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Paraphrasing Review

Paraphrasing involves rephrasing another person's ideas in your own words while maintaining the original meaning. Techniques for effective paraphrasing include using synonyms, changing word forms, altering grammar, and connecting or dividing sentences. Proper citation is necessary even when paraphrasing to avoid plagiarism.

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11 views

Paraphrasing Review

Paraphrasing involves rephrasing another person's ideas in your own words while maintaining the original meaning. Techniques for effective paraphrasing include using synonyms, changing word forms, altering grammar, and connecting or dividing sentences. Proper citation is necessary even when paraphrasing to avoid plagiarism.

Uploaded by

alicia.f
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Paraphrasing Review

Paraphrasing is writing the ideas of another person using your own words. To paraphrase, you
change the words and the structure, but keep the meaning the same. You have to identify the
main ideas and make sure they are included in your paraphrase.
You will use paraphrasing when you are using the work of others to support your own view, for
example, in an analysis or an essay. It is Plagiarism (cheating) to copy someone else’s words.
Additionally, even when you paraphrase some else’s work and use it in your writing, you need
to cite it, which you will learn about later.
There are a few simple techniques that will help you get started with accurate and effective
paraphrasing. You will usually have to use these techniques together to make sure the
paraphrased text is different enough from the original.
1. Use Synonyms
▪ Use different words with similar meaning (teacher -> instructor)
▪ If you do not know a synonym, use the definition (a nap -> a short sleep)
2. Change Word Forms
▪ You could change a noun to a verb or an adjective to an adverb
He made a decision. -> He decided.
She is a beautiful singer. -> She sings beautifully.

3. Change the Grammar


For example, try changing a sentence from active to passive voice
They dropped the book. -> The book was dropped (by them).

4. Connect sentences with conjunctions or divide with periods.


Original: Advertisements present the product. They also present the cost.
New: Advertisements present both the product and the cost.
🡺 Here is an example of a good paraphrase that combines more than one technique:
Original: College students today are the first groups of students to need the Internet for most
of their schoolwork.
Paraphrase: The current generation of students in higher education today is the first to use the
Internet for the majority of their studies.
Modified from:
“Techniques for Paraphrasing.” Future Learn, n.d., https://www.futurelearn.com/info/courses/english-
for-study- intermediate/0/steps/35241. Accessed 13 July 2021.
Paraphrasing Examples
Here are some examples of good paraphrasing.

Notice that they are not word by word translations. The original meaning stays the same, but the
sentences look very different.

1. We can all think of people we know who have displayed courage.

Paraphrase: Everyone can give examples of brave people that they know.

2. If water reaches a temperate of 100 degrees Celsius, it boils.

Paraphrase: Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.

Here are some additional examples showing several different paraphrases of the same
sentence.

Original Sentence:

“Denmark leads the world in wind energy, generating 20 percent of its energy from wind
power.”
Study these paraphrases. What techniques did the writer use to change the sentences but keep the
same meaning?

🡪 Three of these paraphrases are excellent. One, however, is not good. Can you find the bad
paraphrase? Circle it and make a note that it is not acceptable. There are two inaccuracies in the
bad paraphrase.

1. Producing 20 percent of its energy from wind power, Denmark is the world leader in wind
energy production.
2. Denmark is the world leader in wind energy. Twenty percent of its energy is produced
from wind power.

3. One-fifth of the energy in Denmark is produced from wind power; this makes Denmark the
world leader in wind energy production.

4. Denmark is one of the leading producers of wind energy in the world; one quarter of its
domestic energy is provided by wind power.

The inaccurate paraphrase is # ____.


It is inaccurate because…
Adapted from:

Bunting, John D. et al, Grammar and Beyond 4, Cambridge University Press, 2013.

Paraphrasing Practice
Paraphrase the following sentences:
1. A local newspaper claims that 25 % of all homeless people do not like homeless shelters
and prefer to live as they do now.

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

2. Anyone who has ever driven through the Gobi Desert knows that one should always carry
many bottles of extra water.

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

3. Real estate investors are able to make profits from buying and selling houses quickly as
property prices are currently going up.

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
4. Researchers have found a strong association between computer and Internet use in
adolescents and risky behaviors, including illicit drug use.

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

5. Drug resistance remains a major problem in combating HIV infection, but a different
approach to drug development could be the answer.

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

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