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Interactive Grammar: Paraphrasing

Rewrite ideas using different words and structures while keeping the same meaning — an essential skill for academic writing.

Grammar Explanation · Authentic Examples · Practice Exercises

Lesson progressNot started
Duration
~60 min
Exercises
40
Level
Upper Intermediate

Overview

Rewrite ideas using different words and structures while keeping the same meaning — an essential skill for academic writing.

Paraphrasing techniques

  • synonymsbig → significant / show → demonstrate / use → utilise
  • structureActive → Passive: The team developed the app → The app was developed by the team.
  • nominalisationShe decided → Her decision / They agreed → Their agreement
  • connectorsbecause → due to / despite → in spite of

Good paraphrasing rules

  • Change both vocabulary AND structure.
  • Keep the original meaning intact.
  • Do NOT copy the original word order.
  • Understand the text fully before paraphrasing.

Common Mistakes

  • ❌ Changing only one word = not real paraphrasing.
  • ❌ Due to it was raining … → ✅ Due to the rain … (noun, not clause)
  • ❌ The product developed by the team. → ✅ The product was developed by the team.

When to use

Academic writing

Sales rose significantly → There was a significant rise in sales.

Exam writing

She decided to leave → Her decision to leave surprised everyone.

Journalism

The company grew quickly → The company experienced rapid growth.

Report writing

The findings show → The results demonstrate …

Multiple Choice

Choose the best paraphrase or identify the correct paraphrasing technique

Multiple Choice12 questions
1Paraphrasing means .
2Which is an effective paraphrase of 'She resigned immediately'?
3To paraphrase effectively, you should .
4Which is a valid paraphrase of 'The results showed a significant rise'?
5Changing active to passive voice is a useful technique.
6Which paraphrase correctly changes 'He refused to cooperate'?
7Good paraphrasing requires .
8Which paraphrase is the most effective?
9Nominalisation in paraphrasing means .
10Which uses nominalisation to paraphrase 'The company decided to expand'?
11Changing 'because' to 'due to' is an example of .
12Which is NOT a valid paraphrasing strategy?

Fill in the Blanks

Complete the paraphrase with the correct synonym or structure

Fill in the Blanks10 questions
1Original: 'increase'. Paraphrase: a(rise/rising/risen)in sales
2Original: 'important'. Synonym:(significant/signify/significance)
3Original: 'use'. Nominalised form:(use/usage/using)
4Original: 'big'. More formal synonym:(large/largely/enlarge)
5Active: 'The team developed the app.' Passive paraphrase: The app(was developed/developed/has developed)by the team.
6Original: 'fast'. Formal synonym:(rapid/rapidly/rapidness)
7Original: 'show'. More formal synonym:(demonstrate/demonstrated/demonstration)
8Original: 'because'. Connector paraphrase:(due to/because of/owing to)
9Original: 'difficult'. Synonym:(challenging/challenged/challenge)
10Original: 'she decided'. Nominalised: her(decision/decide/decisive)

Transform the Sentences

Paraphrase each sentence using the technique given

Transform8 questions

1Sales increased significantly last year. → → Use 'There was a significant rise'

2The team developed a new solution. → → Use passive voice

3She decided to resign. → → Use nominalisation: 'her decision'

4Because he was absent, the meeting was delayed. → → Use 'due to' / 'owing to'

5The results showed a big improvement. → → Replace 'big' with formal synonym

6The company grew quickly. → → Use 'rapid' + nominalisation

7They said that funding was not enough. → → Use 'highlighted a lack of'

8He refused the offer. → → Use 'declined'

Fix the Errors

Improve the weak or incorrect paraphrase

Error Fix10 questions

1She resigned. (paraphrase) She immediately resigned.

2He was happy. (paraphrase) He was happy.

3Sales rose. (paraphrase) Sales went up quickly recently.

4Due to the weather, the event was cancelled. (paraphrase) Because of the weather, the event was called off.

5The team developed the product. (passive) The product developed by the team.

6She decided to leave. (nominalised) She deciding to leave surprised them.

7Important information. (synonym) Very important information.

8He used the data. (nominalised) The using of data.

9Because it rained, the match stopped. (paraphrase) Due to it was raining, the match stopped.

10The company grew. (formal paraphrase) The company growed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this lesson on sentence structure cover?

Rewrite ideas using different words and structures while keeping the same meaning — an essential skill for academic writing.

Which CEFR level is this lesson designed for?

This lesson is designed for Upper Intermediate (B2) learners and forms part of the Sentence Structure section on Grammartier.

What is the best approach for studying this grammar topic?

Start with the definition, then study the examples carefully to understand how the pattern works in context. Practise identifying the structure in authentic sentences before producing your own — this recognition-first approach builds a strong foundation for accurate, confident use.

Your Grammar Learning Path

Follow the CEFR progression for this topic cluster.

  1. B2
    Formal Connectors
  2. B2
    Inversion After Negative Adverbials
  3. B2
    ParaphrasingYou are here
  4. C1
    Advanced Cohesion Devices
  5. C1
    Advanced Concession Structures
  6. C1
    Advanced Fronting
  7. C1
    Advanced Inversion

Before You Start

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