Paraphrasing is an important skill to master in both written and spoken content. In that, you share the ideas of another, but in your own words. Here, you need to ensure that the meaning remains the same as the original text.
Some may use the best paraphrase tool to hack this, though, it’s something you can master with practice. It demonstrates your understanding of that piece of text. While a reword machine, in rephrasing text, sometimes you may need to do it by yourself.
If you don’t know how to go about it, the tips below will help you get started:
• Use Synonyms
Most paraphrasing generator tools work by replacing the existing words with their synonyms. Each has its database that it derive the alternative words but those that have the same meaning from, and provide these suggestions to the user.
However, in this technique, you should first identify the shared language in the piece of text. These should remain unchanged. This method of paraphrasing may help you with the second one, which is:
• Change the Structure
There are numerous ways you can do this. The easy one is to break up long sentences, to make them concise. Alternatively, you can combine short ones, for the sake of clarity.
How you structure your rephrase will depend on the focus of your paper. You can also take a passage/ sentence and rewrite it starting from different points of it. It could be the end, middle, or more, as long as the sentence you create, makes sense.
Changing the structure of the original text often leads to changing the wording. Thus, it is advisable to start with this method before going to replacing words with their synonyms. Remember to use different connecting words, too.
• Change Syntax
Syntax relates to the order of words that one uses to construct a sentence. You can avoid plagiarism and paraphrase text by creating your syntax. In that, the word order in the paraphrased version won’t be the same as the original.
When you rephrase text by focusing on specific people and not abstractions; it will make the version you create more readable. Keep that in mind as you paraphrase. Ensure that the critical pieces of information, as mentioned in the source material, have a different order in what you write.
• Change Voice
It refers to changing the voice that the author adopts to a different form. Say, from active voice to passive voice, and vice versa. However, you need to remember that the use of passive voice isn’t encouraged.
Try to use active voice as often as possible, where the action of the sentence comes after the subject. It makes the text more understandable. In passive voice, the opposite happens.
• Change word form
Depending on the message you want to convey, you may be able to change the structure of the words used. Say from present to past tense, and more. Whatever the case, you should always remember that effective paraphrasing is when you don’t use the exact wording as the source, but have the same meaning.
Conclusion
Paraphrasing may seem like a difficult task. However, with time and practice, you improve your abilities. Before you know it, you will be able to do it, without actually thinking about it. It almost feels automatic.
All in all, you should strive to convey the same meaning as the original. Whatever technique you choose to apply, ensure that this, holds true.