It is widely believed that students who are proficient in the English language tend to achieve high scores in the CSS examination. This is generally true, as many CSS toppers have also earned gold medals in their Master’s in English. However, it is important to note that students from other disciplines are equally capable of excelling in the CSS exam. Indeed, many candidates from disciplines other than English have also topped the exam multiple times.

However, when it comes to the paper of ‘English (Precis and Composition)’, a good command of the English language and grammar plays a crucial role. Having good scholarly and writing skills in English is indispensable for success in this paper. There are certain strategies and guidelines, following which you can ensure a very high score even if you are beginning now from the very basics.

Based on the experiences of students who have excelled in the CSS exam, there are two important things to understand: 1) understanding the format and structure of the paper, and 2) making preparation in proper lines for the questions. The format of the paper, as well as preparation guidelines, will be discussed here.

The English (Precis & Composition) paper is divided into two parts and is designed to assess a candidate’s comprehension, writing, grammar, and analytical skills.
1. Overall Structure

• Total Time: 3 Hours
• Total Marks: 100

• Part I (MCQs): 20 marks
• Part II (Subjective): 80 marks

2. Part I: MCQs (Compulsory)

• Time Allowed: 30 minutes
• Marks: 20 (20 questions × 1 mark each)
• Attempted on a separate OMR sheet. No negative marking
• Questions include:
• 10 Synonym Questions
• 10 Antonym Questions

3. Part II: Subjective Section

• Marks: 80. Attempted in an answer book

• Q.2: Precis Writing (20 Marks): Write a précis of a given passage and provide an appropriate title
• Q.3: Comprehension (20 Marks): Read a passage and answer the questions given at the end.
• Q.4: Sentence Correction (10 Marks): Correct grammatical errors. Attempt only five sentences
• Q.5: Language Skills (10 Marks): (a) Punctuation (5 marks) (b) Fill in the blanks with appropriate prepositions (5 marks)
• Q.6: Vocabulary (10 Marks): Use pairs of words in sentences to show correct meanings. Attempt only five pairs
• Q.7: Translation (10 Marks): Translate a passage (Urdu to English)

You are given a combination of a few passages. You are required to write its précis and devise a suitable topic for it. The term ‘précis’ means a concise summary. A précis is a concise summary of a given passage. It expresses the same ideas as the original text but in fewer words, written in your own words. The goal is to capture the essence of the passage while keeping it clear and coherent.

Key Principles of Précis Writing:

1. Understand the Passage First:
• Read the passage carefully and more than once.
• Identify the main ideas, supporting points, and the overall message.
• Ignore unnecessary examples, repetitions, or minor details.
2. Use Your Own Words: Never copy sentences from the passage. Use synonyms and restructure sentences while keeping the original meaning intact.  
3. Be Concise: A précis is much shorter than the original passage (usually 1/3 or 1/4 of the original length). Remember, the given passages count roughly about 600 words.
4. Maintain Logical Order: Follow the sequence of ideas in the original passage. Use linking words like therefore, however, additionally to ensure smooth flow.
5. Paragraphing:
• Typically, a précis is one or two paragraphs.
• Start with an introductory sentence summarizing the main idea.
• Follow with supporting points in a logical, concise manner.
6. Check Grammar and Vocabulary:
• Use correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
• Use varied vocabulary—avoid repeating words unnecessarily.
7. Suggest a Title:
• The title should reflect the central theme of the passage. Focus on the central theme of the discussion in the passages. By reading the passage, you will understand that the ideas of the writer revolve around a common theme – this should form the title of the passage.
• It should be more than one word—a short phrase or sentence works best.
• Make it relevant and appealing.

In the next question, you are given 4 of 5 passages. You have to read them and answer the question given at the end. These questions assess your analytical and interpretative skills

1. You should have good reading skills to grasp the ideas contained in passages.
2. Read the paragraphs speedily but also thoroughly paying attention to ideas in the sentences. Have a pencil to underline specific parts of sentences while reading them. This will help you refer back to them when attempting the questions.
3. The passages may contain varying information regarding the same thing. Therefore, while answering a question, choose the required information carefully to answer correctly.
4. Never answer a question based on your own ideas or emotions. The passage may present a very different view on a topic. The question should only be answered in light of the information given in the passages.
5. Some information may not be given directly in the passage. To answer such questions, you may have to associate one idea with another or base your answer on a given linked idea.
6. One of the questions is usually about the meaning of a word as used in the passages. Here, you are asked about the contextual meaning, not the literal meaning. A word may have many meanings depending on its usage in the passages. Hence, you should focus on the contextual meaning.

Based on the analysis of previous exam, it can be said that the question of sentence correction are generally based on the following grammatical errors. Therefore, you are advised to learn those areas and particularly attempt similar questions based on these areas to prepare them.

1. Wrong usage of a word – part of speech, i.e., noun, verb, adverb, and conjunctions
2. Errors of subject-verb agreement
3. Errors of dangling modifiers
4. Errors of redundancy
5. Errors of punctuation

If you master these five areas of English grammar, you will be able to easily identify errors and correct sentences.

Punctuation questions test your understanding of how marks like periods, commas, colons, semi-colons, hyphens, and apostrophes are used to structure sentences clearly. Each of these punctuation marks have their rules in English Grammar. You are advised to prepare them by studying a good grammar book. Understand the basic and advanced uses of each punctuation mark. For example:

• Comma (,): separates ideas, clauses, or items in a list.
• Colon (:): introduces a list, explanation, or quotation.
• Semi-colon (;): links closely related independent clauses.
• Hyphen (-): joins words or syllables to avoid ambiguity.

Translation questions test your ability to convey meaning accurately, clearly, and grammatically in English. Remember, there are two styles of expression in the English language: 1) Formal Style and 2) Informal Style. When it comes to testing writing abilities in an academic context, the formal style is preferred. This means you should master tenses and grammar rules to form well-crafted sentence structures. Likewise, you should have a strong vocabulary to use sophisticated words rather than commonly used words. Since meaning and style of expression can change across languages, also focus on idiomatic and figurative accuracy while translating from Urdu to English.