Substance writing meaning | How to write a substance?

What is substance writing?

The dictionary meaning of substance is 'the essence' or 'the most important part of anything. In substance writing, we are to bring out the main or leading ideas of a passage and reproduce it in our own words in simple and correct English. Unseen passages selected for substance - writing are generally detached passages without any reference to their previous or subsequent context. So they must be self-contained passages and must convey a clear and complete meaning in itself. 

The passages are of three main kinds :- (a) reflective, (b) narrative and (c) descriptive. In some cases, a passage may be Of a mixed kind. In a reflective passage, there is usually one leading idea of which the whole passage is but an expansion.

How to write a Substance?

(i) Read the given passage or poem slowly and carefully several times (not less than three or four times) until you get at the subject matter. Once you understand the subject matter, try to comprehend the main or leading idea of the passage or the poem. 

You may come across some difficult words or knotty expressions the meaning of which you may not know. But these shouldn't substitute the way of your understanding the subject-matter of the passage. You are to bear in mind the fact that the substance writing is not giving an explanation of all the sentences, but giving the leading idea of the passage in your own words. If you read the passage carefully several times and apply a little common sense, you will be able to get at the main idea of the passage inspite of difficult words or knotty expressions.

(ii) Analyse the passage and jot down the important points in the original passage and arrange them in their proper logical order.

(iii) Reproduce the main points in simple sentences. Don't omit any important point but leave out the minor or unimportant points

(iv) Put the main ideas into a paragraph.

(v) Never write anything by way of comment, criticism or explanation.

(vi) Try to use short and manageable sentences as far as possible.

(vii) Always use Third Person and the Indirect form of Narration.

(viii) Try to avoid words, phrases and idioms used in the original passage as far as practicable.

(ix) Avoid repetition.

(x) Guard yourself against common grammatical mistakes such as sequences of tense, use ofa ropriate prepositions and the use of articles.

(xi) Be careful of spelling mistakes.

(xii) Revise your answer carefully to ensure that you have not omitted any important point and to see any error in grammar or spelling.

The Length of a Substance

As a general rule, the substance of given passage should be shorter than the original. As a rule, the substance of a prose piece is about two thirds of the original. But this rule does not hold good in the ease of a poetry piece which is in a very condensed form and full of meaning. We should not sacrifice clarity fot brevity. The point is that in writing the substance of a given passage, we should never use two words where one might do or use a difficult word when one simple word would be sufficient, A substance is an independent literary composition, 'complete in itself'. It should be intelligible to one who has net read the original. 

The difference between Pre'cis-writing and Substance writing :

There is not much differencc between the pre'cis and the substance of apassage. In both, the size of the original is reduced by way of omitting the minor or unimportant points. But, yet. there are some points of difference between a pre'cis and a substance.

(i) A pre'cis is usually shorter than a substance or a summary.

(ii) It is necessary to give a title or heading in case of a pre'cis. This title or heading indicates what the passage is about, But no such title or heading is necessary in case of a substance

In fine, we can say that the pre'cis of a given passage is the substance of a substance of the passage, having a title of its own. 

Example 1 

A poor woman once carne to Buddha to ask him whether he could give any medicine to restore her dead child to life. The saint , touched by the good of the woman' told her that there was only one medicine that could revive her son. He bade her bring hill) a handful of mastered seeds from a house death had never occurred. The sorrowing mother went from door to doors &.king the tnustard seeds. but at every door, she rnet with sad replies. One said, lost my husband." Another said, (Our youngest child died last year," She returned with an important heart to the Teacher and told him the results of her quest. Then Buddha told her that she must not think much of her grief, since death is common to all.

Points : (i) A poor woman once came to Buddha for a medicine to revive her dead child.

(ii) Buddha asked her to bring a couple of mustard seeds from a house where death had never occurred.

(iii) Nowhere did the poor woman fine such a house.

(iv) One need not grieve, for death is common to all.

Pre'cis : A poor woman once came to Buddha for a medicine to revive her dead son. Buddha, feeling pity for her, bade her bring a handful of mustard seeds from any house where death had never occurred. But she nowhere found such a house. Buddha then advised her not to mourn, for death is common to all 

Title : Lord Buddha and a bereaved mother.

Substance : A poor woman once came to Lord Buddha fora medicine to her dead child back to life. Buddha felt pity for the bereaved mother. He bade her bring a handful of mustard seeds from a house where no one had ever died. The sorrowful mother went from house to house in search of such a house could not find it anywhere. When he returned broken-hearted, Buddha her to bear her sorrow patiently, for death is common to all.

Example 2

Queen Victoria, when a touch girl, was taught economical habits by her encellent governess. The princess had a group allowance for pin money and was not permitted to exceed it. Once at the Bazaar at enrnbridge Wells, she had expended ail her supply of money in a number of presents. For another cousin to whom she thought she would like to njake a present she saw a box marked half a croon, which she considered, to be just the very thing for him. But alas! the money was all gone. The people within the shop said they might just enclose the box with other articles but her governess said, "No! you see the princess has not the cash, then in fact she cannot buy the box." The shopkeeper then said they would reserve the box and when the next pocket money due, the princess mounted her donkey and was at the Bazaar for the coveted box by seven o'clock in the morning.

Dear students example 2 is homework for you, first of all remember the points or write down the key points in a notebook. Second give a beautiful title if you are writing substance.

Thank you.