How to Paraphrase a Paragraph
Know what ‘paraphrasing’ means., Be aware of the differences between paraphrasing and summarizing., Understand that paraphrasing doesn’t necessarily mean making the text shorter.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Know what ‘paraphrasing’ means.
“Paraphrasing” is saying something someone else has said in your own words.
You still express the same ideas, just in a different way.
It can be a useful skill to have, especially if you are trying to write an essay or article.Of course, you always want to give credit when you use someone else’s ideas, but paraphrasing gives you a chance to say it in your own words instead of using a direct quotation.
By stating it your way, the information may fit better into what you’re writing, allowing your writing to flow more easily from one idea to the next. , Paraphrasing may sound suspiciously like summarizing, but they are actually two different methods of a rewriting a text.
In both methods, you are putting the text in your own words, though summarizing sometimes uses some of the same phrases as the original, depending on your end goals.
For example, let’s say the original writing is: “The fox stalked its prey in the moonlight, it’s large ears and bright eyes on high alert for the rabbit’s next move.” Example of a paraphrased sentence: “The rabbit stayed still in the light of the moon while the fox surveyed the land using its spectacular hearing and night vision.” Example of summarization: “Foxes hunt rabbits at night using their ears and eyes.” , When you summarize, you are trying to take a longer text and make it into a shorter, succinct text using your own words.
This is not the case with paraphrasing.
In fact, sometimes your paraphrased paragraph might be slightly longer than the original, depending on the words you choose. -
Step 2: Be aware of the differences between paraphrasing and summarizing.
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Step 3: Understand that paraphrasing doesn’t necessarily mean making the text shorter.
Detailed Guide
“Paraphrasing” is saying something someone else has said in your own words.
You still express the same ideas, just in a different way.
It can be a useful skill to have, especially if you are trying to write an essay or article.Of course, you always want to give credit when you use someone else’s ideas, but paraphrasing gives you a chance to say it in your own words instead of using a direct quotation.
By stating it your way, the information may fit better into what you’re writing, allowing your writing to flow more easily from one idea to the next. , Paraphrasing may sound suspiciously like summarizing, but they are actually two different methods of a rewriting a text.
In both methods, you are putting the text in your own words, though summarizing sometimes uses some of the same phrases as the original, depending on your end goals.
For example, let’s say the original writing is: “The fox stalked its prey in the moonlight, it’s large ears and bright eyes on high alert for the rabbit’s next move.” Example of a paraphrased sentence: “The rabbit stayed still in the light of the moon while the fox surveyed the land using its spectacular hearing and night vision.” Example of summarization: “Foxes hunt rabbits at night using their ears and eyes.” , When you summarize, you are trying to take a longer text and make it into a shorter, succinct text using your own words.
This is not the case with paraphrasing.
In fact, sometimes your paraphrased paragraph might be slightly longer than the original, depending on the words you choose.
About the Author
Alexis Stevens
Creates helpful guides on practical skills to inspire and educate readers.
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