is that it doesn’t have very many practice problems. From what I can tell, this book 
seems to be the standard book that people suggest when talking about this section of the test and I 
don’t disagree. In case you are wondering, you don’t actually have to learn that many grammar rules 
for the GMAT. The number of rules you have to learn pales in comparison to the topics you must know 
for the math section of the test. However, the questions on the GMAT are very tricky, so you should go 
through the Manhattan GMAT book 5-6 times and even make ashcards to make sure you have every 
rule absolutely down cold. If you do, then you should be able to focus on the meaning of each sentence, 
which is usually what is required for the harder questions on the test. For practice problems, I really just 
used the Ocial Guide and the Ocial Guide Verbal Supplement. Those were really great resources for 
practice problems.
I would also recommend memorizing idioms for the test. As of the last few months, idioms are less of a 
focus on the test, but knowing idioms down cold is an easy way to get an extra question or two correct. 
You also don’t really need to spend that much time memorizing them, so why wouldn’t you want to do 
it?
As I mentioned before, there are instances on more dicult problems where you need to assess the 
meaning of the sentence and what it is trying to convey. Keep this in mind and try not to obsess over very 
detailed grammar rules. When in doubt, go with the answer choice that seems to have the most logical 
meaning over the one that appears to follow some minute grammar rule the best. If the meaning of the 
original sentence is changed in one of the answer choices, it is denitely a wrong answer choice. If you 
follow this advice, I guarantee that you will do well on the sentence correction section of the GMAT.
(Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com)
Précis
GMAT Sentence Correction- How to Get Better
The Sentence Correction of the GMAT is very doable. Knowing your grammar rules and practicing them will 
ensure success. Identify the best study material; study them a few times to ensure you have the rules on your 
ngertips. 
Some reference books that you could use to learn the fundamentals of sentence correction are Manhattan 
GMAT Sentence Correction Guide and Aristotle Sentence Correction book. You don’t actually have to learn