Paraphrasing is the act of rewording or rephrasing a piece of text while keeping the original meaning

intact. It involves expressing the same idea in a new way, often using different words, sentence
structures, or synonyms, but without changing the overall message.

Paraphrasing is an important skill, especially in academic and language learning contexts, because
it shows that you understand the original text and can explain it in your own words.

Key Points of Paraphrasing:

1. Maintain the Original Meaning: The core message or idea must stay the same.
2. Use Different Words: You change the vocabulary (e.g., synonyms), but be careful not to
alter the meaning.
3. Change the Structure: You can change the sentence structure or re-order ideas.
4. Be Clear and Concise: Keep it simple and easy to understand.

Example of Paraphrasing:

Original Sentence:

• "He was very tired after working all day and went straight to bed."

Paraphrased Version:

• "After a long day of work, he felt exhausted and went straight to sleep."

In this case, the meaning remains the same, but the words and structure are different.

How to Paraphrase Effectively:

1. Read the Text Carefully: Make sure you fully understand the original text.
2. Identify the Main Ideas: Focus on the key points that need to be conveyed.
3. Use Synonyms: Find words that mean the same thing but are different from the original.
4. Change Sentence Structure: You can combine sentences, split them up, or change the
order of ideas.
5. Check for Clarity: Ensure that the new version is clear and communicates the same
message as the original.
Activity 1: Paraphrase the Following Sentences

Below are some sentences that you can try to paraphrase. Remember to keep the original meaning
intact, but use different words or sentence structures.

Example Sentence 1:

• Original: "She quickly ran to the bus stop to catch the last bus of the night."
• Paraphrase: "She hurried to the bus stop in order to board the final bus of the evening."

Now, try paraphrasing these:

1. Original: "The children were so excited to see the animals at the zoo that they could hardly
contain their joy."

2. Original: "Many people prefer to live in the city because of the better job opportunities and
convenient public transportation."

3. Original: "John stayed up late studying for his exams because he wanted to do well."

4. Original: "Despite the heavy rain, the football match continued without any interruptions."
 5. Original: "Her performance at the competition was excellent, and she won first place."

Activity 2: Paraphrasing Longer Passages

Paraphrasing a short passage. The goal is to keep the meaning of the entire passage while changing
the wording.

Original Passage:

“Global warming is causing temperatures to rise around the world, which leads to more frequent
extreme weather events like floods, heatwaves, and hurricanes. These changes have serious
consequences for our environment, such as rising sea levels, melting ice caps, and damage to
ecosystems. Many scientists believe that urgent action is needed to reduce carbon emissions in
order to slow down the effects of global warming and prevent further environmental damage.”

Try to paraphrase this passage while keeping the same meaning. Write your version below:

Activity 3: Paraphrasing Using Synonyms and Changing Sentence Structure

For this exercise, we'll work on using synonyms (words that have the same or similar meanings)
and changing sentence structure to paraphrase effectively.

Original Sentence:

“It is important to stay hydrated during physical activities to maintain good health.”

Paraphrase Options:

1. Using Synonyms:
 o “Staying hydrated while exercising is essential for preserving good health.”

2. Changing Sentence Structure:

o “To maintain good health, it’s essential to drink plenty of water while engaging in
physical activities.”

Activity 4: Paraphrasing and Identifying Key Information

In this activity, you will read a passage, identify the key ideas, and then paraphrase the main points.
This is useful for summarising information as well.

Original Passage:

“In the past few decades, technology has advanced rapidly, changing the way we live and work. The
introduction of the internet, smartphones, and social media platforms has transformed how we
communicate, access information, and even shop. While these advancements have brought about
many benefits, they have also raised concerns about privacy, security, and the impact of technology
on mental health.”

Main ideas to paraphrase:

• Technology advancements in recent decades

Now, try paraphrasing the key points:

Here are the paraphrased answers for the activities above to give you a clearer idea of how to
approach them:

Activity 1: Paraphrase the Sentences

1. Original: "The children were so excited to see the animals at the zoo that they could hardly
contain their joy."

o Paraphrase: "The children were thrilled to visit the zoo and struggled to hide their
excitement."

2. Original: "Many people prefer to live in the city because of the better job opportunities and
convenient public transportation."

o Paraphrase: "Living in the city is favored by many due to the availability of job
opportunities and easy access to public transport."

3. Original: "John stayed up late studying for his exams because he wanted to do well."

o Paraphrase: "John studied late into the night for his exams in hopes of performing
well."

4. Original: "Despite the heavy rain, the football match continued without any interruptions."

o Paraphrase: "Even though it was raining heavily, the football match went on as
planned."

5. Original: "Her performance at the competition was excellent, and she won first place."

o Paraphrase: "She performed brilliantly in the competition and secured first place."

Activity 2: Paraphrasing a Longer Passage

Here’s a possible paraphrased version of the global warming passage:

Paraphrase:
“Rising temperatures caused by global warming are leading to more frequent extreme weather
events such as floods, heatwaves, and hurricanes. These changes are having serious impacts on
the environment, including rising sea levels, melting ice caps, and destruction of ecosystems. Many
experts argue that immediate action is required to reduce carbon emissions to slow down global
warming and prevent further harm to the environment.”

Activity 3: Using Synonyms and Changing Sentence Structure

1. Original: “It is important to stay hydrated during physical activities to maintain good health.”

Paraphrase Options:
 o Using Synonyms: "It’s essential to drink enough water while exercising to keep your
health in good condition."

o Changing Sentence Structure: "To stay healthy, it’s crucial to drink enough fluids
while engaging in physical activities."

Activity 4: Paraphrasing and Identifying Key Information

Key Points:

• Technology has advanced rapidly, changing daily life and work.

• The internet, smartphones, and social media have transformed communication, access to
information, and shopping.

• These advancements have benefits but also raise concerns about privacy, security, and
mental health.

Paraphrase:
“In recent years, technology has made significant progress, revolutionizing the way we live and
work. With the rise of the internet, smartphones, and social media, how we communicate, access
information, and shop has changed dramatically. While these innovations offer many advantages,
they have also led to concerns about privacy, security, and their effects on mental health.”