Composition: Essay, Letter and Precis
What the writing section tests
This section rewards control of form. The essay (ಪ್ರಬಂಧ) tests a clear stand and organised paragraphs; the letter (ಪತ್ರ) tests format and register; the precis (ಸಂಕ್ಷೇಪಣ) tests compression without distortion.
Essay
Use a three-part plan: opening that states the issue, two or three body paragraphs each with one point and one example, and a conclusion that answers the question. For a reflective topic, use experience; for an argumentative topic, use reason and consequence.
Letter
A formal letter needs sender address, date, receiver's designation, subject, salutation, body in short paragraphs, and closing. An informal letter can be warmer, but the date and salutation still matter. Keep the register consistent: do not mix ಅವರೇ with ನೀನು.
Precis
Reduce to about one-third, use your own words, keep the third person, remove examples and quotations, add no opinion, and retain the main argument. A title is optional unless asked.
Worked example
Original: Kannada is spoken by millions across Karnataka and in border districts of neighbouring states. Its script descends from the Kadamba script, and its earliest surviving literary work, Kavirajamarga, dates to the ninth century. Today young speakers switch to English in offices and schools, while grandparents still use rural idioms at home. If the language is to remain alive, it must be used in everyday spaces - markets, buses, films and classrooms - not only in examinations and formal speeches. Precis: Kannada, an old literary language, will survive only if young speakers use it daily in ordinary spaces, not merely in exams and formal speeches. The reasoning: the historical sentences are background, the contrast between generations is support, and the final condition is the main claim.
Traps
- Essay with no examples, only slogans.
- Letter missing date, subject or closing.
- Precis that copies whole sentences or adds personal advice.
- Mixing formal and informal address.