ELC 550

Language use / Grammar /

Paraphrasing / Documenting
 Paraphrasing
■ Using your own words to convey another person’s ideas without changing its original meaning and
content
Original sentence
Latin Language was the principal language of Western Europe for hundreds of years.
Paraphrased
For centuries the primary language of Western Europe was Latin.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Original – proverb
An empty purse frightens away friends.
Paraphrased
When one’s financial situation deteriorates, friends tend to disappear.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Original – idiom
The young man was only given a slap on the wrist for his part in the robbery.
Paraphrased
The young man was only given a very mild punishment for his part in the robbery.
 Rules of Paraphrasing
• You should try to change as many words as possible

• You should try to change the structure of the sentence as

much as possible

• Don’t copy more than 5 words in a row (from the original

source)

• Quote “…” or italicize distinctive words (jargon, special

terms). There’s no need to find other words to replace it.
3
 Rules of Paraphrasing

• Don’t add new ideas into your paraphrase

• Don’t alter the tone (the feel) of the original source

• Most importantly, your paraphrase should have the

same meaning as the original

4
Techniques to Paraphrase
1. GRAMMAR
- Changing noun to verb (vice versa)
e.g. ‘collection’ (noun) change to ‘collect’ (verb)
‘sign’ (verb) change to ‘signature’ (noun)
The two gentlemen signed the document.
The two gentlemen put their signatures on the document.

- Changing adjective to adverb (vice versa)

e.g. ‘loud’ (adjective) change to ‘loudly’ (adverb)
‘accurately’ (adverb) change to ‘accurate’ (adjective)
His secretary types accurately.
His secretary is an accurate typist.
 Techniques to Paraphrase
GRAMMAR (continuation)

- Changing the sentence structure

■ Police are looking for two people, including a 39-year-old woman, in connection with the discovery of the
homemade bombs at a condominium unit in Damansara Perdana yesterday .

In connection with the discovery of the homemade bombs at a condominium unit in Damansara Perdana
yesterday, police are looking for two people, including a 39-year-old woman.

■ In order to pass that exam, I had to study very hard.

I had to study very hard in order to pass that exam.

 Techniques to Paraphrase
GRAMMAR (Continuation)

- Changing active voice to passive voice (vice versa)

e.g. Researchers found the solutions to the problem. (active)
Solutions to the problem were found by researchers. (passive)

- Changing from positive sentences to negative sentences – use ‘not’ and ‘do’
e.g. Very few people choose to see the dentist regularly.
Not many people choose to see the dentist regularly.
e.g. Rather than building a traditional memorial, the city built a park.
The city did not build a traditional memorial; instead it built a park.

2) Use synonyms
e.g. ‘eat’ change to ‘consume’, ‘chance’ change to ‘possibility’
3. Use linkers/sentence connectors
(e.g. however, if, unless, because, etc)

e.g.
The manager has decided to proceed with the new plans. The rest of the staff were
happy with the current situation.

Although the rest of the staff were happy with the current situation, the manager has
decided to proceed with the new plans.

e.g. It was raining. Mr Brown still walked to work.

Despite the rain, Mr Brown still went to work on foot.

*Extra help: Active and Passive voice sentences
■ Simple Present tense
– Active →Aida borrows the book.
– Passive→ The book is borrowed by Aida.
■ Simple Past tense
– Active →Aida borrowed the book.
– Passive →The book was borrowed by Aida.
■ Present continuous tense
– Active→ Aida is borrowing the book.
– Passive→ The book is being borrowed by Aida.
■ Past continuous tense
– Active→ Aida was borrowing the book.
– Passive→ The book was being borrowed by Aida.
 *Extra help: Active and Passive voice sentences
■ Present perfect tense
– Active →Aida has borrowed the book several times.
– Passive→ The book has been borrowed by Aida several times.
■ Past perfect tense
– Active →Aida had borrowed the book before the new library system began.
– Passive →The book had been borrowed by Aida before the new library
system began.
■ Simple Future tense (be going to)
– Active→ Aida is going to borrow the book.
– Passive→ The book is going to be borrowed by Aida.
■ Simple Future tense (will)
– Active→ Aida will borrow the book.
– Passive→ The book will be borrowed by Aida.
1) Neutral Verbs
• The author says/believes/notes/declares/remarks/explains/points
out/reports/mentions/states/expresses/observes……(paraphrase)

2) Tentative Verbs
• The author suggests/speculates/moots/proposes/recommends/implies/postulates…..(paraphrase)

3) Strong Verbs
• The author argues/asserts/insists/urges/warns/stresses/claims/emphasises/denies/
agrees…..(paraphrase)

4) Begin with phrases

• According to……/As stated by/ As mentioned by…….(name of author, year, then paraphrase)

5) Insert paraphrase then acknowledge the writer(s)

• Schools are places where children spend a significant amount of time (Leyden, 1985).

How to report or introduce what you have paraphrased?

how to use in-text citations?