TBASE  /  Reading Tools  /  Paraphrase It!

Paraphrase It!

Read a short passage, choose the best paraphrase, spot the trap in tricky paraphrases, and write your own.
Purpose

Students practice the skill behind a strong paraphrase: same meaning, every important idea, same relationships and order, new words, and no added facts.

How it works

Pick a grade. Then play three kinds of rounds: Pick the Best Paraphrase, Trap Detective, and Write Your Own. Levels get harder as you go.

Support

Every round shows why the right paraphrase works and names the trap in each wrong choice. Written work gets instant, kind, specific feedback.

Start a round

How a strong paraphrase works
Same meaning + Important ideas + Same relationships + Same order + New words, minus Added information
  • Same meaning: it says the same thing as the original
  • Important ideas: it keeps every big idea
  • Same relationships: who does what stays the same
  • Same order: events stay in the same order
  • New words: it uses your own words
  • No added information: it does not add new facts

Watch out: a wrong paraphrase often keeps something true and changes one small part. Protect the meaning first, then change the words.