IA

1. Paraphrasing

2. What is paraphrasing ?
• This involves using your own words to express someone else`s ideas. In paraphrasing the original
meaning must be maintained.

3. Characteristics of a good paraphrase
• A paraphrase is in the THIRD person, not the first person. All the “I,”
“we,” “me” and “us” references need to be changed to
he/she/they/them/her/him references.
• A paraphrase DOES NOT have quotation marks. You are taking it out of
the quotation.
• Paraphrasing is conveying the same information in different words. You
can summarize what they said, or shorten it with their words, or say it in a
different way, but you are not using the exact same sentence they said.

4. Example of paraphrasing
• Original Material New York is referred to as “the city that never sleeps.” At
nights, people can be assured that something is going on no matter what the time.
• Paraphrase In New York, there is something to do at all hours of the night.
• Original - Organic foods are said to be healthier because they are grown without
pesticides, radiation, or genetic mutations that most non-organic food contains.
Non-organic foods are often injected with hormones and dyes, which jeopardize the
quality of the food. Paraphrase: -
• Paraphrasing - Organic foods are healthier than most non-organic foods.

5. Example of an unacceptable paraphrase
• Original Material Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's
five boroughs, with approximately 2.5 million residents, and the second-
largest in area.
• Paraphrase- Brooklyn is the most populous borough in New York City,
with about 2.5 million residents, and is the second biggest area. 
• This is a bad example of paraphrasing because it substitutes a few words
with synonyms but the structure and word order remains the same as the
original.

6. Activity
Find the words in Paraphrase 2 that replace the key words in the original text highlighted in blue below.
Paraphrase 2
• The United States, Germany, Japan and other industrial powers are being transformed from industrial economies to
knowledge and information based service economies, whilst manufacturing has been moving to low wage countries. In
a knowledge and information based economy, knowledge and information are the key ingredients in creating wealth.
• other industrial powers = _______________________
• transformed = _______________________
• whilst = _______________________
• has been moving = _______________________
• low wage countries = _______________________
• key ingredients = _______________________

7. Activity
Paraphrase the following
Of the more than 1000 bicycling deaths each year, three-fourths are
caused by head injuries. Half of those killed are school-age children.
One study concluded that wearing a bike helmet can reduce the risk
of head injury by 85 percent. In an accident, a bike helmet absorbs
the shock and cushions the head. From "Bike Helmets: Unused
Lifesavers," Consumer Reports (May 1990): 348.