The Compressing of Sentences

“Let thy speech be short, comprehending much in few words.”
- Ecclasiasticus, XXXII, 8

A passage consists of sentences; and a sentence, other than simple, consists of clauses. It is, therefore, proper that while learning how to make a precis, a student should begin with the compressing of clauses into phrases and phrases into words. After sufficient practice in this, he should begin making precis of passages.

Before discussing the man devises to shorten a sentence, let me ask you to study the following: -

1. Before his arrival.
2. Before he arrived.
3. She died before he arrived.

The first group of words has a meaning and makes sense; but it does not make complete sense. Such a group of words is called a phrase. A Phrase is, therefore, a group of words that makes sense, but not complete sense. It has neither a subject nor a predicate.

The second group of words makes sense, but not complete sense. It requires some other words to complete its sense. Though it has a subject and a predicate of its own, yet it cannot stand-alone. Such a group of words is called a clause. A clause is, therefore, a group of words, forming part of a longer sentence, and having a subject and a predicate of its own.

The third group of words makes complete sense and is called a sentence. A Sentence is, therefore, a group of words that contains a finite verb and makes complete sense.

The best device to curtail a sentence is to change a clause into a noun or adjective or adverb or phrase. Sometimes a clause can be replaced by a single word. This substitution of a word in place of several words is very helpful in making the precis of a given passage or in curtailing a sentence, but this device should be resorted to only, if the new word does not appear to be unusual or uncommon.