Basic Skills

 

Paraphrasing

To paraphrase something means to put it into your own words, usually with the goal of making it simpler and easier to understand.

Compare the following:

Original Text Paraphrased Version

From Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet:

Oh gentle Romeo. If thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully. Or if thou thinkest I’m too quickly won, I’ll frown and be perverse and say thee nay, so thou wilt woo.

Oh, Romeo, if you love me, tell me! Or if you think that I'm too easy, I will play hard to get, so that you will chase me.

From Jesus' Sermon on the Mount:

Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

You have heard people say, "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth." But this is wrong. If someone harms you, don't try to get revenge. In fact, if someone slaps you on the right cheek, turn your head so that they can slap you on the left cheek also.

Instructions for the Quiz

Answer the questions.

Quiz