Exercises of Preci Writing - abridging sentences and pharases

Exercises: -

A. Condense the following as far as possible, retaining the exact sense:-

1. The enemy at that moment took flight.
2. You are in reality under a mistake.
3. A fossil possesses no value in itself.
4. His feelings were beyond expression.
5. At what time I shall see you is uncertain.
6. The battle was without definite result.
7. He shall be with you in a short time.
8. A sense of right and wrong is to be found everywhere.
9. Organic substances are sometimes found turned into stone.
10. The effect of his father’s advice on his was not to be described.

B. Reduce the following sentences to a minimum number of words by using a noun or adjective or adverb or a phrase in place of the subordinate clauses, without in any way changing the meaning: -


I

1. I know that he is ill.
2. That he will succeed is certain.
3. That he told a lie is quite clear.
4. Every body says that he is honest.
5. What he says is quite true.

II

1. This is the house, which Abdullah built.
2. We should admire a man who has the courage to call a spade a spade.
3. The man who had been injured told me how the accident happened.
4. Once there lived in Persia a very brave warrior whose name was Rustom.
5. The room where I sleep s at the tope of the house.

III

1. The mice will play when the cat is away.
2. When I heard of his arrival, I went to meet him.
3. Where you go I will follow.
4. Misers save money in order that they may grow rich.
5. He passed his Masters Examination with distinction because he had worked hard.


C. Compress the following sentences, retaining the clause, which contains the main idea and changing the other clauses, wherever possible, into a word or a compound expression or a phrase. The sense of the original sentence is not to be changed.

1. His park stretched for miles round the palace in which he dwelt.
2. His people, who loved him very dearly, began to be afraid that he too would fall ill and die.
3. Now, on a certain day, there came up to the king a woman whom he had never seen before.
4. He treated the woman more kindly than anyone else who had spoken to her.
5. He talked to her of all the good things that his dear wife used to do.
6. The nobles and the people were glad to see that their king was happy once again.
7. The merchants told the servants that they had been forbidden by the queen to sell her anything.
8. You own beauty is so great that you have no need of fine dresses or any other ornaments.
9. One of them who was more cunning than the others, quite changed the drift of the talk.
10. At the appointed hour the prince came to carry off his dear one in a flying chariot, which had been given to him by a friend.