EAP Resource Bank
Ideas to supplement class materials
Focus
Steps in Paraphrasing
Level
Topic
Intermediate to Advanced
Paraphrasing
Activity Type
Writing/Vocabulary/Grammar
Focus
Time
Identifying key content words, organisational words, finding synonyms and re-writing
sentences using different grammatical structures
2+ hour lesson
Key Language
Content words, organisational words, Synonyms and various grammatical structures
Preparation/materials
required
Some pre-teaching/revision of Content words, organisational words, Synonyms and
various grammatical structures.
Use of the ‘Compleat Lexical Tutor’ (Université du Québec à Montréal, 2009)
available at: http://www.lextutor.ca/
Additional materials
This exercise can be adapted to suit various subject areas. Three examples are
included Law, Business and Psychology.
EAP Resource Bank
Ideas to supplement class materials
Steps in paraphrasing
1. Read the original text for comprehension
2. Highlight/underline the key content words ( topic)
a. Separate technical / specialist terms from general vocabulary.
b. Keep the specialist terms.
c. Use a thesaurus to find synonyms or alternative expressions for the general
vocabulary.
3. Highlight / underline the key organisational words.
a. Look for alternative words or expressions for these.
4. Change the order of the ideas; express the relationship between them differently.
5. Re-write sentences, using different grammatical structures.
a. Change active verbs to passive.
b. Change verbs to nouns or noun phrases.
c. Change nouns to verbs.
d. Join sentences
e. Break sentences up.
Example 1 – Original text (Law)
The shape of patent law is changing. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, as patent-rich industries such
as pharmaceuticals and biotechnology expanded, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal
Circuit and the United States Supreme Court pushed the boundaries of patentable subject matter and
tied off exceptions to ‘infringement liability.' Now, under the pressure of patent-poor incumbents in the
computer industry, Congress is being lobbied to squeeze the law into a smaller shape.
Steps 2-3 – a. /b. content vocabulary: specialist vocabulary / general vocabulary/ organisational
vocabulary
The shape of patent law is changing. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, as patent-rich industries
such as pharmaceuticals and biotechnology expanded, the United States Court of Appeals for the
Federal Circuit and the United States Supreme Court pushed the boundaries of patentable subject
matter and tied off exceptions to infringement liability.' Now, under the pressure of patent-poor
incumbents in the computer industry, Congress is being lobbied to squeeze the law into a smaller
shape. (74 words)
General Vocabulary
law = legislation, regulation
patent-rich = having a large number of patents
patent poor = having a small number of patents
industries = manufacturers, corporations, businesses
expanded = grew, increased, spread
pushed = extended, stretched
boundaries = limits, restrictions
subject matter = categories, classes
tied off = closed, discontinued
exceptions = exclusions, exemptions
lobbied = pressurised, put under pressure, persuaded
squeeze into a smaller shape = condense, tighten, re-size
Organisational vocabulary
throughout = during, in
such as = like, for example, for instance
now = nowadays, currently, in contrast
Steps 4/5
Possible paraphrase
Recently there have been shifts in the structure of patent law. Nowadays, the United States Congress
is under pressure from computer manufacturers, which hold very few patents, to limit the categories of
patentable subjects. During the 1980’s and ‘90s, these subjects were extended, and exclusions from
infringement liabilities terminated by the United States courts, because the pharmaceutical and
biotechnology corporations, which held a large number of patents, were expanding. (58 words)
EAP Resource Bank
Ideas to supplement class materials
Example 2 – Original text (Business)
The company's success could serve as a textbook case of how to effectively adapt a business model
to an emerging market. The food-storage container maker followed a strategic road map that kept it
close to its main business and maintained brand integrity in a new market, while managing costs to
compete with lower local prices. From the start, Tupperware understood that to win in the world's
second-most-populous nation, it had to focus on the power of its core brand—kitchenware—instead of
on other product lines. By entering a large new market in its core sector, Tupperware could give its
India plan the necessary attention, expertise, and support.
(108 words)
Steps 2-3 – a. /b. general vocabulary/ academic vocabulary/specialist vocabulary / organisational
vocabulary
The company's success could serve as a textbook case of how to effectively adapt a business model
to an emerging market. The food-storage container maker followed a strategic road map that kept it
close to its main business and maintained brand integrity in a new market, while managing costs to
compete with lower local prices. From the start, Tupperware understood that to win in the world's
second-most-populous nation, it had to focus on the power of its core brand—kitchenware—instead
of on other product lines. By entering a large new market in its core sector, Tupperware could give its
India plan the necessary attention, expertise, and support.
General and Academic Vocabulary
company = business, organisation
success = achievement, accomplishment
textbook = classic, model, ideal
effectively = successfully, profitably
adapt = modify, change, customise
model = paradigm, scheme, plan
emerging = new, growing, expanding
maker = manufacturer, producer
strategic = tactical, planned
maintained = kept, respected, preserved, sustained
integrity = reliability, characteristics
managing = controlling
compete = challenge, vie
populous = highly populated
focus = concentrate on
core = central, main, principle
sector = area, zone, region, field
expertise = knowledge, skill
Organisational vocabulary
that = which
and = as well as, in addition to + ...ing
while = and at the same time, and simultaneously
from the start = from the outset, from the beginning,
instead of = rather than, in place of
by = through, by means of
Steps 4/5 - Possible paraphrase
Tupperware is a classic example of how to customise an organisational plan for a rising market. In
India, the food-storage container manufacturer retained its brand image and maintained costs at a
competitive level by remaining close to its core business. It was able to provide the knowledge and
skill required to penetrate a new market because it concentrated exclusively on the popularity of its
main brand, kitchenware. (67 words)
EAP Resource Bank
Ideas to supplement class materials
Example 3 – Original text (Psychology)
Pennington, D.C. (1996) Essential Social Psychology. London: Edward Arnold, p. 35,
Often, when reading texts on developmental psychology, one gets the impression, mistakenly, that by
the time the child reaches the age of five, personality, emotional responses and social behaviour
generally are determined for life. However, the extent to which early childhood experiences
predetermine later childhood, adolescence and adulthood is much less straightforward than
psychologists once thought.
Step 2 – a./b. content vocabulary: specialist vocabulary / general vocabulary / academic vocabulary
1
Often, when reading texts on developmental psychology, one gets the impression, mistakenly,
that by the time the child reaches the age of five, personality, emotional responses and social
behaviour generally are determined for life. However, the extent to which early childhood
experiences
predetermine
later
childhood,
adolescence
and
adulthood
is
much
less
straightforward than psychologists once thought. (Pennington, 1996, p.35)
We have six specialist words that we will need to keep as they have too specific a meaning to be
changed. Academic words may also be kept although synonyms should be easily identifiable.
General vocabulary should be changed. Some suggestions below:
General vocabulary
often: frequently, regularly
texts: literature
one gets the impression: one may think, it is easy to believe
mistakenly: incorrectly, erroneously
by the time the child reaches the age of five: that a five-year-old’s…, before the child turns five
social behaviour: behaviour, manners within society
generally: commonly, usually
determined: decided, set, shaped
for life: forever
however: but, on the other hand, although
the extent to which: how much, the way in which
early childhood: infancy
experiences: event, incident
once thought: previously believed, originally thought
Steps 4/5 - Possible paraphrase
Pennington (1996, p.35) argues that although one may think, after reading developmental psychology
literature, that a five year old child’s personality, emotional reactions and behaviour in society are
usually set forever, the way in which events in the infancy of a child affect its later development is
more complex than psychologists previously believed.
1 Words from the Academic Word List. The distinctions here have been found using Lextutor. Details of this are given on Moodle in Week 08 –
Writing – LexTutor Instructions. Lextutor is from: Université du Québec à Montréal (2009) Compleat Lexical Tutor. [Online] Available at:
http://www.lextutor.ca/ [Accessed 04 Nov. 2009]