English for Communication (BT-103) Unit 4 Notes

How unit 4 is examined

This unit covers the writing process, precise writing and précis, technical definition and description, and the report types (features, formal structure, trouble, laboratory, progress); every topic except progress report has been asked, and the report topics carry the most marks.

Planning, Drafting and Editing

Medium weight

Definition. Planning, drafting and editing are the three stages of the writing process: planning decides what to say, drafting puts it into a first structured form, and editing refines it into a polished final document.

Key points.

Planning begins by fixing the purpose (why I write) and the audience (who will read), because these decide content, tone and length.
Planning then gathers and selects material and arranges it into an outline with a beginning, middle and end.
Drafting turns the outline into sentences and paragraphs, each with one main idea, without stopping to perfect the language.
A draft needs a clear introduction, a logically ordered body and a conclusion, joined by linking words.
Editing revises content (add, delete, reorder), then checks grammar, spelling, punctuation, style, and flow.
Editing ends with proofreading and a final fair copy in the correct format.
Importance: drafting and editing improve readability, ensure accuracy, remove errors and ambiguity, and produce a polished, credible document.

Answer frame. Open with the definition above; draw a three-box flow Planning > Drafting > Editing; develop points 1-2, then 3-4, then 5-6 stage by stage; for the "importance" question give point 7 as 3-4 lines; close with "A good document is rarely written in one go; it is planned, drafted and edited."

Paragraph writing (Jun 2025). A paragraph has a topic sentence, supporting sentences and a closing sentence. For "disadvantages of social media": open by saying social media is used by billions for contact and news; then time wastage, addiction and disturbed sleep; then depression, anxiety, fear of missing out (FOMO) and cyberbullying; then privacy loss, data theft and spread of misinformation; close that disciplined, purposeful use keeps its benefits and limits the harm.

Asked: [7 marks] (Dec 2023, Dec 2024) What do you mean by planning, drafting and editing? What are the stages of planning, drafting and editing? Explain in detail. Asked: [7 marks] (Jun 2023) What is drafting and editing in writing? What is the importance of drafting and editing your writing? Asked: [7 marks] (Jun 2025) Write a paragraph on disadvantages of social media.

Precise Writing

Definition. Precise writing is expressing the main idea of a passage briefly and clearly, in about one-third of its length, keeping the essential points and the original tone.

Key points.

Precise writing is conciseness with clarity: no wasted words, no loss of the central idea.
It must be complete, so every essential point of the original is present.
It must be objective, so the writer adds no opinion, comment or criticism.
It is written in the writer's own words, in third person, indirect speech and past or present tense as the original demands.
The purpose is to save the reader's time while conveying the whole message.

Steps.

Step 1: Read the passage carefully, more than once, and find the central idea.
Step 2: Underline essential facts and keywords; omit details, examples, repetition.
Step 3: Prepare a rough draft in your own words, about one-third of the length.
Step 4: Revise, check the word count and grammar, and give a suitable title.

Answer frame. Open with the definition; list the four steps as a numbered list with one sentence each; then add points 2-4 as characteristics; close with "Precise writing thus saves time without losing meaning".

Asked: [7 marks] (Nov 2022, Jun 2023) What is writing precisely and mention the various steps to be followed in writing precise? Write a short note on precise writing and précis.

Précis

Definition. A précis is a short summary of a passage in one's own words that keeps its main ideas, order and tone, and is about one-third of the original length.

Key points.

Read the passage thoroughly until the central idea is clear.
Keep the length near one-third of the original and state the word count.
Write in third person and indirect speech, whatever the original person or speech.
Retain essential points; drop illustrations, examples, quotations, repetition and figures of speech.
Use your own words and an objective tone, adding no opinion.
Give a suitable title, write in a single paragraph, and keep the original order of ideas.
Revise for grammar, clarity and coherence.

Example (Jun 2025, passage of 132 words, target about 44). Title: Punctuality: The Key to Success

Punctuality disciplines life and removes laziness. It earns recognition and social acceptance, and gives time to work carefully instead of hurriedly, so that results are fine. Hence punctuality, the hallmark of great leaders, is the key to success. (38 words)

Answer frame. For the points question: open with the definition, develop points 1-6 in order, close with revision. For the passage question: write the title, one paragraph, the word count in brackets, with discipline, laziness, social respect and quality work all covered.

Asked: [7 marks] (Jun 2022) Write what points should be reminded while précising a paragraph. Asked: [7 marks] (Jun 2025) Write a précis of the following passage (on the value of punctuality).

Technical definition and Technical description

Definition. A technical definition explains a technical term precisely so that readers understand it without ambiguity; a technical description gives an objective account of an object, mechanism or process, covering its parts, appearance and working.

Key points.

A technical definition is created to give clarity and precision and to avoid ambiguity, especially for readers who are not experts.
A formal (sentence) definition has three elements: the term, the genus (the class it belongs to) and the differentia (the features that separate it from others in that class).
Example: "A transistor (term) is a semiconductor device (genus) that amplifies or switches electronic signals (differentia)."
Informal definitions use a synonym, a simple phrase or a familiar example, such as "hardware means the physical parts of a computer".
An extended definition adds techniques such as examples, comparison and contrast, classification, analogy, etymology, cause and effect, and diagrams.
A technical description covers the name, purpose, overall appearance, main parts with size, material and function, and how the parts work together.
Description is factual, in the present tense and passive or third person, with diagrams, and is arranged from whole to parts.

Answer frame. Open with both definitions; develop the three elements of a definition with the transistor example; list types (formal, informal, extended); then the description features with one short example such as a ball pen; close with "Both make technical information clear and exact".

Asked: [7 marks] (Jun 2023, Dec 2023) What is technical definition and technical description? What are technical definition terms? Why is technical definition created? What are the elements of technical definition?

Report Writing: Features of writing a good Report

Definition. A report is a formal, factual document that presents information about an investigation, event or project to a specific reader for decision-making.

Key points.

A good report is clear, so its language is simple and unambiguous.
It is concise, with no padding, yet complete in all necessary facts.
It is objective and impersonal: opinions and emotion are avoided, and the passive voice or third person is used.
It is accurate and factual, with data verified and sources acknowledged.
It has a logical structure with headings, numbering and paragraphs in proper order.
It uses tables, graphs and diagrams to support the data, in a formal tone.
It is written for a specific reader and purpose and ends with conclusions or recommendations.

News report. Features: factual, objective, concise and timely. Structure (inverted pyramid, most important first): headline, byline (writer), dateline (place and date), lead paragraph answering the 5 Ws and 1 H (who, what, when, where, why, how), body paragraphs with details in falling importance, and a short conclusion or tail.

Answer frame. Open with the definition; develop points 1-7 in order with a phrase of explanation each; close with "Thus a good report informs accurately and helps the reader act". For the news report question, give the features, then the elements in order.

Asked: [7 marks] (Jun 2022, Nov 2022) Discuss the essential features of a technical report. Write a note on features of a good report. Asked: [7 marks] (Jun 2023) What are the features of a news report? What are the elements and structure of a news report?

Structure of a Formal Report

Definition. A formal (manuscript-format) report has three groups of parts: prefatory parts before the body, the body, and terminal parts after it.

Key points.

Prefatory parts: the title page (title, author, date, organisation), the letter of transmittal (a covering letter sending the report to the reader), the table of contents (headings with page numbers) and the executive summary or abstract (a brief statement of the problem, method, findings and recommendations).
Body: the introduction gives the background, purpose, scope and problem.
Body: the methodology or background explains how the data were collected and the procedure followed.
Body: the discussion or findings present the facts and analysis, using headings, tables and figures.
Terminal parts: conclusions summarise what the findings show.
Terminal parts: recommendations suggest actions, followed by appendices (supporting data) and references or bibliography (sources).

Prefatory: Title page > Transmittal letter > Contents > Summary
Body:      Introduction > Methodology > Findings
Terminal:  Conclusions > Recommendations > Appendix > References

Answer frame. Open with the definition and the three groups; draw the text layout above; explain each part in one or two sentences in that order; close with "This order lets a reader find any part quickly". For "What is report writing?", first add that report writing is preparing a factual account for a reader, with types such as progress, trouble and laboratory reports.

Asked: [7 marks] (Jun 2022, Dec 2023) What are the essential parts of a report written in manuscript format? Explain each part. What is report writing? What are the structural features of report writing?

Report of Trouble

Definition. A trouble report (accident or malfunction report) documents a failure, accident or problem, states its causes and effects, and recommends remedies.

Key points.

Its purpose is to record what happened, assess the causes and propose solutions so that it is not repeated.
Structure: title or header, with date, place and the writer's name.
Problem description: what happened, when, where, with time and the units involved.
Cause analysis: the probable causes, supported by evidence.
Impact and action taken: injuries, damage and loss, and the emergency steps done.
Recommendations and conclusion: preventive measures.
It must be clear, objective, factual and concise, in the past tense and third person.

Example (Jun 2022): fire in a drug industry. Title: Report on the Fire Accident at ABC Pharma Ltd. To: The Managing Director. Date: (of report). Incident: A fire broke out at 2:30 a.m. on (date) in the solvent storage unit of the plant at (location). Cause: A short circuit in the storage room wiring ignited chemical vapours. Impact: Two workers had minor burns; raw material and machinery worth about Rs 25 lakh was destroyed; production stopped for a week. Response: The alarm was raised, power was cut, the fire brigade and staff put out the fire in an hour, and the injured were taken to hospital. Recommendations: Install automatic fire alarms and sprinklers, audit wiring regularly, store solvents safely, and hold fire drills and safety training. (The date, place, and figures are illustrative; a real answer states its own.)

Answer frame. Open with the definition and purpose; give the structure as headings; develop points 3-7; close with recommendations. For the fire question write directly in report format (title, incident, cause, impact, response, recommendations) and sign off.

Asked: [7 marks] (Jun 2022) Write a report on fire accident occurred in drug industry. Asked: [7 marks] (Dec 2024) How do you write a trouble report? Explain the structure of a report and its purpose.

Laboratory Report

Definition. A laboratory report is a factual record of an experiment that states its aim, apparatus, procedure, observations, results and conclusion.

Key points.

Title and abstract: the title names the experiment; the abstract is a brief summary of aim, method and result.
Introduction: it gives the background and theory, the objective and the hypothesis or expected result.
Apparatus: it lists the equipment and materials used, with ranges and specifications.
Procedure: it describes the steps followed, in the past tense and passive voice.
Observations: it records the measured readings in tables, and results are the calculated values with graphs.
Discussion: it interprets the results, compares them with the theory, and explains errors; the conclusion states whether the aim was met.
It should be objective, accurate and neat, with units and sources cited.

Difference between laboratory report and progress report.

Basis	Laboratory report	Progress report
Purpose	Records an experiment and its results	Tells the status of an ongoing project
Content	Aim, apparatus, procedure, observations, results	Work done, work remaining, problems, schedule
Time	Written after the experiment is complete	Written during the project, at intervals
Structure	Fixed: aim to conclusion	Flexible: past work, present state, future plan
Reader	Teacher or examiner	Manager, supervisor or sponsor
Outcome	Verifies a result or theory	Helps in tracking and taking decisions

Answer frame. For the comparison: define both in one line each, then give the table, and close with one line on when each is used. For "how to write": open with the purpose of the introduction (point 2), then develop points 1-7 in order; close with the tone.

Asked: [7 marks] (Nov 2022, Dec 2023) Elucidate the difference between laboratory report and progress report. Asked: [7 marks] (Dec 2024) What is the introduction of a lab report? How to write a lab report?

Progress Report

Definition. A progress report (status report) informs the reader of the work done so far on a project, the work remaining, and whether it is on schedule.

Key points.

It is written at regular intervals during a long project, for a supervisor, manager or sponsor.
Its parts are the introduction (project title and period), work completed, work in progress, problems faced, work remaining with schedule, and conclusion.
It compares actual progress with the plan, so delays are known early.
It is factual, brief and objective, with dates, percentages and milestones.

Last-minute revision

Writing process: planning (purpose, audience, outline), drafting (first structured version), editing (revise, correct, proofread).
Précis and precise writing: about one-third of the original, own words, third person, indirect speech, title, word count.
Precise writing steps: read, underline, rough draft, revise with title.
Formal definition = term + genus + differentia.
Extended definition uses examples, comparison, classification, analogy, etymology, diagrams.
Good report features: clear, concise, objective, accurate, logically structured, with visual aids.
News report: headline, byline, dateline, lead (5 Ws and 1 H), body, tail; inverted pyramid.
Formal report: prefatory (title page, transmittal letter, contents, summary), body (introduction, methodology, findings), terminal (conclusions, recommendations, appendix, references).
Trouble report: header, problem, cause, action, recommendations.
Lab report: title, abstract, introduction, apparatus, procedure, observations, results, discussion, conclusion.
Lab report describes a finished experiment; progress report tracks an ongoing project.

Memory hooks

Writing process: P-D-E, "Plan it, Draft it, Edit it".
Précis steps: R-U-D-R, "Read, Underline, Draft, Revise".
Formal definition: "Term is Genus plus Differentia".
Report parts: "Before, Body, Behind" (prefatory, body, terminal).
Trouble report: "What, Why, Who-fixes, What-next".
News lead: 5 Ws and 1 H.

Coverage checklist

Planning, Drafting and Editing: Dec 2023 / Dec 2024, Jun 2023, and the Jun 2025 social media paragraph.
Precise Writing: Nov 2022 / Jun 2023.
Précis: Jun 2022 points, Jun 2025 passage.
Technical definition and Technical description: Jun 2023 / Dec 2023.
Report Writing: Features of writing a good Report: Jun 2022 / Nov 2022, Jun 2023 news report.
Structure of a Formal Report: Jun 2022 / Dec 2023.
Report of Trouble: Jun 2022 fire report, Dec 2024 trouble report.
Laboratory Report: Nov 2022 / Dec 2023 difference, Dec 2024 lab report.
Progress Report: not asked recently.

Account

English for Communication (BT-103) - Unit 4 Short Notes

How unit 4 is examined

Planning, Drafting and Editing

Precise Writing

Précis

Technical definition and Technical description

Report Writing: Features of writing a good Report

Structure of a Formal Report

Report of Trouble

Laboratory Report

Progress Report

Last-minute revision

Memory hooks

Coverage checklist