Week 5 Lesson 2: Paraphrasing Techniques

Section 1

Many different techniques can be used to help you paraphrase a text. Here are four basic techniques for
you to practise. Follow the instructions below to paraphrase the sentences.
Suggested answers will be provided on the big screen after each number.

1. Synonyms: Replacing key words with a synonym helps us to express the same idea using different
vocabulary. Use synonyms for the underlined words to change the following sentences. Use an English-
English dictionary if you need to.

Example: She examined the difficulties experienced by international students.

> She investigated the issues faced by international students.

a) Around 30,000 students may be assisted by the proposed ‘free lunch’ programme.
_____________________________________________________________________
b) More than half of the women who attended the one-day meeting were in business with their
spouses.
_____________________________________________________________________

2. Active and passive: Changing a verb from active to passive (or vice versa) forces us to change the
structure of the sentence. Note that this also changes the focus of the sentence, as you can see in the
example. Also remember that the passive form tends to be more formal than the active. Change the verb
in the following sentences from active to passive.

Example: The war affected many people. [Active: focus on ‘the war’]
> Many people were affected by the war. [Passive: focus on ‘many people’]

a) Several studies have provided evidence for this idea.

_____________________________________________________________________
b) Jones (2019) investigated this claim in her research.
_____________________________________________________________________

Adapted from: Lane, S. (2011) Instant Academic Skills. Cambridge: CUP

Powell, E (2013) York St John University: https://intranet.yorksj.ac.uk/learnteach/epax/paraphrasing/Para3tryme.pdf
3. Parts of speech: Like changing from active to passive, changing the part of speech of a key word (e.g.
from a verb to a noun) forces us to change the structure of the sentence. Note that nouns and noun
phrases are more common in academic writing. Rewrite the sentences below, changing the underlined
verbs into nouns.

Example: The reports were completed in April, ensuring the company was well prepared for the inspection
in May. [Less formal – uses a subject + verb]
>The completion of the reports in April ensured the company was well prepared for the
inspection in May. [More formal – uses a noun phrase]

a) The company needs to solve this problem.

___________________________________________________________________
b) She pronounces most words accurately.
Her ________________________________________________________________

4. Clause order: Changing the order of clauses in a sentence is a simple method of paraphrasing. In the
sentences below, identify phrases that can be moved around the sentence without changing its meaning,
and rewrite the sentences accordingly.

Example: Farming is one of the leading causes of deforestation.

> One of the leading causes of deforestation is farming.

a) Many people are unhealthy because they fail to eat well and exercise.
Because _____________________________________________________________
b) When I do my homework, I like to listen to music.
I ___________________________________________________________________

Adapted from: Lane, S. (2011) Instant Academic Skills. Cambridge: CUP

Powell, E (2013) York St John University: https://intranet.yorksj.ac.uk/learnteach/epax/paraphrasing/Para3tryme.pdf
Section 2

Write your paraphrases for these sentences in the table in the shared class folder (not here).
Write your name in the numbered box that your teacher gives you first.

1. In the experiment, at least one member of each group had to be 98 or older, while one or more
other siblings in each group had to be in their 90s.

2. Scientists have identified a segment of human DNA that they say helps explain why some people
live for almost a century, which is as much as a third longer than the typical lifespan.

3. The discovery is likely to fuel a race for the development of a pill that could extend lifespans.

4. It is widely assumed that lifestyle habits play a significant role in longevity.

5. Most of the centenarians and near-centenarians which the scientists studied were generally in good
health throughout their lives regardless of their lifestyle practices.

6. Adverts for the soft drink, Tango, have recently been banned for possibly encouraging playground
bullying.

7. For many people across Europe, the introduction of the Euro currency led to price rises in many
everyday goods.

8. Women have traditionally been seen as mothers and home makers and it is only in recent years
that they have been making significant inroads into the job market.

9. There is still a long way to go before women achieve complete equality with men but the situation
has definitely improved.

10. In the 1920s, an American academic, Elton Mayo, researched the effects of the physical
environment on the productivity of workers. The result, known as the Hawthorne Studies, showed
that workers could be motivated to work harder by making small changes to the workplace, such as
altering the lighting of a room.

If you finish all 10 sentences and the teacher has checked them, go to this website and watch the
video about paraphrasing (you will need your earphones). You can try the exercises suggested in the
video as well.

Adapted from: Lane, S. (2011) Instant Academic Skills. Cambridge: CUP

Powell, E (2013) York St John University: https://intranet.yorksj.ac.uk/learnteach/epax/paraphrasing/Para3tryme.pdf