Paraphrase

Common errors in accuracy could involve mistakes in:

• verb tense
• subject/verb agreement
• articles
• punctuation
• complex sentences
• modal verbs
• prepositions.

How do I write a description of the situation?

This can be done in the same paragraph as the lead-in sentence. It is important that you do not copy full sentences directly from the question as you will lose marks.

To avoid this, you should write the information used in the question in your own words – or "paraphrase".

How do I paraphrase?

Let?s look at the following example:

Original Paraphrase Any trip to Italy should include a visit to Tuscany to sample their exquisite wines. Be sure to include a Tuscan wine-tasting experience when visiting Italy.

Here are some ideas about how to paraphrase

• Use synonyms - Change some words for others that have the same meaning.

For example:

Original Paraphrase ... to sample... wines. ... wine-tasting...

• Change the order of the words - see how ?Italy? appears in the subject of the original sentence, but in the object of the paraphrased version.

Original Paraphrase Any trip to Italy should include a visit to Tuscany to sample their exquisite wines. Be sure to include a Tuscan wine-tasting experience when visiting Italy.

• Use different grammar - There are different ways of doing this, you can;
• Change the word form:

Original Paraphrase ... a visit to ... (noun) ... when visiting Italy. (verb) Tuscany (noun) Tuscan (adjective)

• Change the structure of verbs:

Original Paraphrase ... should include (verb + modal) Be sure to include (imperative + verb)

Your reaction (if relevant)

Sometimes you have to show your reaction to show how you feel or to stress how important it is. Make sure that this is done politely, even when you are complaining.

Sometimes there is confusion between the two endings ?ing? and ?ed? and this changes the meaning of the sentence.

Look at the difference between the following phrases:

·         "I had dinner with Robert and he was very interesting." (the things that he said were interesting).

·         "I had dinner with Robert and he was very interested in my trip." (it was the trip that was interesting to Robert ? he himself was not necessarily interesting).