English (Precis & Composition) is a compulsory CSS paper worth 100 marks. It tests language proficiency through summarisation, comprehension, grammar, and translation — not memorised content. Below are all Precis & Composition papers from 2000 to 2025, with paper breakdown, common pitfalls, and a clear preparation plan.
Download Precis & Composition Past Papers (Year-wise PDFs)
Paper Pattern (FPSC 2026)
The paper carries 100 marks and runs 3 hours. The typical sections are:
- Precis — 20 marks. Summarise a 400-500 word passage into one-third its length, retaining all key ideas.
- Comprehension — 15 marks. Answer 5-6 questions on a separate passage.
- Grammar & Usage — 20 marks. Tenses, prepositions, voice, narration, conditionals.
- Vocabulary — 10 marks. Synonyms, antonyms, idioms, phrasal verbs.
- Translation (Urdu → English) — 15 marks.
- Pair of words / Sentence correction / Punctuation — 20 marks.
Pass mark: 40/100. Section weightings vary slightly year to year — check the most recent paper.
Common Pitfalls That Cost Marks
- Precis longer than one-third of the passage
- Adding your own opinions / examples in precis
- Missing the central thesis of the passage
- Spelling errors in comprehension answers
- Article and preposition mistakes (a/an/the, in/on/at)
- Literal Urdu-to-English translation
- Misplaced punctuation in sentence correction
How to Prepare
- Precis daily — One passage per day from a newspaper editorial. Time it to 25 minutes.
- Comprehension — Read The Economist or Dawn editorials and write short answers to imagined questions.
- Grammar foundation — Wren & Martin first pass, then Murphy’s Intermediate English Grammar in Use.
- Vocabulary — 10 new words per day with sentences. Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis.
- Translation — Take Urdu newspaper columns and translate one paragraph daily. Compare with published translations.
- Pair of words — Maintain a list of 200 commonly confused pairs (affect/effect, complement/compliment).
Recommended Books
- Précis & Composition for CSS — Aftab Ahmad
- High School English Grammar — Wren & Martin
- English Grammar in Use — Raymond Murphy
- Word Power Made Easy — Norman Lewis
- Caravan Précis & Composition — Jahangir’s WorldTimes
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the ideal length of a CSS precis?
One-third of the original. A 450-word passage should produce a 150-word precis (±10%).
Should I attempt all questions in this paper?
Yes. Unlike subjective papers, Precis & Composition is all compulsory — every section must be attempted.
How is translation graded?
Examiners look for accurate meaning, idiomatic English, and grammatical correctness. Literal word-by-word translation is penalised.