Paraphrasing to Clarify Speaking Purpose

Paraphrasing means you take what a speaker said and say it again using different words. You keep the main idea the same, but you change the words. For example, if a classmate says, "I think we should read this book because the characters feel real," you could paraphrase it as, "You like this book because the people in it seem like they could be real."

Paraphrasing is not the same as repeating word for word. It is also not the same as giving your own opinion. You are simply showing that you understood the speaker's message.

Every speaker has a purpose. A speaker might want to inform you about something, persuade you to agree with an idea, or explain how to do something. When you paraphrase, you check that you found the right purpose.

During a discussion, paraphrasing shows your group that you are listening carefully. During a presentation, paraphrasing a few key points back to the speaker, or in your own notes, helps you remember the main message after the talk is over.

You can follow four simple steps every time you paraphrase.

Step one, listen to the whole idea before you start thinking of new words. Step two, pick two or three words that mean almost the same thing as the speaker's words. Step three, put your new words together in one short sentence. Step four, check with the speaker to make sure your sentence matches what they meant.

After you paraphrase, you can ask a short checking question. You might say, "So you are saying that recess should be longer, is that right?" This gives the speaker a chance to say yes, or to explain more if your paraphrase missed their purpose.

If the speaker says your paraphrase is not quite right, you can ask one more question, such as, "Can you tell me more about why?" Then you try paraphrasing again. This back and forth helps everyone in the discussion understand the same main idea.

You should also think about who is listening to your paraphrase. If you are explaining a speaker's idea to a younger student, you might use shorter words and a shorter sentence. If you are talking with classmates your own age, you can use longer words that the group already knows.

Paraphrase: Saying someone's message again using your own words, while keeping the same meaning.

Speaking Purpose: The reason a speaker is talking, such as to inform, persuade, entertain, or explain.

Checking Question: A short question you ask to confirm your paraphrase matches what the speaker meant.

Main Idea: The most important point a speaker wants you to understand.

Try these activities to build your paraphrasing skills. Listen to a short announcement and paraphrase it in one sentence. Watch a two minute video of someone explaining a fact and say the main idea back in your own words. During a class discussion, paraphrase a classmate's comment before you add your own idea, then ask them a checking question to see if you understood correctly.

Related lessons

• Speaking Purposes Using Paraphrasing