PARAPHRASING

DRAMATICALLY IMPROVES
YOUR LANGUAGE

6 EASY STEPS TO PARAPHRASING

CB ENGLISH TUITION
 6 Easy Steps to Paraphrasing:

What is paraphrasing?
This is when you say/write the meaning of something written or spoken using different words. The
aim is to explain it with even greater clarity.

Why Paraphrasing?
How satisfying is it when you tell someone a new and impressive piece of information that makes
them go ahh wow I did not know that. When you manage to deliver the news with accuracy and
coherency in your own words.

However the problem I find is that sometimes I cant remember all the information I learnt and I end
up loosing their interest or I say it in the wrong order and I go away frustrated and deflated not
having the right vocabulary at hand.

Well I have found a helpful solution to this problem and I would like to share it with you. It is
especially powerful for language learners as you are exposed to new vocabulary in the right
context. Much better than learning lists of words. Why? Because it is applied learning - meaning
you are using the new information directly in the way it will be used in the future. A fantastic
memory trick, aha!

What is this solution?

It is a step by step method of how to properly re-tell or paraphrase a piece of information.

Paraphrasing is when you express the meaning of something written or spoken using different
words.

I noticed when teaching it to students that it is a very powerful technique to increase not only
vocabulary but also coherence, fluency, grammar and even pronunciation. Now string those
together and you have a well rounded speaker of English.

Paraphrasing isnt a new invention but it isnt always easy to do because it involves such a lot of
language processing. So what Ive done is come up with 6 simple steps to help achieve the
perfect paraphrase.

Firstly I will show you the steps and then I will give an example with the steps being highlighted for
ease of understanding.

What will I find in this article?

In this article you will be taught how to paraphrase effectively with step by step instructions along
side an example.

Lets go straight to it and show you the steps:

Step 1: Separate the information

Choose the relevant paragraph(s) you want to paraphrase
Separate them by sentences.

Step 2: Highlight content words

Choose the words that carry the meaning of the sentence.
Content words are:

Step 3: Create new content words

The synonym is a great way to expand your vocabulary and to link those words with correct
associations.
What is a synonym? - It is another word that is more or less interchangeable with
the word at hand
e.g. - the picture was hard to describe
- the picture was difficult to describe
hard and difficult in this sentence have the same meaning and so they
are synonyms to each other.

Step 4: Complete the new sentence

Simply string the new words together with whatever you feel goes well. Using any different
function words you like to complete a full sentence.
Function words are:

Step 5: Review
Now write this complete sentence down and read it back. Does it make sense? If not ask
yourself what you are not happy with and why. This helps your coherency skills.

Then look at the original and ask yourself if the new sentence is missing any information
you want to include. Is the new structure different and starting to lose the original meaning?
If so readjust it until you are happy.

Step 6: Record yourself

 Once it is perfected, record yourself and listen back. This is so important because you need
to become your own teacher. Play it back listening for pronunciation errors.

Pronunciation errors can be broken down into:

sentence stress - what words you put emphasis on
word stress - what syllable you stress
intonation - how up and down your voice goes throughout the sentence
e.g. a question will usually go up at the end Are you okay?
individual sound - are you creating the right vibrations in your mouth
e.g. chicken or kitten

Confused?
Lets use a real example to show you what I mean.

Original Paragraph:
As we sailed through the placid channels off Chiles mid-Pacific coast, all was silent. Our wooden
shippainted yellow and blue and built in the style of a traditional fishermans boatquietly cut
through the sapphire waters between the small, low-lying islands of the Chilo archipelago. On
either side, grey, gravelly shores gave way to green hills beyond and nearly cloudless skies above.
Here and there, livestock grazed around ramshackle, corrugated-tin farmhouses. Occasionally, a
tuxedoed Magellanic penguin would softly swim by.

Step 1: Separate the information.

Choose the relevant paragraph(s) you want to paraphrase
Separate them by sentences.

As we sailed through the placid channels off Chiles mid-Pacific coast, all was silent.

Our wooden shippainted yellow and blue and built in the style of a traditional fishermans boat
quietly cut through the sapphire waters between the small, low-lying islands of the Chilo
archipelago.

On either side, grey, gravelly shores gave way to green hills beyond and nearly cloudless skies
above.

Here and there, livestock grazed around ramshackle, corrugated-tin farmhouses.

Occasionally, a tuxedoed Magellanic penguin would softly swim by.

Step 2: Highlight content words

Choose the words that carry the meaning of the sentence.

As we sailed through the placid channels off Chiles mid-Pacific coast, all was silent.
Our wooden shippainted yellow and blue and built in the style of a traditional fishermans
boatquietly cut through the sapphire waters between the small, low-lying islands of the Chilo
archipelago.

On either side, grey, gravelly shores gave way to green hills beyond and nearly cloudless skies
above.

Here and there, livestock grazed around ramshackle, corrugated-tin farmhouses.

Occasionally, a tuxedoed Magellanic penguin would softly swim by.

Step 3: Create new content words

The synonym is a great way to expand your vocabulary and to link those words with correct
associations.

Sentence 1:
sailed = navigated / went on a sea voyage / cruised / rode the waves
channels = stretch of water / sea passage / waterway / strait
Chiles = Chiles (as this is a proper noun we do not change it)
coast = coastline / seashore / waterside / waters edge
silent = still / hushed / noiseless / peaceful / tranquil / soundless

Sentence 2:
ship = boat / vessel / craft / ferry / cruiser you
painted = coloured / decorated / tinted / dyed / sprayed / coated
yellow = lemon / amber / gold / blonde
blue = sapphire / sky-blue / azure / cobalt blue / teal / turquoise / cyan / sea blue
built = constructed / erected / assembled / put up
style = manner / way / technique / method
fisherman = angler / fisher / rodman / piscator
boat = barge / craft / dinghy / tub
cut through = phrasal verb meaning to go through instead of going over it - soar
waters = sea / ocean / waves / lake / river
islands = archipelagos / islet / isle / ait /
Chiloe = Chiloe (proper noun is not possible to change)
archipelago = extensive group of islands

Sentence 3:
shores = seashore / seaside / beach / coast
hills = dune / hillside / mound / bank / ridge
skies = heavens / airspace

Sentence 4:
livestock = cattle / animals / herd / farmyard animals
grazed = eat / bite / chomp / champ / forage
farmhouses = cattle ranch / ranch / large house / mansion

Sentence 5:
Magellanic Penguin = Magellanic Penguin (proper noun is not possible to change)
Swim = paddle / wade / move / float / glide
Remember that this is an exercise to expand your vocabulary. The most accurate word is the
original but what is important is the ability to discover words that closely resemble the meaning.

Step 4: Complete the sentence

Simply string the new words together with whatever you feel goes well. Using any different
function words you like to complete a full sentence.

As we navigated through Chiles coastline it was very peaceful.

Using a vessel tinted lemon with cobalt blue parts, constructed in a manner similar to an anglers
barge we soared through the waves between the islet Chiloe group of islands.

The view all around was of seaside, beautiful mounds and open to the heavens

We were surrounded by cattle casually chomping away at grass nearby their ranch.

Now and then a Magellanic Penguin would paddle past.

Step 5: Review
Now write this complete sentence down and read it back. Does it make sense? If not ask
yourself what you are not happy with and why.
Then look at the original and ask yourself if the new sentence is missing any information
you want to include. Is the new structure different and starting to lose the original meaning?
If so readjust it until you are happy.

As we navigated through straits off Chiles coastline all was peaceful.

Our vessel - tinted lemon and cobalt blue and constructed in a manner similar to an anglers barge -
soared effortlessly through the waves between the group of unassuming small islands that are
known as Chiloe.

A 360 degree view of monotone, stoney seaside bordering rolling hillside and open to the heavens.

Scattered cattle casually chomping away at grass nearby rustic old ranch houses.

From time to time a black and white Magellanic Penguin would effortlessly paddle past.

Step 6 Record

As we navigated through straits off Chiles coastline all was peaceful. Our vessel - tinted lemon
and cobalt blue and constructed in a manner similar to an anglers barge - soared effortlessly
through the waves between the group of unassuming small islands that are known as Chiloe. A
360 degree view of monotone, stoney seaside bordering rolling hillside and open to the heavens.
Scattered cattle casually chomping away at grass nearby rustic old ranch houses. From time to
time a black and white Magellanic Penguin would effortlessly paddle past.
Article Summary:
In this article you will learn a step by step method on how to affectively summarise and re-tell a
news article in your own words.

Conclusion:
So next time you read an interesting article, take the time to break the information down into
understandable chunks. Highlight the content rich words and phrases. Create a synonym list
and then string the words together in a full sentence of your own. Check the new sentence
with the old one, ask yourself Is it coherent and grammatically correct?, then tell a friend your
newly learnt piece of interesting information. Finally pat yourself on the back for firing and wiring
english neurons that have already helped improve your speaking ability.

Helping your brain connect and increase new vocabulary at a fast rate and truly challenge your
coherency skills. This really is a powerful technique that everyone wanting to take their language
learning to the next level should do regularly.

What have you learnt from this paraphrasing exercise?

1. How to break up information into bite size chunks

2. What to look for when searching for the key elements e.g. content words
3. A way to expand your vocabulary by finding synonyms
4. When to check for structure strength
5. How to turn a previously written piece of work into your own coherent passage.
6. How to turn a passive learning exercise (reading) into an active exercise (writing)