paraphrasing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "paraphrasing" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing the act of rewording or restating text or speech in your own words while retaining the original meaning. Example: "In academic writing, paraphrasing is essential to avoid plagiarism and demonstrate understanding of the source material."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Anyway, a woman stood up and said (I'm paraphrasing): "My sister lives in Sheffield.

The Guardian

Instead of a flurry of excuses from said parent and a hasty deposition of the phone, the parent responded (and I am paraphrasing): "If you spent more time getting a facelift and less time bothering people like me, then you'd be a great deal more effective as a teacher".

The Guardian

He was paraphrasing a remark by Emmanuel-Joseph Sieyès, a delegate to the Estates-General of 1789, who said the third estate is everything, has nothing but wants to be something.

The Economist

Mr Sandel listens to each answer carefully, sometimes repeating them verbatim and then paraphrasing.

The Economist

Chris Blattman, a development economist, wrote that Mr Brooks's prescription "makes me uncomfortable", paraphrasing:We've spent five decades learning that everything we thought would work in aid did not.

The Economist

That, paraphrasing him very politely, is what Mike Huckabee, the former Republican governor of Arkansas, demanded to know on his radio chat show earlier this week.

The Economist

Mr Verrilli parried by paraphrasing another Federalist paper where James Madison registered a worry that Congress might "drain authority and energy from the executive" if presidents are not "fortified" against encroachments from the legislative branch.

The Economist

Mohan Bhagwat, its current leader, is somewhat in the mould of Savarkar, paraphrasing his beliefs and promoting Hindutva.

The Economist

"When you make peaceful change impossible, you make violent change inevitable," says Abdel Fatau Musah of the Economic Community of West African States, paraphrasing President Kennedy's words.

The Economist

As PJ O'Rourke noted in "Holidays in Hell", (I'm paraphrasing) places like the south are less livable when they were created by people who went there to create wealth instead of civilization.Greg Kushmerek.

The Economist

We now live in the shadow of a regime that is martial in its head, repressive in its arms, civilian in its skin, granting freedom only to those who applaud it".Karl Sharro, a Lebanese-Iraqi architect living in London whose whimsical satires have a wide internet following, tried a lighter approach, paraphrasing Woody Allen.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "paraphrasing" to demonstrate your understanding of a complex topic by explaining it in your own terms.

Common error

Avoid simply rearranging words from the original text when "paraphrasing". This can still be considered plagiarism. Ensure you fully understand the material and express it in a completely new way.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "paraphrasing" is a verb form, specifically the present participle. It indicates an ongoing action of rewording or restating something. Ludwig AI confirms the phrase's usability in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

34%

Science

33%

Encyclopedias

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

8%

Reference

5%

Wiki

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the term "paraphrasing" functions as a verb denoting the act of rewording or restating information. As Ludwig AI validates, it's grammatically correct and highly usable across different registers, particularly in neutral to formal contexts like news, science, and encyclopedias. While "rewording", "rephrasing", and "restating" serve as closely related alternatives, it's crucial to cite sources when "paraphrasing" to avoid plagiarism and to ensure the rewritten content fully reflects an original understanding. Ludwig examples suggest that while the term is versatile, over-reliance on the original phrasing should be avoided to maintain originality and prevent unintentional academic dishonesty.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

rewording

Focuses on changing the specific words used while retaining the original meaning.

rephrasing

Similar to rewording, but can also involve changing the structure of the sentence.

restating

Emphasizes presenting the same information in a different way, often for clarity.

expressing in other words

A more explicit way of saying paraphrasing, highlighting the change in wording.

summarizing

Involves condensing the original information into a shorter form.

putting it another way

Indicates an attempt to clarify or simplify the original statement.

interpreting

Focuses on conveying the meaning or significance of something.

rendering

Implies a more formal or technical rephrasing, often in translation.

giving an account of

Focuses on providing a description or explanation of something.

abstracting

Concerns extracting the essential points from a larger body of text.

FAQs

How do you use "paraphrasing" in a sentence?

"Paraphrasing" can be used to describe the act of rewording something, as in, "He was "paraphrasing" a quote from the book."

What's the difference between "paraphrasing" and summarizing?

"Paraphrasing" involves rewording a specific passage while retaining its length and detail. Summarizing, on the other hand, condenses a larger piece of text into a shorter version, focusing on the main points.

What are some strategies for effective "paraphrasing"?

Read the original text carefully, understand its meaning, then rewrite it in your own words without looking at the original. Check your paraphrase against the original to ensure accuracy and proper citation.

Is "paraphrasing" always necessary in academic writing?

While not every sentence needs to be paraphrased, it's crucial to do so when incorporating information from external sources to demonstrate comprehension and avoid plagiarism. Direct quotes should be used sparingly.