Paraphrasing can be a tricky job to do, and if you don’t do it properly, you might find yourself in a tough situation. That’s why, it’s wise to understand what paraphrasing all is about, and what are the techniques of paraphrasing.

What is paraphrasing?

In simple words, paraphrasing is the method of restating someone’s words in your own way while maintaining the original meaning. Paraphrasing is also known as rephrasing, restating, rewriting, and so on. The goal of paraphrasing is to offer your own depth and understanding of a topic that someone already talked about.

Example of paraphrasing

Original sentence: “The cat is sitting on the mat.”

Paraphrased sentence: “The feline is perched upon the rug.”

What is the purpose of paraphrasing?

To avoid plagiarism

Rephrasing or paraphrasing helps you to avoid copyright infringement or plagiarism by allowing you to recreate an idea or text from another source in your own words.

However, restating words in the wrong way can get you into trouble such as plagiarism, and unethical conduct. So, it’s very important to paraphrase correctly to get the desired result.

Different techniques of paraphrasing

Here are the techniques of paraphrasing that will help you paraphrase properly and avoid plagiarism –

1. Synonym replacement

The most common method of rephrasing is synonym replacement. A synonym is a word that has the same or similar meaning to another word.

You can paraphrase a text by replacing some of the words with their synonymous words.

Example:

Original sentence:

“The dog is barking loudly.”

Paraphrased sentence:

“The canine is howling intensely.”

As with everything, you should be careful about using synonyms as some synonyms might not be appropriate in certain contexts.

2. Sentence restructuring

Sentence re-constructuring refers to themethod of rearranging the elements of a sentence to bring a change in the tone and emphasis of the sentence.

It is a great way of paraphrasing because it truly displays the effort of the paraphraser.

You can use this method to present a text in your own way and improve the sentence structure along the way.

Example:

Original sentence:

“I enjoy going to the beach during the summertime.”

Paraphrased sentence:

“During the summertime, going to the beach is something I find enjoyable.”

3. Explaining with examples and illustrations

You can take someone’s words and add examples, and illustrations, to make it easier for your readers to understand the idea.

Examples also allow you to break down a topic and recreate it as your own, giving you the credit for recreating something and making it your own.

Example:

Original sentence: “Studying regularly helps improve academic performance.”

Paraphrased sentence:

“Consistent and dedicated studying acts as a catalyst for enhancing one’s academic achievements. Just like an athlete who trains diligently every day to sharpen their skills and excel in their sport, a student who commits to regular study sessions paves the way for remarkable academic progress.”

4. Changing word form or voice

Changing passive voice into active voice or vice versa can help you paraphrase effectively. It allows you to emphasize your desired subject or object.

When you change the voice of a sentence, you alter the active and passive voices with each other while maintaining the meaning of the text.

Example:

Original sentence (active voice):

“Marry built the house.”

Paraphrased sentence (passive voice):

“The house was built by Marry.”

5. Merging multiple sentences

Another great paraphrasing technique is combining multiple sentences into one sentence with grammatical clauses. You can do this especially when the sentences are simple and short.

On the other hand, combining sentences that are already too big and complex can make your text more difficult.

Example:

Original sentence:

“She finished her work. Then she went out for a walk in the park.”

Paraphrased sentence:

“After completing her work, she took a leisurely stroll in the park.”

6. Breaking complex sentences

Breaking big, complex sentences into smaller ones can help you paraphrase text as well as represent the subject to the readers in your own style.

Example:

Original sentence:

“The new research study provides valuable insights into the effects of climate change on marine ecosystems and highlights the urgent need for conservation efforts to protect vulnerable species.”

Paraphrased sentences:

“The new research study offers valuable insights into the impact of climate change on marine ecosystems. It emphasizes the urgent need for conservation efforts. These efforts aim to safeguard vulnerable species from the consequences of climate change.”

7. Adding a bit of detail or summarizing

You can improve your paraphrasing skills by adding a bit of detail of your own to the original content or, by summarizing the content.

In journalism, this is a common paraphrasing technique that allows individual newspapers to tell a story in their own way.

Original sentence:

“The company reported a decrease in profits for the second quarter.”

Paraphrased by adding detail:

“In a recent financial report, the company announced a notable decline in profits, specifically during the second quarter of the fiscal year.”

What is the best way of paraphrasing?

The most successful way to paraphrase in order to create unique content and avoid plagiarism is by combining the above techniques while rephrasing.

If you utilize multiple techniques to paraphrase your content, you can successfully create content that is easily understandable and plagiarism-free, i.e. unique.

Differences Between Paraphrasing, Quoting And Summarizing

How to get the best result in paraphrasing?

As discussed earlier, the best way to paraphrase is by combining different paraphrasing techniques. However, it will be time-consuming and challenging.

As a solution, you can use an online free paraphrasing tool that can combine all the rephrasing techniques and provide you with unique content. As a result, you can avoid plagiarism and offer your readers original content.

A Guide to Using a Free Paraphrasing Tool for Writing: Tips and Tricks

Online Paraphrasing Tool In Digital Content Writing

Optimize Academic Writing By Paraphrasing | Rules of Paraphrasing

How Does an Online Free Paraphrasing Tool Work?