Study these 5 paraphrasing examples to learn how to paraphrase when writing research papers and essays.
When writing a research paper or other project, you often need to work with other people’s writing. While you could easily put together a piece using many direct quotations, learning how to take someone else’s work and paraphrase it in your own words is valuable in your writing toolbox.
A good paraphrase keeps the author’s main ideas intact but says them differently. It shows that you have fully understood the information and can rephrase it to fit your overall piece’s writing style and tone.
As you learn to paraphrase, remember that you must still cite the original author. Unless the idea you are referencing is common knowledge in the field you are writing about, you must tell where the idea came from. In-text citations, as well as a bibliography page, are both essential.
As you consider how to change the wording of the original piece to fit your writing, looking at different paraphrasing examples will help you get a feel for what this rewriting looks like.
Contents
- 1. Paraphrasing Sentences by Changing Verb Tense
- 2. Paraphrasing Sentences by Using Synonyms
- 3. Paraphrasing An Original Work by Changing the Writing Style
- 4. Paraphrasing Paragraphs
- 5. Paraphrasing an Entire Work
- Author
1. Paraphrasing Sentences by Changing Verb Tense
One way to paraphrase is to change the verb tense of the source material. For example, if it is written in passive voice, you could change it to active voice. If written in the past tense, you could change it to present or future tense.
Here are some examples:
- Original: Giraffes will eat Acacia leaves and hay, eating up to 75 pounds a day. (future tense)
- Paraphrase: A giraffe eats up to 75 pounds daily, including Acacia leaves and hay. (present tense)
- Original: Influenza can cause a runny nose and fever. (active voice)
- Paraphrase: People with influenza have experienced fevers and runny noses. (passive voice)
Changing the tense of the verbs may be all you need to do to adjust the sentence enough for it to be a paraphrase.
2. Paraphrasing Sentences by Using Synonyms
Another way to paraphrase your original passage for your research paper is to use synonyms for words. This will convey the same meaning without using the original author’s exact words. Remember that you still need to provide a citation using MLA or APA formatting to avoid plagiarism if the idea is the same as the source, but using synonyms is a great restatement option. Here are some examples:
- Original: In Santiago, COVID-19 dealt the hardest blow to people with low socioeconomic status, because of factors such as crowded households, a lack of health care, and an inability to work from home.
- Paraphrase: Because few people could telecommute, medical care was hard to get, and homes were crowded with people, the coronavirus pandemic hurt Santiago’s poorer people worse than other economic groups.
- Original: Paul McCrory, a prominent researcher whose work on concussions has shaped much of the sporting world’s current policies on diagnosing and treating head injuries, resigned March 5 from his role as chair of the Concussion in Sport Group following allegations of plagiarism.
- Paraphrase: Paul McCrory, concussion researcher who put a lot of work into the athletic world’s policies on head injury diagnostics and treatment, left his position as head of the Concussion in Sport Group on March 5 after accusations of plagiarism.
As long as the source is properly cited, these are appropriate paraphrases in academic writing.
3. Paraphrasing An Original Work by Changing the Writing Style
Sometimes the goal of paraphrasing is to improve the accessibility of the work. You can take a scientific research study, for instance, and boil it down into its main points, using a more accessible tone and writing style in your own words to present the information. Again, as long as you use the APA pr MLA format to cite the paraphrased text, you can use this technique to present ideas in your writing.
Here are some examples:
- Original: When we go to the zoo, we may see penguins if the exhibit is open.
- Paraphrase: If the penguin house is open, we may be able to observe the birds on our visit to the zoo.
- Original: Many people reported symptoms of anxiety after the terrorist attack.
- Paraphrase: The terrorist attack caused anxiety symptoms in a number of the people.
- Original: For example, one study showed that food insufficiency was independently associated with all symptoms of poor mental health, but that association was mitigated for those who received free groceries or meals.
- Paraphrase: People who do not have enough to eat may struggle with their mental health, but free groceries or meals can help limit this problem.
These examples keep the sentence’s meaning but change the writing style to make it the writer’s own.
4. Paraphrasing Paragraphs
When you need to paraphrase an entire paragraph, you will likely use a combination of these techniques to rewrite the passage in your own words. Keep in mind that without citation, this is still considered plagiarism. Here are some examples:
- Original: The adolescent finds himself faced with multiple questions, contradictory demands, and ideas, which force him to deal with multiple conflicts, especially in light of physical, mental, social, psychological, emotional, and family changes. If these changes are negative, it will result in the failure of the adolescent to successfully form his identity, in addition to facing many problems such as social role disorder, identity confusion, or the adoption of negative identity, harming the adolescent’s life and future.
- Paraphrase: According to a 2021 Heliyon study, teenagers often face questions of identity, and they can have conflicting ideas about who they are and where they fit in society. The changes they face as they grow and develop, if they are negative, can cause them to have a poor identity formation. This problem can lead to challenges as the adolescent grows into adulthood.
- Original: In the immediate wake of a traumatic experience, large numbers of affected people report distress, including new or worsening symptoms of depression, anxiety, and insomnia. Most people will recover, though that recovery can take some time. A notable fraction of people will develop chronic symptoms severe enough to meet criteria for a mental illness, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or major depressive disorder.
- Paraphrase: The National Institutes of Health warms that a traumatic experience, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, will cause a large number of mental health problems. People often report their symptoms, such as anxiety and depression, getting worse. Though recovery happens for many, it does take time, and some people will have problems like PTSD or major depressive disorder that require mental health treatment.
In these examples, the paraphrased writing seems easier for the average reader to understand, with less industry-specific jargon.
5. Paraphrasing an Entire Work
Finally, you can paraphrase an entire work by boiling its main points into a more concise format. If you shorten the work significantly, you are summarizing, not paraphrasing. However, this idea deserves a spot on this list because it is a way to use a source in your writing without using direct quotes. Here are some examples:
- Original: The first book in the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling
- Paraphrase: In this classic piece of children’s literature, a young boy wizard named Harry must go to battle against an enemy, Voldemort, who has been trying to kill him since birth.
- Original: Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
- Paraphrase: Two star-crossed lovers from opposing families try to find a life together, only to end in tragic death because of their warring families.
When paraphrasing in this way, you can cite by stating the name of the work and the author at the beginning of the passage, then including the work on your bibliography page.
To learn more about paraphrasing, check out our guide on plagiarism vs. paraphrasing.
Join over 15,000 writers today
Get a FREE book of writing prompts and learn how to make more money from your writing.
Definition of Paraphrase
to take someone else’s words or writing and restate it
Examples of Paraphrase in a sentence
When you paraphrase the work, make sure that you clarify any confusing parts.
🔊
Forgetting to paraphrase, the student was reprimanded for quoting the original work without citing the source.
🔊
The speaker’s botched attempt to paraphrase Abraham Lincoln’s famous speech left the crowd bewildered.
🔊
Since he couldn’t paraphrase the work in his own words, the author decided to start fresh.
🔊
The woman tried to paraphrase the conversation from memory but couldn’t remember the key points.
🔊
Other words in the Neutral category:
Most Searched Words (with Video)
IELTS / WRITING / TASK 2 / Paraphrasing
Introduction
Paraphrasing is the skill of re-expressing in your own words information or ideas expressed by someone else.
It is a crucial skill to have in essay writing.
In IELTS Writing Task 2, for example, you have the opportunity to demonstrate your ability to paraphrase right from the outset as the background statement in your introduction is essentially a rewording of the essay question.
However, the usefulness of paraphrasing extends well beyond the background statement. Indeed, as each essay is about one specific topic, you need to be able to explore this topic in some depth while avoiding unnecessary repetitions of certain words or sentence structures. Paraphrasing enables you to avoid cumbersome word-for-word repetitions.
Besides, it also contributes to the overall cohesion of your essay.
Paraphrasing an Essay Question
Read the essay question below. Then study two ways in which it has been paraphrased.
Essay question:
While studying abroad provides an opportunity to broaden one’s experience, it also presents the danger of negative influences from the host culture.
Paraphrase 1:
Studying abroad is a potential source of both knowledge about life and risk of adverse foreign cultural influences.
Paraphrase 2:
Young people studying overseas can gain a lot of experience. However, they may also be negatively affected by certain aspects of the foreign culture.
Analysis
Although their wording is markedly different, both paraphrases reflect fairly accurately the meaning conveyed by the essay question and are therefore satisfactory.
Besides, both writers have used a number of similar paraphrasing techniques. Let’s have a look at these.
A) Changing the sentence structure:
The essay question is a complex sentence; (1) uses a simple sentence instead, while (2) uses two sentences linked by ‘however’ (which echoes the contrast expressed by ‘while’).
B) Changing word forms:
(1) ‘culture’ —> ‘cultural’; (2) ‘negative’ —» ‘negatively’.
C) Using synonyms:
(1) ‘danger’ —» ‘risk’, ‘negative’ —> ‘adverse’; (2) ‘abroad’ —> ‘overseas’.
These are examples of straightforward synonyms which we could find in a good dictionary. However, what skilled writers do very often is to paraphrase with synonymous phrases that they create themselves. In (1), for example, ‘experience’ becomes ‘knowledge about life’.
Changing the word order:
In both (1) and (2), although the ideas are in the same order as in the essay question, there are inevitably several changes in the word order.
Further comments:
Note that in the essay question, the words ‘opportunity’ and ‘danger’ convey the idea of something that may or may not happen. To convey the same idea, (1) uses the word ‘potential’, while (2) uses the modals ‘can’ and ‘may’.
All the above methods of paraphrasing are useful in enabling you to showcase your English language skills. While option C is based on your knowledge of vocabulary, options A, B and D show your skills in English grammar. When paraphrasing, it is common for people to rely solely on option C (vocabulary). However, you can gain as much advantage from using options A, B and D instead. Furthermore, it is good to show flexibility in the way you paraphrase.
Useful Tips for Writing a Good Paraphrase of the Essay Question
- — Make sure your paraphrase reflects accurately the meaning expressed in the essay question.
- — Do not add any ideas that are not in the essay question.
- — Not all words need to be changed. You can use some of the words given in the essay question, but try not to use more than three consecutive words from the question. This means that you should limit the number of words that are in the same order as given in the question.
- — Remember that not everything has to be or can be paraphrased. Over-paraphrasing is a common source of mistakes in IELTS essays.
— Do not rely exclusively on synonyms. Whenever possible, use several paraphrasing techniques in combination. This will also help boost your band score for grammar rather than focusing only on vocabulary.
— Avoid paraphrases that are much longer than the original.
— Remember that the main aim of the background statement is not to display sophisticated vocabulary and syntax, but rather to show that you understand the essay question.
— Always aim for meaning and accuracy rather than aiming to impress. -
Using Synonyms and Other Paraphrasing Techniques in the Body of the Essay
-
Example 1:
The government should increase social benefits to alleviate poverty.
- — Remember that not everything has to be or can be paraphrased. Over-paraphrasing is a common source of mistakes in IELTS essays.
We can guess that ‘poverty’ is probably a key word here, and as we know that it would not be easy to paraphrase, we may decide to keep it.
However, we could use ‘raise’ instead of’increase’. We could also use ‘reduce’ instead of ‘alleviate’; ‘eradicate’ would not be acceptable as it would change the meaning (if you eradicate a social problem, you get rid of it completely, whereas if you alleviate it, you just make it less severe).
So we now have:
The government should raise social benefits to reduce poverty.
Further, since we know that it is the government that pays benefits, we could have:
Social benefits should be raised to reduce poverty.
‘Social benefits’ does not necessarily have to be paraphrased, but if it has already been used several times, ‘welfare benefits’ or ‘welfare payments’ could be a useful alternative:
Welfare payments should be raised to reduce poverty.
Finally, the word order could be changed:
In order to reduce poverty, welfare payments should be raised.
In conclusion, we have here four effective paraphrases of the original sentence. Which one is best, however, will depend on how well it fits in with the sentence that comes before and/or the one that comes after.
Example 2:
Countries which rely exclusively on the tourist trade will be badly affected by a world economic downturn.
In this case, we can assume that the main topic is ‘the tourist trade’. This could be replaced with ‘tourism’.
A few more synonyms quickly come to mind, such as:
‘countries’ —» ‘nations’
‘rely (on)’ —» ‘depend (on)’
‘exclusively’ —» ‘entirely’, ‘solely’
‘badly’ —> ‘severely’, ‘seriously’, ‘adversely’
‘world’ (used as an adjective) —> ‘global’
‘economic downturn’ —> ‘recession’
So, using only synonyms we now have:
Nations which depend solely on tourism will be severely affected by a global recession.
Further, the passive could be changed into an active:
A global recession will severely affect nations which depend solely on tourism. (Conversely, it is often possible to change an active form into a passive.)
A few more options are available. For example, the modal ‘will’, expressing certainty, could be replaced with ‘is bound to’, and the adjective ‘dependent’ could be used instead of the verb ‘depend’:
A global recession is bound to severely affect nations which are solely dependent on tourism.
Finally, the relative pronoun and the auxiliary could be left out:
Nations solely dependent on tourism are bound to be severely affected by a global recession.
In conclusion, as was the case with Example 1, here too we have four effective paraphrases of the original sentence. And, similarly, which one is best will depend on how well it fits in with the preceding sentence and/or the following one.
Paraphrasing: Exercises
Exercise 1
Read the essay question and then complete Paraphrases A and B with the correct words from the box.
When a country develops its technology, the traditional skills and ways of life die out. It is pointless to try and keep them alive.
attempting developments disappear futile lifestyles preserve survive worthwhile
Paraphrase A:
It is not [attempting/developments/disappear/futile/lifestyles/preserve/survive/*worthwhile] trying to [attempting/developments/disappear/futile/lifestyles/*preserve/survive/worthwhile] a country’s traditional skills and ways of life as these [attempting/developments/*disappear/futile/lifestyles/preserve/survive/worthwhile] as a result of technological [attempting/*developments/disappear/futile/lifestyles/preserve/survive/worthwhile].
Paraphrase B:
[*Attempting/Developments/Disappear/Futile/Lifestyles/Preserve/Survive/Worthwhile] to maintain a nation’s traditional skills and [attempting/developments/disappear/futile/*lifestyles/preserve/survive/worthwhile] is [attempting/developments/disappear/*futile/lifestyles/preserve/survive/worthwhile] since they do not [attempting/developments/disappear/futile/lifestyles/preserve/*survive/worthwhile] technological progress.
Exercise 2
Read the essay question and then choose the correct words from the box to complete Paraphrases A — D.
Essay question:
Modern communications mean that it is no longer necessary to write letters
consequently devices effec teliminated means redundant rendered result strengthened up-to-date
Paraphrase A:
Letter writing has been made [consequently/devices/effect/eliminated/means/*redundant/rendered/result/strengthened/up-to-date] by new communications technology.
Paraphrase B:
As a [consequently/devices/effect/eliminated/means/redundant/*result/rendered/strengthened/up-to-date] of innovative communications systems, writing letters is now unnecessary.
Paraphrase C:
New [consequently/devices/effect/eliminated/*means/redundant/result/rendered/strengthened/up-to-date] of communication have [consequently/devices/effect/eliminated/means/redundant/*rendered/result/strengthened/up-to-date] letter writing superfluous.
Paraphrase D:
Modern forms of communication have [consequently/devices/effect/*eliminated/means/redundant/rendered/result/strengthened/up-to-date] the need to write letters.
Exercise 3
The paraphrase below is a poor example of how to paraphrase the essay question. Although it contains no grammar or vocabulary errors, it is not a good paraphrase. Why is that? Make a list of three reasons why it would not be considered a good paraphrase.
Essay question:
Modern communications mean that it is no longer necessary to write letters.
Paraphrase:
The mobile phone has reduced the need for written communications.
i _______________________________________________________
ii _______________________________________________________
iii _______________________________________________________
ANSWERS
There are no spelling, vocabulary or grammar mistakes. Besides, most people would agree that the sentence expresses a truth.
However, this is a completely inaccurate paraphrase of the essay question:
i ‘the mobile phone’ cannot be used to paraphrase ‘modern communications’, which include many other means of communication;
ii ‘reduced the need’ cannot be used to paraphrase ‘no longer necessary’ as there is a big difference between less necessary and not necessary at all;
iii ‘written communications’ cannot be used to paraphrase ‘letters’ as letters are just one type of written communications, which also include e-mail and text messages, blogs, etc.
1.
” I have my own paraphrase of this; “You’re not where you work”
2.
As espoused by Von Mises, one could paraphrase Gandhi»s response when asked what he thought of Western Civilization
3.
He recently expounded on the United States Constitution, regarding the separate branches of the federal government, to wit, and here I paraphrase: There are three branches, which are the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the Presidency
4.
‘All things wait for He who comes,’ which is a paraphrase but I can’t remember it
5.
worked diligently and quietly at it over the last hundred years (to paraphrase a Bible statement in Matt
6.
I will paraphrase a small part of it, but my paraphrase does not do it justice
7.
Some newspapers print all the truth that fits, to paraphrase the New York Times
8.
To paraphrase the words of Georgia O’Keefe in the first chapter of this book, I hope that what he did with where he has been has been of some interest
9.
The Targum, the Aramaic translation and paraphrase, renders the passage thus: “Behold the Man, Messiah is his name, who is to be revealed
10.
To paraphrase Ann Coulter10, something “repeated with mind-numbing frequency in all major news outlets” will be believed by some members of the population
11.
trouble, but to paraphrase Voltaire, it was still: The best of all possible worlds!
12.
«Please, may I paraphrase? I’ll never remember… In effect, he says he was quietly sitting there when our men entered, and he made a mild comment, whereupon Brixby hit and kicked him without warning
13.
If I was allowed to paraphrase this
14.
All you have to do is summarize points in the salesletters (and explain that this is what you are doing) and paraphrase testimonials
15.
To paraphrase means to state in your own words what you think someone
16.
You should paraphrase anytime you think someone has said
17.
eye and then paraphrase whatever they said, all in one smooth move
18.
interruption with a quick paraphrase of their shot in the form of a question is
19.
paraphrase, it is to “go with the universal flow
20.
Paraphrase the person by calmly reflecting what they have said
21.
To paraphrase Joan, Alexander and his interpreters always knew what the Oracles
22.
To paraphrase Joan, that radical vision was in every way a ‘ new Bible’
23.
The healing energy contained in the act of poetry is worth a thousand intellectual seminars and retreats, because it opens the gates between the two worlds, and to paraphrase Alice—if we don’t open those gates—we haven’t done Diddly
24.
To paraphrase Sunter these are:
25.
One of my calendars had this quote earlier this month (and I paraphrase): Why
26.
» (OK, that is my paraphrase of what this idiot, I mean,
27.
Some organizations also actively promote the gay/lesbian lifestyle, as if society were in a recruiting battle for one team or the other, to paraphrase Seinfeld
28.
To paraphrase an old saying
29.
doing) and paraphrase testimonials
30.
Another paraphrase on the Lord’s prayer, in the words of the assemblies shorter Catechism
31.
Another paraphrase on the Lord�s prayer, in the words of the assemblies shorter Catechism
32.
paraphrase the statement and say, I and the great Creative Principle of the Universe,
33.
� To paraphrase Matthew 16:26:� «For what shall it profit us, if we shall gain the whole world, and lose our own self?» That’s an old and powerful question that serves as a directive against alienation from the becoming self for some other material and consumerist purpose
34.
� We were bounded in a nutshell, and counted ourselves a king of infinite space, but we had bad dreams to paraphrase Hamlet
35.
� To paraphrase Charles Baudelaire, whether on the stairs of a palace or on the green side of ditch, the material desire to have, to possess, to own ends always in what Fromm calls «necrophily:» the love of the dead as opposed to «biophily,» the love of the living
36.
� To paraphrase a bumper sticker:� «The Philosopher said it
37.
[49] Please accept this paraphrase of her thoughts
38.
And in art, «he that would save his work must often lose it,» if you will excuse the paraphrase of a profound saying which, like most profound sayings, is applicable to many things in life besides what it originally referred to
39.
To paraphrase Abram, once we use it, we lose it
40.
1-14) of the Epistle to the Romans, sets forth the condition and prospects of the twice-born man, in language which requires little more than exact translation and paraphrase to show its conformity with the doctrine that eternal life is the gift of God in Christ
41.
Constable’s theory in a paraphrase, and what sense appears? ‘Christ shall be magnifie in my body, whether by means of life, or by means of going to nothing
42.
But if we may be allowed to paraphrase the idea of good by the words ‘intelligent principle of law and order in the universe, embracing equally man and nature,’ we begin to find a meeting-point between him and ourselves
43.
So I’ll paraphrase it for you:
44.
You just have to accept, to paraphrase, that gold is an irrational barbaric relic and people just love to play with it
45.
Bella: Sorry to incorrectly paraphrase you
46.
As Ed Seykota, the great futures trader, likes to say (and I paraphrase), trading is mostly about numbers, but once you’ve mastered the numbers, it’s all about psychology
47.
The doctrine of Jesus offers you rules which are assuredly in accord with your law of «altruism,» which is nothing but a feeble paraphrase of this same doctrine of Jesus
1.
Handgun in the World” and a paraphrased Harry quote –
2.
The words of Patrick Henry flashed through his head, and he paraphrased them to suit his mission
3.
It is often paraphrased as, ‗All other things being equal, the simplest solution is the best,‘ although that‘s technically not the correct interpretation of Occam‘s Razor
4.
paraphrased what was sent to me from this company
5.
You have paraphrased and clarified what was said and hopefully
6.
«Well, this trader paraphrased it for me,
7.
The above is in paraphrased format and you are urged to
8.
Though Muhammad’s religious constituency was the meek of the world, as Jesus had paraphrased, he seemed to have shaped Islam but to their detriment
9.
Nonetheless, with not many souls left to harvest, as Pope John Paul II had paraphrased it in recent times, yet the Christianity made its Indian mark in remarkable ways, more so being instrumental in introducing secular education that eventually ushered in social reengineering in an otherwise stagnant society, the sad relic of a once vibrant Upanishadic polity
10.
The poet has paraphrased the proverb Allá van leyes do quierenreyes, the idea of which is that a tyrant can twist the law to serve thepurposes of his tyranny
11.
I, once, paraphrased the ultra liberal saying of the sex revolution “couples that swing together, stay together” and told him that “friends that pissed together, remained friends forever
12.
It is often paraphrased as, “All other things being equal, the simplest solution is the
13.
This applies for both direct quotes and paraphrased statements
14.
This technique could be paraphrased as the what, so what, now
15.
Our (paraphrased) conversation was:
16.
Not content with a single development of Burger’s ghastly production the Russian poet has directly paraphrased «Leonora» under its own title, and also written a poem «Liudmila» in imitation of it
1.
I’m paraphrasing, of course,” I say
2.
Step 3: Quickly convey the main point by paraphrasing
3.
paraphrasing as a tool to aid interpretation
4.
Revelation thirteen is such a clear narrative that it lends itself to a form of paraphrasing;
5.
into the habit of paraphrasing
6.
I mean, Captain Kirk himself, in chastising McCoy for loosing his communicator, clearly states, paraphrasing, “A hundred years from now, the Iotians might be demanding a piece of our action
7.
I’m paraphrasing, of course, and his intentions are good
8.
I recently heard a quote that I am totally paraphrasing
9.
He said (paraphrasing), «you act like it’s a big
10.
A close paraphrasing of that silently submitted meditative prayer63 follows on the next page:
11.
She asked for a catalogue of the newest publications that were not novels—her determination was too serious just then for novels—ordered Herbert Spencer’s «First Principles,» for she felt she would like to have some principles, especially first ones, and said she would be glad of any little hint the news-agent could give her as to what he thought a married lady ought to know; and she spent the rest of the evening and the two following days laying the foundations of intellectual companionship by looking up the article _Manure_ in the «Encyclopædia Britannica» and paraphrasing it into conversational observations that sounded to her so clever when she tried them on Herr Dremmel three days later at tea-time that she was astonished herself
12.
Stated alternatively, paraphrasing the ubuntu formulation, oneness would mean that
13.
Now, I’m paraphrasing and exaggerating for the purpose of making a point, but this is tragically common
Two terms are commonly used when discussing academic and non-academic writing: paraphrasing and Plagiarism. It is essential to realize that these two concepts go hand in hand while the writing process. This blog is not meant to define or explain what they are but to guide you step by step and provide some hidden ideas to reduce your writing stress.
What is Paraphrasing?
Paraphrasing is putting someone else’s ideas into your own words. Paraphrasing a source involves changing the wording while retaining the original meaning. It is an alternative to quoting (copying a person’s exact words and putting them in quotation marks).
In academic writing, paraphrasing sources are generally better than quoting them. It shows you understand the source, read more fluently and keep your own voice front and center.
Before you continue with the actual steps, you might be thinking:
«Why is paraphrasing so important?» or «Why do I need to know how to paraphrase?»
Let me tell you that all of your writing should be your own words and not just a copy and paste of someone else’s work. If you do not paraphrase your text correctly, it will be considered plagiarized.
Whenever you paraphrase, it is important to cite the source. Also, be careful not to use wording that is too similar to the original. Otherwise, your writings will be at risk of Plagiarism.
Methods for paraphrasing:
There are two methods of paraphrasing
- You can do it by paraphrasing sentences on your own(manually)
- By using online paraphrasing tools
1. Paraphrasing sentences on your own:
Paraphrasing a Sentence is a relatively easy task. Some simple steps to paraphrase efficiently are as follows:
Step 1: Make sure you understand the source material thoroughly. This includes vocabulary, background and all essential information from the sentence. The ability to paraphrase well depends on fully understanding the material presented.
Step 2: Read the sentence to understand the meaning.
Step 3: Structure selected information into your own words.
Step 4: Highlight the keywords within the sentence. It is important to identify all the keywords because they should not be changed; otherwise, the author’s idea or original thoughts could be lost. Hence, these keywords could only be moved around within the sentence while paraphrasing.
Step 5: Note down the key concept and flow of the sentence, then write the sentence in your own words.
This means completely recreating a sentence without changing the meaning, not just changing a word or two.
Here are some techniques to paraphrase correctly when paraphrasing the sentence yourself.
Techniques for paraphrasing:
Remember that these techniques should only be used after you have verified that you fully understand the sentence; don’t try to paraphrase a sentence you don’t understand.
- Use synonyms (words that mean the same thing)
Using synonyms is possible; however, don’t overuse them; also, be careful; some synonyms don’t go well within a sentence. So check the flow of the sentence by reading it with the selected synonyms to ensure it is suitable. Be careful when using synonyms. Many words have multiple meanings, depending on the context, and you need to come up with synonyms that express the correct meaning for the given context.
Examples of paraphrasing (Manually):
Here are some example of manually parpahrsing.
Example#01:
Source sentence: The need for investors to earn a commercial return may put upward pressure on prices.
Paraphrase: The need for profit is likely to push up prices.
Here, «may» is replaced with «is likely to», and «put upward pressure on» is replaced with «push up».
- Changing the form of words:
You have to change the form of the sentence in your text, such that the verb in the sentence has to be replaced by a noun.
Example#02:
Source sentence: The idea has failed on several counts.
Paraphrase: The failure of the idea is due to many factors.
A verb here has been replaced with a noun from the same word family.
- Changing the structure
You can change or rearrange the structure of the sentence by changing the position of the in-sentence references and by rearranging the words.
Example#03:
Source sentence: While many governments have taken plans to implement privatization programs, progress has been slower than was anticipated in the early 1980’s.
Paraphrase: Although steps for the implementation of privatization programs have been made by many governments, progress in the area has not been as rapid as expected in the early 1980’s.
2. By using an online paraphrasing tool:
A paraphrasing tool has only one job: to paraphrase your text while keeping the original meaning to the required level of uniqueness.
Basically, paraphrase tools assist you in finding new methods to present your topic and make it distinctive by rewriting your sentence, article, or report.
A paraphrase tool will be helpful if you’re unsure of your writing abilities or don’t know how to adjust the structure of your material while maintaining its meaning.
Additionally, paraphrase tools are helpful for people who have trouble thinking clearly or typing swiftly.
Requirements before using the paraphrasing tool:
Here are some requirements for a paraphrase to be aware of before utilizing a tool:
- The text that is being paraphrased must be distinct from the original text and should not be a replica.
- Put your own words in the passage you want to reword.
- When changing the structure, keep the text’s meaning in mind.
- Make sure the content is relevant to the source of your work.
How to paraphrase online?
To paraphrase online using a paraphrase tool, follow these simple steps:
- Copy/Paste or type the sentence in the input box.
- Choose a rephrase mode. For example, if you are using the Prepostseo paraphrasing tool, this has four modes:
- Simple
- Advanced
- Fluency
- Creative
As you can see in the picture given below
- Then click on the paraphrase button & let this paraphrasing tool do the rest of the work for you.
Examples of paraphrasing (using a tool):
Here are some sentences that have been paraphrased by using the Prepostseo paraphrasing tool.
Example#01
Original: «Giraffes like Acacia leaves and hay, and they can consume 75 pounds of food a day.»
Paraphrase: «Giraffes like acacia leaves and hay and can eat 75 pounds of food a day.»
Example#02
Original: Any trip to Italy should include a visit to Tuscany to sample their exquisite wines.
Paraphrase: Any ride to Italy have to consist of a go to Tuscany to pattern their outstanding wines.
Avoid Plagiarism when you paraphrase:
When paraphrasing, you must be careful to avoid accidental Plagiarism.
This can happen if the paraphrased text is too similar to the original citation, with phrases or whole sentences that are identical (and therefore need to be quoted). You may also fail to cite the source properly.
Students commonly use Paraphrasing tools, which can be particularly helpful for non-native speakers who may find academic writing challenging. While these can be helpful for a little extra inspiration, use these tools sparingly and with academic integrity in mind.
To ensure that you have correctly paraphrased and cited all of your sources, you can perform a plagiarism check before submitting your work. And of-course, you should always read the source material yourself and make your own attempts at paraphrasing.
Frequently asked questions about paraphrasing:
What does paraphrase mean?
Paraphrasing is putting someone else’s ideas into your own words. Paraphrasing a source involves changing the wording while retaining the original meaning.
How to paraphrase a paragraph online?
We can paraphrase a paragraph or sentence online by using various tools available on the internet, such as Prepostseo, free of cost.
How to paraphrase a quote?
Paraphrase the quote by providing a citation that includes the last name of the author followed by a page number enclosed in parentheses, such as, «Here’s a direct quote» (Smith 8).
How do paraphrases avoid Plagiarism?
To avoid Plagiarism, change the structure of the sentences, use the synonyms of the words, and provide a citation.
How to cite a paraphrase?
When you write information from a source in your own words, cite the source by adding an in-text citation at the end of the paraphrased portion as follows: Mother-infant attachment became a leading topic of developmental research following the publication of John Bowlby’s studies (Hunt, 1993). If the author’s name is not given, then use the first word or words of the title.
You’ll always paraphrase sources in the same way, but you’ll have to use a different type of in-text citation depending on what citation style you follow.
|
APA in-text citation |
(Brouwer, 2019, p. 874) |
|
MLA in-text citation |
(Brouwer 874) |
|
Chicago footnote |
1. Susanne Brouwer, “The Auditory Foreign-Language Effect of Moral Decision Making in Highly Proficient Bilinguals,” Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development 40, no. 10 (2019): 874. https://doi.org/10.1080/01434632.2019.1585863. |
Conclusion:
When you are writing something and taking the material from somewhere else, then you have to write that text in your own words; this is known as paraphrasing. There are two methods for paraphrasing:
- By writing in your own words
- By using an online paraphrasing tool
Writing in your own words means you have to change the sentence structure and add synonyms to it, and using an online paraphrasing tool means changing your text by entering the text in the paraphraser.
When paraphrasing, you must be careful to avoid accidental Plagiarism. When you write information from a source in your own words, you have to cite the source by adding an in-text citation at the end of the paraphrased portion.