define paraphrasing in communication

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• What is Paraphrasing? An Overview With Examples
• Learn English
• James Prior
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• Updated February 23, 2024

What is paraphrasing? Or should I say what is the definition of paraphrasing? If you want to restate something using different words whilst retaining the same meaning, this is paraphrasing.

In this article, we cover what paraphrasing is, why it’s important, and when you should do it. Plus, some benefits and examples.

Table of Contents

Paraphrase Definition: What is Paraphrasing?

Paraphrasing is when you restate the information from a source using your own words while maintaining the original meaning. It involves expressing the ideas in a different way, often to clarify or simplify the content, without directly quoting the source.

When you paraphrase, you are not only borrowing, clarifying, or expanding on the information but also ensuring that you do all of these actions without plagiarizing the original content. It’s therefore definitely worth learning how to paraphrase if you want to improve your writing skills.

Why is Paraphrasing Important?

Paraphrasing is a valuable skill that allows you to convey information in your unique writing style while still giving credit to someone else’s ideas. It’s important for several reasons, and it serves various functions in both academic and professional writing.

Here are some key reasons why you should paraphrase:

• Paraphrasing allows you to present information from sources in your own words, reducing the risk of plagiarism. Proper in-text citation is still necessary, but paraphrasing demonstrates your understanding and interpretation of the material.
• When you paraphrase, you are required to comprehend the original content fully. You actively engage with the information, helping you better understand complex concepts and ideas. This process of restating the information in your own words showcases your understanding of the subject matter.
• By paraphrasing, you can clarify complex ideas or technical language and convey information in a clearer, shorter, and simpler form. This makes it more accessible to your audience and ensures they grasp the key points. This is particularly important when communicating with readers who may not be familiar with specialized terminology.
• Paraphrasing is valuable when synthesizing information from various sources. It enables you to blend ideas cohesively while maintaining a consistent writing style throughout your work.
• Paraphrasing allows you to inject your unique writing style and voice into the content. It helps you present information in a way that is more aligned with your personal expression and perspective.
• In certain situations where you need to meet specific length requirements for assignments or publications, paraphrasing allows you to convey information more concisely while still preserving the essential meaning.
• Paraphrasing helps maintain a smooth flow and cohesiveness in your writing. It allows you to integrate information seamlessly, avoiding abrupt shifts between your own ideas and those from external sources.
• Depending on your audience, you may need to adapt the language and level of technicality of the information you present. Paraphrasing allows you to tailor the content to suit the needs of your specific readership.

Incorporating paraphrasing into your writing not only showcases your understanding of the material but also enhances the overall quality and originality of your work.

When Should You Paraphrase?

Knowing when to paraphrase is an important skill, especially in academic writing and professional communication. Here are some situations in which you should consider paraphrasing:

• To Avoid Plagiarism:  Whenever you want to incorporate information from source material into your own work, but don’t want to use a direct quotation, paraphrasing is necessary to present the ideas in your own words while still acknowledging the original source.
• To Express Understanding:  Paraphrasing demonstrates your understanding of a topic by rephrasing the information in a way that shows you have processed and comprehended the material.
• To Simplify Complex Information:  If you encounter complex or technical language that may be difficult for your audience to understand, paraphrasing can help you clarify and simplify the information to make it more accessible and digestible.
• To Integrate Multiple Sources:  When synthesizing information from multiple sources, paraphrasing allows you to blend the ideas cohesively while maintaining your own voice and perspective.
• To Maintain Consistency in Writing Style:  In academic writing or professional writing, paraphrasing can help you maintain a consistent writing style throughout your work. This helps to ensure that all sections flow smoothly and are coherent.
• To Meet Specific Requirements:  Some assignments or publications may have specific requirements. This could relate to the number of words or concern the use of direct quotations. In such cases, paraphrasing allows you to meet these requirements while still incorporating relevant information from your sources.

What Are the Benefits of Paraphrasing?

Rewriting information in a clearer, shorter, and simpler form is called paraphrasing, so one of the benefits of paraphrasing is already clear! However, it can also be a useful exercise for other reasons, which are outlined below:

Avoiding Plagiarism

One of the main benefits of paraphrasing is mastering the ability to present information from external sources in a way that is entirely your own. By restructuring the content and expressing it using your words, you create a distinct piece of writing that reflects your comprehension and interpretation of the original material. This not only showcases your academic or professional integrity but also safeguards against unintentional plagiarism.

Paraphrasing is a fundamental skill in academic and professional settings, where originality and proper attribution are highly valued. This is especially true when it comes to writing research papers, where you’ll often need to reference someone else’s ideas with appropriate citations.

When you paraphrase effectively, you communicate to your audience that you respect the intellectual property of others while contributing your unique insights. This ethical approach to information usage enhances your credibility as a writer or researcher and reinforces the integrity of your work.

Enhancing Understanding

When you engage in paraphrasing, you actively participate in the material you are working with. You are forced to consider the ideas presented in the source material. You need to discern the essential concepts, identify key phrases, and decide how best to convey the message in a way that resonates with you.

This active engagement not only aids in understanding the content but also encourages critical thinking as you evaluate and interpret the information from your own standpoint.

By expressing someone else’s ideas in your own words, you deepen your understanding of the content. This process requires you to dissect the original text, grasp its nuances, and then reconstruct it using your language and perspective. In this way, you go beyond mere memorization and truly internalize the information, fostering a more profound comprehension of the subject matter.

Tailoring Information for Your Audience

Paraphrasing empowers you to adapt the language and complexity of the information to suit the needs and understanding of your audience. As you rephrase the content, you have the flexibility to adjust the level of technicality, simplify complex terminology, or tailor the tone to make the information more accessible to your specific readership.

Consider your audience’s background, knowledge level, and interests. Paraphrasing allows you to bridge the gap between the original content and the understanding of your intended audience.

Whether you are communicating with experts in a particular field or a general audience, the ability to paraphrase ensures that the information is conveyed in a way that resonates with and is comprehensible to your readers. This skill not only facilitates effective communication but also demonstrates your awareness of the diverse needs of your audience.

Improves Writing Skills

Paraphrasing helps in the development and refinement of your writing skills. When you actively engage in the process of rephrasing someone else’s ideas, you hone your ability to express concepts in a clear, concise, and coherent manner.

This practice refines your language proficiency, encouraging you to explore different types of sentence structure, experiment with vocabulary, and ultimately develop a more sophisticated and nuanced writing style.

As you paraphrase, you gain a heightened awareness of grammar, syntax, and word choice. This translates into improved writing, helping you construct well-articulated sentences and paragraphs. Moreover, paraphrasing allows you to experiment with different writing tones and adapt your style to suit the context or purpose of your writing, fostering versatility and adaptability in your expression.

Saves Time and Energy

Paraphrasing can significantly reduce the time and energy spent on the writing process. Rather than grappling with the challenge of integrating lengthy direct quotations or struggling to find the perfect synonym, paraphrasing allows you to distill and convey information in a more streamlined way.

This becomes particularly advantageous when faced with strict deadlines. By mastering paraphrasing, you empower yourself to produce well-crafted, original content in a shorter timeframe, allowing you to meet deadlines without compromising the quality of your work.

Examples of Paraphrasing

Here are some examples of paraphrasing:

• Original:  “The advancements in technology have revolutionized the way we communicate with each other.”
• Paraphrased:  “Technological progress has transformed how we interact and communicate with one another.”
• Original:  “Deforestation poses a significant threat to global ecosystems and biodiversity.”
• Paraphrased:  “The impact of deforestation represents a substantial danger to ecosystems and the diversity of life on a global scale.”
• Original:  “Effective time management is essential for achieving productivity in both professional and personal spheres.”
• Paraphrased:  “Efficient management of time is crucial for attaining productivity in both professional and personal aspects of life.”
• Original:  “The restaurant offers a diverse selection of culinary choices, ranging from traditional dishes to modern fusion cuisine.”
• Paraphrased:  “The restaurant provides a variety of food options, including both traditional and modern fusion dishes.”
• Original:  “The novel explores the complexities of human relationships in a rapidly changing society.”
• Paraphrased:  “The book delves into the challenges of human connections in a fast-changing world.”
• Original:  “Regular exercise is crucial for maintaining optimal physical health and preventing various health issues.”
• Paraphrased:  “Exercising regularly is important for keeping your body healthy and avoiding health problems.”

In these examples, you can observe the use of different wording, sentence structure, and synonyms while preserving the core meaning of the original sentences. This is the essence of paraphrasing.

What Are the Differences Between Paraphrasing, Quoting, and Summarizing?

So, we’ve established that successful paraphrasing is a way of rewriting someone else’s words whilst retaining their meaning and still giving credit to the original author’s ideas. But how is this different from quoting and summarizing?

While paraphrasing, quoting, and summarizing are all ways of incorporating information from source material into your own writing, there are key differences between them:

Paraphrasing

• Definition:  Paraphrasing involves rephrasing someone else’s ideas or information in your own words while retaining the original meaning.
• Usage:  You use paraphrasing when you want to present the information in a way that suits your writing style or when you need to clarify complex ideas.
• Example:  Original: “The study found a significant correlation between sleep deprivation and decreased cognitive performance.” Paraphrased: “The research indicated a notable link between lack of sleep and a decline in cognitive function.”
• Definition:  Quoting involves directly using the exact words from a source and enclosing them in quotation marks.
• Usage:  You use quoting when the original wording is essential, either because of its precision or uniqueness, or when you want to highlight a specific phrase or concept.
• Example:  Original: “The author argues, ‘In the absence of clear guidelines, individual judgment becomes paramount in decision-making.'”

The use of quotation marks is vital when quoting.

Summarizing

• Definition:  Summarizing involves condensing the main ideas of a source or original passage in your own words, focusing on the most crucial points.
• Usage:  You use summarizing when you need to provide a concise overview of a longer piece of text or when you want to capture the key points without including all the details.
• Example:  Original: A lengthy article discussing various factors influencing climate change. Summary: “The article outlines key factors contributing to climate change, including human activities and natural processes.”

In summary, paraphrasing is about expressing someone else’s ideas in your own words, quoting involves directly using the original words, and summarizing is about condensing the main points of a source.

Each technique serves different purposes in writing and should be used based on your specific goals and the nature of the information you are incorporating. If you want to level up your writing skills you need to be able to do all three of these.

Conclusion (In Our Own Words)

Paraphrasing is a valuable skill with numerous benefits. It helps you understand complex ideas, refine your writing style, and demonstrate ethical information use. It also allows you to tailor information for different audiences and can save time in academic and professional writing.

So, if you want to incorporate information from external sources into your writing in a way that is clear, concise, and respectful of the original author’s work, it’s worth mastering the art of paraphrasing.

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What The Heck Is Paraphrasing? Might Be The Most Helpful Communication Skill

By Paola Pascual on September 8, 2021

What the heck is paraphrasing? Well, it turns out it might be one of the most helpful communication skills you’ll learn for your professional life. It consists of rewriting paragraphs or sentences, using different words and structures, to convey the same message. Read how it can help you and how to do it.

Paraphrasing definition

Paraphrase meaning: To paraphrase means to express the meaning of something using different words, usually –though not always– to achieve greater clarity.

What is the purpose of paraphrasing?

Although most dictionary definitions mention that the main goal of paraphrasing is achieving greater clarity, there’s so much more to it. Check out some of the situations in which paraphrasing will help you thrive.

#1 Achieve greater clarity

You can help others understand you better by tweaking the message (the words, the structure, the register). Imagine you are the project manager of a new product feature. If you have to explain the process to a new developer, you will need to explain all the technical aspects and details. Perhaps, they don’t understand a word or two, and you will need to explain this same message again using different terms. Here are some paraphrasing sentences to achieve greater clarity:

• Original: It is paramount that we accentuate the beneficial effects that this program has had.
• Paraphrase:  It is very important that we stress the beneficial effects of this program.
• Original:  May I take this opportunity to remind applicants that any special request should be sent to the email address below provided.
• Paraphrase:  If your application includes any special request, please email us at [email protected].

#2 Grab your audience’s attention

Now, take that same example and imagine you’re explaining this new feature to the whole team. You may then want to summarize or simplify, as most of your coworkers might not need to know all the technical details. In this case, you’re paraphrasing to suit your audience and grab their attention by giving them only what they need –instead of everything .

Look at the examples below. In the original sentence, the CTO is talking to one of the developers, while in the paraphrased sentence, she is talking to an Account Manager.

• Original: The list for that query is populated manually by the server from users, and we are not able to determine that engagement list from such a complex expression.
• Paraphrase: Please, remember to set the user status manually.

#3 Sell more

Learning to paraphrase will help you be more persuasive – to sell, to negotiate, to attract new customers. Repetition is a persuasive strategy widely used in marketing, politics, and sales. It consists of using moderate repetition in an argument, and it is based on the psychological basis that suggests that low to moderate levels of repetition within a message tend to make the receptors more open and in agreement with the argument. However, this repetition will be more impactful if done subtly. That is -if you find different ways to make the same argument repeatedly.

#4 Formulate someone else’s ideas in your own words

Another example of paraphrasing is when you formulate someone else’s ideas or messages in your own words. Instead of quoting someone (in written or spoken form), where you copy what another person has said with their exact words, you rephrase the message using different words. 

This is helpful in academic writing because it shows that you have understood the source and you are integrating it within your own narrative –though always remember to cite the original source (otherwise you will be committing plagiarism!).

Paraphrasing techniques

The following techniques are some of the most common ways in which you can reword a message.

#1 Changing vocabulary. Use synonyms and keywords to reword the original message.

• Original: The government of Denmark declared that the COVID crisis is no longer a threat.
• Paraphrase: Danish authorities announced that the COVID issue is not that dangerous anymore.

#2 Changing word category.  Turn nouns into verbs, verbs into nouns, adverbs into adjectives, or adjectives into adverbs.

#3 Modifying sentence pattern.  Alter the order of ideas or express the same idea with a different sentence structure.

• Original: His personal secretary assisted him to complete the report. [verb]
• Paraphrase: He completed the report with the assistance of his personal secretary. [noun]

#4 Changing the register. Adapt the message from formal to informal, or vice versa.

• Original: Any loss of this document should be reported immediately. [formal]
• Paraphrase: If you lose this doc, let us know ASAP. [very informal] / If you lose this document, please report immediately. [neutral]

#5 Adapting the level of depth. Turn a specific message into a more general one, or vice versa. Omit information that your recipients don’t need or add details if necessary.

• Original: Our account manager needs to manually set a user’s status manually because the the system is not able to determine the engagement list from such a complex expression.
• Paraphrase: Our account manager needs set the user status manually.

Learning how to paraphrase effectively will help you navigate the workplace in a more confident way. It takes practice, so you will want to try with a few examples. If you would like guidance from one of our communication experts, get in touch or join a free webinar.

Paraphrasing tool

You can also paraphrase a fragment by using a paraphrase generator. They’re tools that rewrite your text and help you find different ways of expressing your message. It won’t be the same as learning how to do it yourself, but it may be helpful when you need to reformulate a piece of text. They can also help you “test” your paraphrasing skills and give you new ideas during your learning process. An interesting tool to paraphrase online is QuillBot . Play around with it and try to paraphrase, summarize, and check your grammar with a text you wrote. You can select the level of accuracy (from only changing words to implementing structural changes) and it is free to use online.

You can find more paraphrasing tools here but, again, these writing tools can come in handy and help you with your writing, but learning how to paraphrase on the go is a very powerful tool that we encourage you to learn.

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• What Is Paraphrasing? Definition, Steps & Examples

What Is Paraphrasing? Definition, Steps & Examples

Published on September 23, 2024 by Nicole Routh, M.Ed .

Paraphrasing involves rewording information from an outside source that you’re using as evidence in your own writing. Most academic writing includes paraphrases from multiple sources to show your readers that you researched your topic thoroughly.

Paraphrasing also helps you avoid overusing quotations so that the majority of your sentences reflect your own writing voice.

However, paraphrasing incorrectly can lead to plagiarism . To paraphrase correctly, you must state the information in your own words and give credit to the source with an in-text citation .

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Table of contents

What is paraphrasing, summarizing vs paraphrasing, how to paraphrase correctly, how to cite a paraphrase, frequently asked questions about paraphrasing.

When you paraphrase, you use your own words to describe the information in a short excerpt (e.g., one paragraph) from another source. By definition, paraphrasing includes a few essential features.

• A paraphrase has the same meaning as the sentences in the original source.
• The syntax differs from the original author’s syntax. For example, you might use fewer sentences and different sentence structures. Paraphrases are often shorter than the original passage.
• Most but not all of the word choices are different. Paraphrases include synonyms (words with the same meaning) for most of the words in the original source.
• Some words can be the same if there are no other words that have the same meaning (e.g., numbers, percentages, or technical terms).
• A paraphrase gives credit to the original source with an in-text citation. The format for in-text citations varies according to the style you’re using to cite sources (e.g., APA, MLA, or Chicago style).

A paraphrase focuses on rewording a small excerpt of an outside source. A summary is a synopsis of the main idea and key points of the entire source.

Summarizing and paraphrasing also have different purposes:

• A paraphrase provides evidence (usually in a body paragraph) that supports your main argument or main idea. Paraphrasing shows readers that your main idea is substantiated by experts.
• A summary provides context about why the source is relevant and what it’s mostly about. Summarizing is useful in introductions for literary analysis or rhetorical analysis essays. It’s also an essential aspect of annotated bibliographies and literature reviews .

Paraphrasing correctly to avoid plagiarism involves a few important steps:

• Review the sentences you want to paraphrase in the original source to make sure you understand what they mean.
• Write a draft of your paraphrase without looking at the original source.
• Compare your paraphrase with the original source to ensure that your syntax and word choices are different from the original source. Use sentence structures that are different from the original source. For example, if the author uses a complex sentence , consider using a compound sentence instead. Replace identical words with synonyms (different words that have the same meaning).
• Review the original source again to confirm that your paraphrase is accurate. It should have the same meaning as the original source even though your wording is different.
• Add an in-text citation. Minimally, this should include an author’s last name (or the name of an organization for sources with organizational authors). Depending on the citation style you’re using, your in-text citations may need a year of publication, a page number, or other elements.

In the above correct example, the writer cited the source and used sentence structures and word choices that differed from the original passage.

Anytime you paraphrase information from another source, you must include an in-text citation to show where the information came from. The information in each in-text citation varies according to the citation style you’re using.

The three most common citation formats are APA, MLA, and Chicago Author-Date.

For each style, there are two types of in-text citations: narrative and parenthetical .

• Narrative in-text citations use the author’s last name in the narrative of the sentence, usually with a signal phrase (e.g., “According to Jones”).
• Parenthetical in-text citations go at the end of the sentence in parentheses, like this APA example: (Vandolet, 2022). The period that ends the sentence always goes after the parenthetical citation.

How to paraphrase APA

APA in-text citations should include the author’s last name and year of publication . If a source has two authors, use both authors’ last names. If a source has three or more authors, use the first author’s last name and “ et al. ” before the year.

A page number is optional for paraphrases but only required for quotations.

For APA narrative citations , the author does not go in parenthesis because it’s part of the narrative of the sentence. The year goes in parentheses right after the author’s last name. Use past-tense for signal phrase verbs in APA writing (e.g., “explained” or “found”). If you cite the page number, place it in parentheses at the end of the sentence before the period.

In APA parenthetical citations , the author, year, and if applicable, the page should go at the end of the sentence in parentheses before the period. Place a comma between the author, year, and if applicable, the page number: ( Murphy & Watkins , 2017 , p. 43 ).

How to paraphrase MLA

As a general rule, MLA in-text citations for paraphrases need an author and a page number or other locator information. If the source has two authors, use both of their names. For sources with three or more authors, use the first author’s name with “et al.”

If a source doesn’t have numbered pages or paragraphs (or other locator information), you only need to cite the author. For example, MLA citations for websites often only cite the author.

In MLA narrative citations , include the author’s name in the narrative of the sentence with a present-tense verb (e.g., “explains” or “writes”). The first time you cite the source, use the author’s full name. At the end of the sentence, place the page number in parentheses before the period. Do not include “p” before the page number.

In MLA parenthetical citations , include the author’s last name and the page number in parentheses at the end of the sentence without any punctuation or other information, like this example: ( Kramer 58 ).

How to paraphrase Chicago style

The Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition) includes guidelines for two types of citation formats: Notes-bibliography and author-date .

The Chicago notes-bibliography format involves placing a superscripted number at the end of the paraphrase.

This number corresponds to a footnote at the bottom of the page with bibliographic details about the source. The footnote includes the author’s name and title along with other details depending on the type of source (e.g., book or journal article).

The Chicago author-date format uses narrative and parenthetical in-text citations that are more similar to APA and MLA. Author-date citations for paraphrases require the author , year , and page number . For sources with two authors, use both names. For sources with three or more authors, use the first author’s name with “et al.”

For web pages and other sources without numbered pages , you can usually cite the author and year only .

In Chicago author-date narrative citations , the year goes in parentheses right after the author’s last name. Use present tense for signal phrase verbs (e.g., “explains”). Place the page number in parentheses at the end of the sentence before the period. Do not use “p” before the page number, like so: (22).

In Chicago author-date parenthetical citations , include the author’s last name, year of publication, and page number together in one parentheses, like this example: ( Benes 2016 , 91 ). Only place a comma between the year and page number.

Paraphrasing plagiarism happens when someone paraphrases an outside source in a piece of writing without giving credit to the original source.

When you paraphrase ideas from outside sources in your own words, you must show where that information came from in order to avoid plagiarism . Sentences that have paraphrased information should include in-text citations .

An in-text citation includes the author’s name at a minimum, and depending on the citation style you’re using, it might include other elements such as a year of publication or a page number.

For example, APA citations for paraphrases should include the author and year of publication.

• According to a recent survey, nearly half of dog owners in the U.S. said that they are unlikely to purchase pet insurance in the near future.
• According to Megna (2024), nearly half of dog owners in the U.S. said that they are unlikely to purchase pet insurance in the near future.

You can avoid paraphrasing plagiarism by using QuillBot’s free Plagiarism Checker to look for paraphrases in your writing that need citations.

You can paraphrase a source without plagiarizing by following both of these steps.

• Write the information in your own words without using the same phrases and sentences from the original source.
• Give credit to the source you paraphrased with an in-text citation . For example, APA citations for paraphrases should include the author and year of publication.

If you need help paraphrasing a source without plagiarizing, QuillBot’s free Paraphraser can reword excerpts from outside sources. QuillBot’s free Plagiarism Checker will help you find paraphrases in your writing that need in-text citations.

You should paraphrase information instead of using a direct quote when the information that you’re sharing with your readers is more important than the original source’s style of writing.

Use paraphrases to share facts and statistics from outside sources. In this situation, the original author’s wording is less important than the information. Paraphrasing helps you maintain your own writing voice.

Use direct quotes from outside sources in these situations:

• When  the information is worded so creatively that you can’t express the author’s full intended meaning by paraphrasing
• When your purpose is to analyze another piece of writing (e.g., a poem or novel), in which case, direct quotes are evidence of the writer’s style, word choices, or use of literary devices

Whether you paraphrase or quote another writer’s ideas, use in-text citations to avoid plagiarism .

QuillBot’s free Citation Generator can help you create in-text citations for direct quotes and paraphrases.

You always have to cite a paraphrase in order to avoid plagiarism .

An in-text citation helps your readers differentiate between your original ideas and other writers’ ideas.

The format for in-text citations varies by each citation style (e.g., APA , MLA , or Chicago). In MLA writing, in-text citations should include the author’s last name and the page number where the information is located in the original source.

QuillBot’s free Citation Generator can help you cite a paraphrase in your writing.

The main difference between paraphrasing and summarizing is that paraphrasing involves rewording part of an outside source, but summarizing involves describing what an entire source is mainly about.

A paraphrase rephrases a specific fact, statistic, or idea from an outside source that you’re using as evidence in academic writing .

A summary is a synopsis that describes the main topic and key points of a complete text (e.g., an article) in order to give your readers context about why the source is significant. Summaries are common in literature reviews and annotated bibliographies .

To avoid plagiarism , use your own words anytime you paraphrase or summarize another person’s work in your writing, and give credit to the original source with a signal phrase or an in-text citation .

If you need help with paraphrasing and summarizing, QuillBot’s free Paraphrasing Tool can reword ideas from another source. QuillBot’s free Citation Generator can also help you create in-text citations.

Is this article helpful?

Nicole Routh, M.Ed

Other students also liked, summarizing, paraphrasing, and quoting: similar yet different, the 5 types of plagiarism | examples & definitions, apa reference page | example & format.

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Mastering communication: paraphrasing and summarizing skills.

Two very useful skills in communicating with others, including when coaching and facilitating, are paraphrasing and summarizing the thoughts of others.

How to Paraphrase When Communicating and Coaching With Others

Paraphrasing is repeating in your words what you interpreted someone else to be saying. Paraphrasing is powerful means to further the understanding of the other person and yourself, and can greatly increase the impact of another’s comments. It can translate comments so that even more people can understand them. When paraphrasing:

• Put the focus of the paraphrase on what the other person implied, not on what you wanted him/her to imply, e.g., don’t say, “I believe what you meant to say was …”. Instead, say “If I’m hearing you right, you conveyed that …?”
• Phrase the paraphrase as a question, “So you’re saying that …?”, so that the other person has the responsibility and opportunity to refine his/her original comments in response to your question.
• Put the focus of the paraphrase on the other person, e.g., if the person said, “I don’t get enough resources to do what I want,” then don’t paraphrase, “We probably all don’t get what we want, right?”
• Put the ownership of the paraphrase on yourself, e.g., “If I’m hearing you right …?” or “If I understand you correctly …?”
• Put the ownership of the other person’s words on him/her, e.g., say “If I understand you right, you’re saying that …?” or “… you believe that …?” or “… you feel that …?”
• In the paraphrase, use some of the words that the other person used. For example, if the other person said, “I think we should do more planning around here.” You might paraphrase, “If I’m hearing you right in this strategic planning workshop, you believe that more strategic planning should be done in our community?”
• Don’t judge or evaluate the other person’s comments, e.g., don’t say, “I wonder if you really believe that?” or “Don’t you feel out-on-a-limb making that comment?”
• You can use a paraphrase to validate your impression of the other’s comments, e.g., you could say, “So you were frustrated when …?”
• The paraphrase should be shorter than the original comments made by the other person.
• If the other person responds to your paraphrase that you still don’t understand him/her, then give the other person 1-2 chances to restate his position. Then you might cease the paraphrasing; otherwise, you might embarrass or provoke the other person.

How to Effectively Summarize

A summary is a concise overview of the most important points from a communication, whether it’s from a conversation, presentation or document. Summarizing is a very important skill for an effective communicator.

A good summary can verify that people are understanding each other, can make communications more efficient, and can ensure that the highlights of communications are captured and utilized.

When summarizing, consider the following guidelines:

• When listening or reading, look for the main ideas being conveyed.
• Look for any one major point that comes from the communication. What is the person trying to accomplish in the communication?
• Organize the main ideas, either just in your mind or written down.
• Write a summary that lists and organizes the main ideas, along with the major point of the communicator.
• The summary should always be shorter than the original communication.
• Does not introduce any new main points into the summary – if you do, make it clear that you’re adding them.
• If possible, have other readers or listeners also read your summary and tell you if it is understandable, accurate and complete.

For many related, free online resources, see the following Free Management Library’s topics:

• All About Personal and Professional Coaching
• Communications Skills
• Skills in Questioning
• Team Building
• LinkedIn Discussion Group about “Coaching for Everyone”

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Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD – Authenticity Consulting, LLC – 763-971-8890 Read my blogs: Boards , Consulting and OD , and Strategic Planning .

Carter McNamara

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Paraphrasing and Summarizing

Summing up key ideas in your own words.

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Make complex information easier to digest!

Imagine you're preparing a presentation for your CEO. You asked everyone in your team to contribute, and they all had plenty to say!

But now you have a dozen reports, all in different styles, and your CEO says that she can spare only 10 minutes to read the final version. What do you do?

The solution is to paraphrase and summarize the reports, so your boss gets only the key information that she needs, in a form that she can process quickly.

In this article, we explain how to paraphrase and how to summarize, and how to apply these techniques to text and the spoken word. We also explore the differences between the two skills, and point out the pitfalls to avoid.

What Is Paraphrasing?

When you paraphrase, you use your own words to express something that was written or said by another person.

Putting it into your own words can clarify the message, make it more relevant to your audience   , or give it greater impact.

You might use paraphrased material to support your own argument or viewpoint. Or, if you're putting together a report   , presentation   or speech   , you can use paraphrasing to maintain a consistent style, and to avoid lengthy quotations from the original text or conversation.

Paraphrased material should keep its original meaning and (approximate) length, but you can use it to pick out a single point from a longer discussion.

What Is Summarizing?

In contrast, a summary is a brief overview of an entire discussion or argument. You might summarize a whole research paper or conversation in a single paragraph, for example, or with a series of bullet points, using your own words and style.

People often summarize when the original material is long, or to emphasize key facts or points. Summaries leave out detail or examples that may distract the reader from the most important information, and they simplify complex arguments, grammar and vocabulary.

Used correctly, summarizing and paraphrasing can save time, increase understanding, and give authority and credibility to your work. Both tools are useful when the precise wording of the original communication is less important than its overall meaning.

How to Paraphrase Text

To paraphrase text, follow these four steps:

1. Read and Make Notes

Carefully read the text that you want to paraphrase. Highlight, underline or note down important terms and phrases that you need to remember.

2. Find Different Terms

Find equivalent words or phrases (synonyms) to use in place of the ones that you've picked out. A dictionary, thesaurus or online search can be useful here, but take care to preserve the meaning of the original text, particularly if you're dealing with technical or scientific terms.

3. Put the Text into Your Own Words

Rewrite the original text, line by line. Simplify   the grammar and vocabulary, adjust the order of the words and sentences, and replace "passive" expressions with "active" ones (for example, you could change "The new supplier was contacted by Nusrat" to "Nusrat contacted the new supplier").

Remove complex clauses, and break longer sentences into shorter ones. All of this will make your new version easier to understand   .

4. Check Your Work

Check your work by comparing it to the original. Your paraphrase should be clear and simple, and written in your own words. It may be shorter, but it should include all of the necessary detail.

Paraphrasing: an Example

Despite the undoubted fact that everyone's vision of what constitutes success is different, one should spend one's time establishing and finalizing one's personal vision of it. Otherwise, how can you possibly understand what your final destination might be, or whether or not your decisions are assisting you in moving in the direction of the goals which you've set yourself?

The two kinds of statement – mission and vision – can be invaluable to your approach, aiding you, as they do, in focusing on your primary goal, and quickly identifying possibilities that you might wish to exploit and explore.

We all have different ideas about success. What's important is that you spend time defining your version of success. That way, you'll understand what you should be working toward. You'll also know if your decisions are helping you to move toward your goals.

Used as part of your personal approach to goal-setting, mission and vision statements are useful for bringing sharp focus to your most important goal, and for helping you to quickly identify which opportunities you should pursue.

How to Paraphrase Speech

In a conversation – a meeting or coaching session, for example – paraphrasing is a good way to make sure that you have correctly understood what the other person has said.

This requires two additional skills: active listening   and asking the right questions   .

Useful questions include:

• If I hear you correctly, you're saying that…?
• So you mean that…? Is that right?
• Did I understand you when you said that…?

You can use questions like these to repeat the speaker's words back to them. For instance, if the person says, "We just don't have the funds available for these projects," you could reply: "If I understand you correctly, you're saying that our organization can't afford to pay for my team's projects?"

This may seem repetitive, but it gives the speaker the opportunity to highlight any misunderstandings, or to clarify their position.

When you're paraphrasing conversations in this way, take care not to introduce new ideas or information, and not to make judgements on what the other person has said, or to "spin" their words toward what you want to hear. Instead, simply restate their position as you understand it.

Sometimes, you may need to paraphrase a speech or a presentation. Perhaps you want to report back to your team, or write about it in a company blog, for example.

In these cases it's a good idea to make summary notes as you listen, and to work them up into a paraphrase later. (See How to Summarize Text or Speech, below.)

How to Summarize Text or Speech

Follow steps 1-5 below to summarize text. To summarize spoken material – a speech, a meeting, or a presentation, for example – start at step 3.

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1. Get a General Idea of the Original

First, speed read   the text that you're summarizing to get a general impression of its content. Pay particular attention to the title, introduction, conclusion, and the headings and subheadings.

2. Check Your Understanding

Build your comprehension of the text by reading it again more carefully. Check that your initial interpretation of the content was correct.

3. Make Notes

Take notes on what you're reading or listening to. Use bullet points, and introduce each bullet with a key word or idea. Write down only one point or idea for each bullet.

If you're summarizing spoken material, you may not have much time on each point before the speaker moves on. If you can, obtain a meeting agenda, a copy of the presentation, or a transcript of the speech in advance, so you know what's coming.

Make sure your notes are concise, well-ordered, and include only the points that really matter.

The Cornell Note-Taking System   is an effective way to organize your notes as you write them, so that you can easily identify key points and actions later. Our article, Writing Meeting Notes   , also contains plenty of useful advice.

4. Write Your Summary

Bullet points or numbered lists are often an acceptable format for summaries – for example, on presentation slides, in the minutes of a meeting, or in Key Points sections like the one at the end of this article.

However, don't just use the bulleted notes that you took in step 3. They'll likely need editing or "polishing" if you want other people to understand them.

Some summaries, such as research paper abstracts, press releases, and marketing copy, require continuous prose. If this is the case, write your summary as a paragraph, turning each bullet point into a full sentence.

Aim to use only your own notes, and refer to original documents or recordings only if you really need to. This helps to ensure that you use your own words.

If you're summarizing speech, do so as soon as possible after the event, while it's still fresh in your mind.

5. Check Your Work

Your summary should be a brief but informative outline of the original. Check that you've expressed all of the most important points in your own words, and that you've left out any unnecessary detail.

Summarizing: an Example

So how do you go about identifying your strengths and weaknesses, and analyzing the opportunities and threats that flow from them? SWOT Analysis is a useful technique that helps you to do this.

What makes SWOT especially powerful is that, with a little thought, it can help you to uncover opportunities that you would not otherwise have spotted. And by understanding your weaknesses, you can manage and eliminate threats that might otherwise hurt your ability to move forward in your role.

If you look at yourself using the SWOT framework, you can start to separate yourself from your peers, and further develop the specialized talents and abilities that you need in order to advance your career and to help you achieve your personal goals.

SWOT Analysis is a technique that helps you identify strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats. Understanding and managing these factors helps you to develop the abilities you need to achieve your goals and progress in your career.

Permission and Citations

If you intend to publish or circulate your document, it's important to seek permission from the copyright holder of the material that you've paraphrased or summarized. Failure to do so can leave you open to allegations of plagiarism, or even legal action.

It's good practice to cite your sources with a footnote, or with a reference in the text to a list of sources at the end of your document. There are several standard citation styles – choose one and apply it consistently, or follow your organization's house style guidelines.

As well as acknowledging the original author, citations tell you, the reader, that you're reading paraphrased or summarized material. This enables you to check the original source if you think that someone else's words may have been misused or misinterpreted.

Some writers might use others' ideas to prop up their own, but include only what suits them, for instance. Others may have misunderstood the original arguments, or "twisted" them by adding their own material.

If you're wary, or you find problems with the work, you may prefer to seek more reliable sources of information. (See our article, How to Spot Real and Fake News   , for more on this.)

Paraphrasing means rephrasing text or speech in your own words, without changing its meaning. Summarizing means cutting it down to its bare essentials. You can use both techniques to clarify and simplify complex information or ideas.

To paraphrase text:

• Read and make notes.
• Find different terms.
• Put the text into your own words.
• Check your work.

You can also use paraphrasing in a meeting or conversation, by listening carefully to what's being said and repeating it back to the speaker to check that you have understood it correctly.

To summarize text or speech:

• Get a general idea of the original.
• Check your understanding.
• Make notes.
• Write your summary.

Seek permission for any copyrighted material that you use, and cite it appropriately.

This site teaches you the skills you need for a happy and successful career; and this is just one of many tools and resources that you'll find here at Mind Tools. Subscribe to our free newsletter , or join the Mind Tools Club and really supercharge your career!

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Comments (10)

• Over a month ago Midgie wrote Hi sahibaMehry, My view is that we paraphrase the meaning and essence of what has been said, rather than sentence by sentence or word for word. If you are to use the exact words, that would be 'quoting' someone. Hope that helps. Midgie Mind Tools Team
• Over a month ago sahibaMehry wrote Hello could you please answer my question do we need to paraphrase sentences in summarizing or not we should summarize it word to word?
• Over a month ago Michele wrote Hi SabrinaSeo, You are most welcome. We hope the information in the article was helpful. Michele Mind Tools Team

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• Jul 23, 2023
• 10 min read

50 Top Paraphrasing In Communication Skills (2023)

Paraphrasing is a must-have communication skill—it's like the secret sauce to understanding and connecting with others. Picture this: you're having a conversation with someone, and they're pouring their heart out, sharing their thoughts and feelings. Now, paraphrasing comes into play—you listen intently, make eye contact, and avoid any distractions.

Understanding the main ideas is key, so you reflect on the information, pinpoint the core concepts, and really soak it all in. This active and reflective listening sets the stage for perfect paraphrasing.

Active Listening and Understanding

Paraphrasing techniques, building rapport and empathy, avoiding misinterpretation and assumptions, enhancing communication and clarity, cultural sensitivity, practice and improvement, supporting problem-solving and dialogue, acknowledging sources, 1. be attentive while listening.

Let's face it—we've all been guilty of zoning out during a conversation, thinking about what we're going to have for dinner or that upcoming vacation. But paraphrasing requires full attention. So, put away your phone, focus on the speaker, and be present in the moment. This not only shows respect but also sets the stage for a successful paraphrasing session.

2. Understand the main ideas

You know how when you watch a movie or read a book, you latch onto the main plot points? Well, it's the same in conversations. Grab those key ideas, reflect on them, and understand the essence of what the speaker is saying. It's like solving a puzzle—piece by piece, you'll get the whole picture.

3. Listen actively and reflectively

Active listening is like an art form—it involves not just hearing the words but also understanding the emotions and intentions behind them. Reflective listening takes it a step further. Before jumping into paraphrasing, take a moment to digest what you've heard. This reflection will guide you towards a more empathetic and accurate paraphrase.

4. Pay attention to nonverbal cues

You know how they say actions speak louder than words? Well, it's true. Nonverbal cues—facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice—reveal a lot about what's going on beneath the surface. So, keep your eyes peeled for those cues. They'll give you the extra insight you need to paraphrase with empathy and precision.

5. Verify understanding with the speaker

Imagine you're baking a cake, and you're not sure if you've got all the right ingredients. So, you double-check with the recipe. Similarly, after paraphrasing, double-check with the speaker. Ask questions like, "Did I get that right?" or "Is this what you meant?" This verification step ensures you're on the same page and keeps the conversation flowing smoothly.

6. Avoid interrupting while paraphrasing

Interrupting someone mid-sentence is like hitting pause on their thoughts and feelings. It disrupts the flow of communication and can leave them feeling unheard. So, don't do it. Let the speaker finish their thoughts before you dive into paraphrasing. This patience and attentiveness create a more positive and respectful conversation.

7. Use "I" statements when paraphrasing

Picture this: you're at a party, and someone starts gossiping about someone else. Suddenly, you jump in and say, "Well, I heard that..." It's not cool, right? Same goes for paraphrasing. When you start with "I" statements, like "If I understand correctly" or "From my perspective," you take ownership of your understanding. It shows you're not just regurgitating info but actively engaging in the conversation.

8. Restate information using synonyms

Paraphrasing is like giving a story a fresh coat of paint. Instead of using the exact words, swap some of them out for synonyms. It adds variety and flair to your paraphrase, demonstrating your mastery of the subject. So, grab a thesaurus and get creative!

9. Break down ideas into digestible chunks

Ever tried eating a whole pizza in one bite? Doesn't sound like fun, right? Paraphrasing complex ideas is like cutting that pizza into slices. Break it down into manageable chunks and focus on each part separately. You'll understand it better, and your paraphrase will be spot on.

10. Highlight main takeaways

You know how some sentences are like treasure chests with golden nuggets buried inside? When paraphrasing, uncover those precious main takeaways and give them the spotlight. Your paraphrase will become a concise and powerful summary, capturing the speaker's core message.

11. Change sentence structures

Repeating the same sentence structure over and over is like listening to a broken record. Mix it up! Play around with different sentence structures while retaining the original meaning. It keeps your paraphrase fresh and exciting.

12. Use a thesaurus to find substitutes

We all have our favorite words that we use like confetti. But paraphrasing is not a confetti party. To spice things up, use a thesaurus to find exciting word alternatives. Your paraphrases will be a colorful array of ideas.

13. Paraphrase complex ideas clearly

You know the feeling when you're reading a textbook and the jargon makes your head spin? Yeah, don't be that person. Paraphrase complex ideas in a straightforward manner, using everyday language. It helps the speaker—and yourself—understand the message better.

14. Use appropriate sentence stems

Just like building a house, a good paraphrase needs a strong foundation. And that foundation is an appropriate sentence stem. Starting with phrases like "It seems like..." or "I hear you saying..." anchors your paraphrase and sets the tone for a meaningful conversation.

15. Be concise and to the point

If you've ever listened to a never-ending story, you know how frustrating it can be. So, avoid going off on tangents when paraphrasing. Be concise and get to the heart of the matter. Your paraphrases will be like mini-explosions of insight.

16. Restate information with precision

When you're baking a cake, you measure the ingredients carefully to ensure it turns out just right. The same goes for paraphrasing. Pay attention to details and restate the speaker's information with precision. It shows that you value their words and ideas.

17. Paraphrase complex language into simpler terms

Remember that time you tried explaining quantum physics to your grandma? Yeah, not easy. When faced with complex language, break it down into simpler terms. It's like turning quantum physics into plain old everyday conversation. Your grandma will thank you.

18. Utilize owned language

Ever heard of the saying, "Put yourself in someone else's shoes"? Well, paraphrasing is like stepping into their shoes and walking a mile in them. So, use "owned" language when you paraphrase. Say, "It sounds like I heard you say..." instead of "You said..." It shows you're walking that mile together.

19. Ask perception checking questions

Imagine you're traveling to a new country, and you're not sure if you're pronouncing "hello" correctly. So, you ask a local to check. It's the same with paraphrasing. Ask perception checking questions after paraphrasing to ensure you got it right. It builds rapport and mutual understanding.

20. Be empathetic in your paraphrasing

Paraphrasing is more than just a linguistic exercise—it's an emotional connection. When someone shares their feelings, mirror their emotions in your paraphrase. Use phrases like "I can see you're feeling..." or "It sounds like you're experiencing..." This empathy strengthens your bond.

21. Paraphrase to build rapport

Imagine you're meeting your favorite celebrity, and they say, "I love your style!" It instantly creates a connection, right? Well, paraphrasing does the same. When you paraphrase, you show you're on the same page and truly listening. It's like building a bridge of trust and understanding.

22. Use paraphrasing to confirm understanding

Remember the time you went to a party and were unsure if you were at the right place? So, you asked the host to confirm. In the same way, paraphrasing is your confirmation tool. After you paraphrase, ask the speaker, "Did I get that right?" or "Is this what you meant?" It ensures you're in sync.

23. Be respectful in your paraphrases

Would you laugh at someone's dreams or call their ideas dumb? Of course not! So, when paraphrasing, be respectful. Use polite and courteous language. It shows that you value the speaker's perspective and creates a warm and inviting conversation.

24. Paraphrase to encourage dialogue

You know how people in movies say, "We need to talk"? Well, paraphrasing is the opposite—it's an invitation to talk. When you paraphrase, you're saying, "I'm here, and I'm ready to listen." It encourages the speaker to share more and keeps the conversation alive.

25. Use paraphrasing to demonstrate empathy

Empathy is like a warm hug—it makes people feel understood and cared for. So, when you paraphrase, you're giving that virtual hug. You're saying, "I'm here with you, and I get it." This demonstration of empathy fosters a safe and supportive space for communication.

26. Paraphrase to show active engagement

Imagine you're watching a magic show, and the magician asks for a volunteer. You raise your hand, eager to participate. That's the spirit of paraphrasing! It shows you're an active participant, not just a passive listener. Your engagement sets the stage for fruitful communication.

27. Use paraphrasing to build trust

Trust is like the secret ingredient in any successful relationship. When you paraphrase, you're adding that special something. It shows the speaker you're fully invested and genuinely trying to understand. This trust-building paraphrase fosters a deeper connection.

28. Avoid word-for-word repetition

Parrot talk is fun for, well, parrots. But in communication, it's a no-go. Paraphrasing is your opportunity to shine with creativity. So, skip the word-for-word repetition. Use your language skills to restate ideas in your unique way.

29. Avoid inserting personal opinions

Picture this: you're at a concert, and the band starts playing your favorite song. But then someone in the crowd starts loudly singing a different tune. Annoying, right? The same goes for paraphrasing—keep your personal opinions out of it. It's not about you; it's about the speaker.

30. Stay objective in your paraphrases

You know how at a fair, you try to win that stuffed animal by shooting hoops? The more objective you are, the better your chances. It's the same with paraphrasing. Stay objective, and you'll win at accurate communication.

31. Avoid misinterpretation

Misinterpretation is like a dance party gone wrong—you end up stepping on each other's toes. To avoid the mishaps of miscommunication, be cautious while paraphrasing. Pay attention to the speaker's words and nonverbal cues. When in doubt, ask clarifying questions.

32. Avoid making assumptions

You know what they say about assumptions, right? They can lead you down the wrong path. So, leave the assumptions behind when paraphrasing. Focus on the facts and the speaker's actual words. If you're unsure, ask away—better safe than sorry.

33. Avoid altering the speaker's meaning

Imagine you're ordering a sandwich, and the server brings you a burger instead. Not cool! The same goes for paraphrasing. Stick to the main ideas and tone expressed by the speaker. Don't add or subtract—you want the speaker's message intact.

34. Avoid paraphrasing in a condescending manner

Ever had someone talk down to you like you were a child? Not a good feeling, right? So, when you paraphrase, be mindful of your tone. Avoid sounding condescending or dismissive. Treat the speaker as an equal, and your paraphrase will shine.

35. Avoid rushing through paraphrasing

Imagine you're doing a puzzle, and you rush through it, forcing pieces to fit where they don't belong. It's frustrating, and the result isn't pretty. Same with paraphrasing. Take your time, let the pieces of information settle, and craft your paraphrase thoughtfully. The result will be a masterpiece of communication.

36. Paraphrase to enhance clarity

Clarity is like a spotlight—it shines a bright light on your communication. Paraphrasing is your spotlight operator. Use it to highlight the speaker's message and ensure a crystal-clear understanding.

37. Use paraphrasing to clarify ambiguity

You know how sometimes you're lost in a maze, and you need someone to point you in the right direction? That's where paraphrasing comes in. It's your GPS to guide you through ambiguous statements. Clarify any confusion and seek clarification if needed. The path will become clear.

38. Adapt your paraphrasing to the audience

Paraphrasing is like dressing up for different occasions. You wouldn't wear a ball gown to a beach party, would you? Similarly, consider your audience's knowledge and familiarity when paraphrasing. Adjust your language and level of detail accordingly. It ensures your paraphrase is tailored to suit your audience.

39. Paraphrase to confirm accuracy

Ever played telephone as a kid, and the message gets all twisted? That's what happens when you don't verify. Paraphrasing is your verification tool. By restating the speaker's message, you give them the opportunity to correct any misconceptions. It's the key to accurate communication.

40. Paraphrase to foster open communication

Open communication is like a blooming flower—it thrives in a nurturing environment. Paraphrasing creates that nurturing space. When you paraphrase, you're saying, "I'm here to support you and your thoughts." It invites the speaker to open up and share more.

41. Pay attention to context and tone

Context and tone are like spices in a recipe—they add flavor to your communication. So, when you paraphrase, pay attention to the context and emotions expressed by the speaker. It helps you craft a paraphrase that's on point and respectful of the speaker's feelings.

42. Paraphrase to create a supportive environment

Paraphrasing is like building a cozy nest for communication. It's your way of saying, "I'm here to support you and your thoughts." By paraphrasing, you create a safe and supportive space for open dialogue.

43. Use paraphrasing to clarify misunderstandings

Remember that time your friend misunderstood your text, and it turned into a big mess? Misunderstandings happen, but paraphrasing is your troubleshooter. It helps identify and resolve these issues, creating a smoother exchange of ideas.

44. Be mindful of cultural differences

Cultural sensitivity is like speaking a foreign language—it takes practice and patience. When paraphrasing, be mindful of cultural nuances and avoid misinterpreting or disrespecting cultural norms. It's the key to smooth and respectful communication.

45. Practice paraphrasing regularly

Practice makes perfect—like playing an instrument or doing yoga. So, engage in daily conversations and make an effort to paraphrase frequently. The more you practice, the more proficient you'll become.

46. Practice paraphrasing with different topics

Imagine you're a chef who only cooks one dish. Boring, right? Same goes for paraphrasing. Try your hand at paraphrasing different topics. It broadens your knowledge and adaptability, making you a paraphrasing virtuoso.

47. Use paraphrasing to facilitate problem-solving

Paraphrasing is like a bridge—it connects different ideas and helps solve problems collaboratively. When you paraphrase, you're not just rephrasing; you're building bridges of understanding. This fosters problem-solving and teamwork.

48. Use paraphrasing to encourage further discussion

Ever been in a brainstorming session where ideas bounce around like ping-pong balls? Paraphrasing is your ping-pong paddle. Use it to bounce ideas back to the speaker. It keeps the conversation lively and encourages further discussion.

49. Paraphrase to help coach your employees

When coaching employees, it's easy to give the answers. Instead, use paraphrasing to hold back your automatic answers. Listen, paraphrase back to them, and help them come up with the solution. Then, they'll learn more from the experience and will know what to do next time.

50. Always acknowledge the original source

Imagine you create a beautiful piece of art, and someone else claims it as their own. Not cool, right? Same goes for paraphrasing. Always give credit where it's due. Acknowledge the original source—it shows respect for their work and maintains academic integrity.

Paraphrasing is like the secret weapon in your communication arsenal—it enhances understanding, fosters empathy, and builds lasting connections. Through active listening, thoughtful paraphrasing techniques, and a dash of empathy, you can become a communication superstar, whether at the university, workplace, or in your personal life.

Remember to be respectful of cultural differences and to always acknowledge the original sources when paraphrasing academic or professional material. With practice, you'll master the art of paraphrasing, bringing harmony and success to your interactions. So, paraphrase on and see the magic unfold in your communication!

21 Expert Tips For Effective Communication With Difficult People

We communicate with people every day, but sometimes it can be challenging to deal with certain individuals, especially the difficult ones. You may feel stressed, frustrated, and overwhelmed by their behavior.

However, effective communication can help alleviate tension and find common ground. In this blog post, we've gathered 21 tips that will help you communicate with difficult people more effectively. By following these tips, you can manage difficult situations with greater ease and achieve better outcomes.

Preparing Yourself

1. stay calm.

Staying calm is crucial when dealing with difficult people. If you let their emotions affect you, you may find yourself becoming angry or frustrated. This can make the situation worse and harder to resolve. Instead, take deep breaths, remain objective, and don't take their behavior personally. By staying calm, you can de-escalate the situation and find a solution that works for everyone.

2. Prepare Mentally

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However good you think your listening skills are, the only person who can tell you if you have understood correctly or not is the speaker.  Therefore, as an extension of good listening skills, you need to develop the ability to reflect words and feelings and to clarify that you have understood them correctly. 

It is often important that you and the speaker agree that what you understand is a true representation of what was meant to be said.

As well as understanding and reflecting the verbal messages of the speaker it is important to try to understand the emotions - this page explains how to use reflection effectively to help you build greater understanding of not only what is being said but the content, feeling and meaning of messages.

What is Reflecting?

Reflecting is the process of paraphrasing and restating both the feelings and words of the speaker.  The purposes of reflecting are:

• To allow the speaker to 'hear' their own thoughts and to focus on what they say and feel.
• To show the speaker that you are trying to perceive the world as they see it and that you are doing your best to understand their messages.
• To encourage them to continue talking.

Reflecting does not involve you asking questions, introducing a new topic or leading the conversation in another direction. Speakers are helped through reflecting as it not only allows them to feel understood, but it also gives them the opportunity to focus their ideas. This in turn helps them to direct their thoughts and further encourages them to continue speaking.

Two Main Techniques of Reflecting:

Mirroring is a simple form of reflecting and involves repeating almost exactly what the speaker says.

Mirroring should be short and simple.  It is usually enough to just repeat key words or the last few words spoken. This shows you are trying to understand the speakers terms of reference and acts as a prompt for him or her to continue. Be aware not to over mirror as this can become irritating and therefore a distraction from the message.

Paraphrasing

Paraphrasing involves using other words to reflect what the speaker has said. Paraphrasing shows not only that you are listening, but that you are attempting to understand what the speaker is saying.

It is often the case that people 'hear what they expect to hear' due to assumptions, stereotyping or prejudices. When paraphrasing, it is of utmost importance that you do not introduce your own ideas or question the speakers thoughts, feelings or actions. Your responses should be non-directive and non-judgemental.

It is very difficult to resist the temptation to ask questions and when this technique is first used, reflecting can seem very stilted and unnatural. You need to practice this skill in order to feel comfortable.

Reflecting Content, Feeling and Meaning

The most immediate part of a speaker's message is the content, in other words those aspects dealing with information, actions, events and experience, as verbalised by them.

Reflecting content helps to give focus to the situation but, at the same time, it is also essential to reflect the feelings and emotions expressed in order to more fully understand the message.

This helps the speaker to own and accept their own feelings, for quite often a speaker may talk about them as though they belong to someone else, for example using “you feel guilty” rather than “I feel guilty.”

A skilled listener will be able to reflect a speaker's feelings from body cues (non-verbal) as well as verbal messages. It is sometimes not appropriate to ask such direct questions as “How does that make you feel?”  Strong emotions such as love and hate are easy to identify, whereas feelings such as affection, guilt and confusion are much more subtle.  The listener must have the ability to identify such feelings both from the words and the non-verbal cues, for example body language, tone of voice, etc.

As well as considering which emotions the speaker is feeling, the listener needs to reflect the degree of intensity of these emotions.  For example:

Reflecting needs to combine content and feeling to truly reflect the meaning of what the speaker has said.  For example:

“ I just don't understand my boss.  One minute he says one thing and the next minute he says the opposite. ”

“ You feel very confused by him? ”

Reflecting meaning allows the listener to reflect the speaker's experiences and emotional response to those experiences.  It links the content and feeling components of what the speaker has said.

You may also be interested in our pages: What is Empathy? and Understanding Others .

Guidelines for Reflecting

• Be natural.
• Listen for the basic message - consider the content, feeling and meaning expressed by the speaker.
• Restate what you have been told in simple terms.
• When restating, look for non-verbal as well as verbal cues that confirm or deny the accuracy of your paraphrasing.  (Note that some speakers may pretend you have got it right because they feel unable to assert themselves and disagree with you.)
• Do not question the speaker unnecessarily.
• Do not add to the speaker's meaning.
• Do not take the speaker's topic in a new direction.
• Always be non-directive and non-judgemental.

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Encouragers, Paraphrasing and Summarising

A counsellor can encourage a client to continue to talk, open up more freely and explore issues in greater depth by providing accurate responses through encouraging, paraphrasing and summarising. Responding in this way informs the client that the counsellor has accurately heard what they have been saying. Encouragers, paraphrases and summaries are basic to helping a client feel understood.

Encouragers, also known as intentional listening , involve fully attending to the client, thus allowing them to explore their feelings and thoughts more completely. Paraphrasing and summarising are more active ways of communicating to the client that they have been listened to. Summarising is particularly useful to help clients organise their thinking.

The diagram below shows how encouragers, paraphrases and summaries are on different points of a continuum, each building on more of the information provided by the client to accurately assess issues and events.

Encouragers – Encouragers are a variety of verbal and non-verbal ways of prompting clients to continue talking.

Types of encouragers include:

• Non-verbal minimal responses such as a nod of the head or positive facial expressions
• Verbal minimal responses such as “Uh-huh” and “I hear what you’re saying”
• Brief invitations to continue such as “Tell me more”

Encouragers simply encourage the client to keep talking. For a counsellor to have more influence on the direction of client progress they would need to make use of other techniques.

Paraphrases – To paraphrase, the counsellor chooses the most important details of what the client has just said and reflects them back to the client. Paraphrases can be just a few words or one or two brief sentences.

Paraphrasing is not a matter of simply repeating or parroting what the client has stated. Rather it is capturing the essence of what the client is saying, through rephrasing. When the counsellor has captured what the client is saying, often the client will say, “That’s right” or offer some other form of confirmation.

Example: I have just broken up with Jason. The way he was treating me was just too much to bear. Every time I tried to touch on the subject with him he would just clam up. I feel so much better now. Paraphrase: You feel much better after breaking up with Jason.

Summaries – Summaries are brief statements of longer excerpts from the counselling session. In summarising, the counsellor attends to verbal and non-verbal comments from the client over a period of time, and then pulls together key parts of the extended communication, restating them for the client as accurately as possible.

A check-out, phrased at the end of the summary, is an important component of the statement, enabling a check of the accuracy of the counsellor’s response. Summaries are similar to paraphrasing, except they are used less frequently and encompass more information.

• July 21, 2009
• Communication , Counselling Process , Encouraging , Microskills , Paraphrasing
• Counselling Theory & Process

Comments: 23

Yeah,must say i like the simple way these basic counselling skills are explained in this article. More of same would be most welcome as it helps give a better understanding of the counselling process and the methods and techniques used within the counselling arena

I really find this information helpful as a refresher in my studies and work. Please keep up the excellent work of ‘educating’ us on being a better counsellor. Thank you!

Wonderfully helpful posting. Many thanks!

Thankyou so much. I am doing a assignment at uni about scitzophrenia and needed to clarify what paraphrasing truly meant. Cheers

So helpful to me as a counselor.

Thankx so much for these post. I’m doing Counselling and Community Services and I need to clarify what summarising and paraphrasing really meant. Once again thank you, this information it’s really helpful

Hello Antoinette friend and doing guidance and counselling need uo help about this question With relevent examples explain the following concepts as used in communicating to clients. (I;listening to verbal messages and using encouraged minimal prompts. 2)making use of non verbal communication and exhibiting attending behaviours using Gerald Eganis macro skill SOLER/ROLES. 3.paraphrasing 4.identifying and reflecting feelings and emotions from the clients story 5.summarizing 6.confrotation 7.counsellor self disclosure 8.asking open and close open ended concept 9.answering questions 10.clarifying

thanks I am doing a counselling community services at careers Australia

Really love the explanations given to the active listening techniques it was really useful and helpful good work done.

Helpful. Thanks!

I really like hw u explain everything in to simple terms for my understanding.

Hai ,thanks for being here .Am a student social worker,i need help an an able to listen to get the implied massages from the client.and to bring questions to explore with them .I love to do this work .What shall I do.how do i train my self in listening.

really appreciate.

You explanation of these three basic intentional listening are very helpful. Thank you for remained us.

very helpful indeed in making the client more open and exploring the issues more deeply

Very important cues.thanks

the article was helpful .thank you for explaining it in more clear and simple words.appreciate it alot .

I need to write about what counselling words mean ie I understand summarising and paraphrasing any more would be useful as I’m near the end of my course

I have a role play exam tomorrow on counselling and find above explanation very useful. thanks for sharing.

This explanation is clear and precise. Very easy to understanding than the expensive textbook. Please keep posting as this helps a lot. Thanks and God bless.

Pingback: Summarising In Counseling (a Comprehensive Overview) | OptimistMinds

One of the simple and memorable descriptions of this I’ve read, thanks so much!

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What is paraphrasing?

Paraphrasing means expressing someone else’s ideas or thoughts in your own words while maintaining the original meaning. It can make your text more concise, clear, and suitable for a specific audience. Paraphrasing is an important skill in both academic writing and professional communication.

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Frequently asked questions

The act of putting someone else’s ideas or words into your own words is called paraphrasing, rephrasing, or rewording. Even though they are often used interchangeably, the terms can mean slightly different things:

Paraphrasing is restating someone else’s ideas or words in your own words while retaining their meaning. Paraphrasing changes sentence structure, word choice, and sentence length to convey the same meaning.

Rephrasing may involve more substantial changes to the original text, including changing the order of sentences or the overall structure of the text.

Rewording is changing individual words in a text without changing its meaning or structure, often using synonyms.

It can. One of the two methods of paraphrasing is called “Fluency.” This will improve the language and fix grammatical errors in the text you’re paraphrasing.

Paraphrasing and using a paraphrasing tool aren’t cheating. It’s a great tool for saving time and coming up with new ways to express yourself in writing.  However, always be sure to credit your sources. Avoid plagiarism.  

If you don’t properly cite text paraphrased from another source, you’re plagiarizing. If you use someone else’s text and paraphrase it, you need to credit the original source. You can do that by using citations. There are different styles, like APA, MLA, Harvard, and Chicago. Find more information about citing sources here.

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Paraphrasing without crediting the original author is a form of plagiarism , because you’re presenting someone else’s ideas as if they were your own.

However, paraphrasing is not plagiarism if you correctly cite the source . This means including an in-text citation and a full reference, formatted according to your required citation style .

As well as citing, make sure that any paraphrased text is completely rewritten in your own words.

Plagiarism means using someone else’s words or ideas and passing them off as your own. Paraphrasing means putting someone else’s ideas in your own words.

So when does paraphrasing count as plagiarism?

• Paraphrasing is plagiarism if you don’t properly credit the original author.
• Paraphrasing is plagiarism if your text is too close to the original wording (even if you cite the source). If you directly copy a sentence or phrase, you should quote it instead.
• Paraphrasing  is not plagiarism if you put the author’s ideas completely in your own words and properly cite the source .

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Definition of paraphrase

 (Entry 1 of 2)

Definition of paraphrase  (Entry 2 of 2)

intransitive verb

transitive verb

Did you know?

When we paraphrase, we provide a version that can exist beside the original (rather than replace it). We paraphrase all the time. When you tell a friend what someone else has said, you're almost always paraphrasing, since you're not repeating the exact words. If you go to hear a talk, you might paraphrase the speaker's main points afterward for your friends. And when writing a paper on a short story, you might start off your essay with a paraphrase of the plot. Paraphrasing is especially useful when dealing with poetry, since poetic language is often difficult and poems may have meanings that are hard to pin down.

• restatement
• translating
• translation

Examples of paraphrase in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'paraphrase.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Noun and Verb

Middle French, from Latin paraphrasis , from Greek, from paraphrazein to paraphrase, from para- + phrazein to point out

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1

1598, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

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Dictionary Entries Near paraphrase

paraphrasis

Cite this Entry

“Paraphrase.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paraphrase. Accessed 24 Sep. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of paraphrase.

Kids Definition of paraphrase  (Entry 2 of 2)

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That actually explain what's on your next test, paraphrasing, from class:, leadership communication.

Paraphrasing is the act of restating or rewording a piece of text or speech in one's own words while maintaining the original meaning. This technique is crucial for effective communication as it demonstrates active listening, enhances understanding, and fosters clarity in conversations. By paraphrasing, individuals can confirm comprehension and ensure that both parties are on the same page, especially during discussions or when resolving conflicts.

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5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

• Paraphrasing involves using different words and sentence structures while retaining the essence of the original message, which helps in avoiding misunderstandings.
• Effective paraphrasing not only showcases comprehension but also allows for feedback and deeper engagement in discussions.
• In one-on-one conversations, paraphrasing can help build rapport and trust by demonstrating that you value the speaker's input and are actively engaged.
• During group discussions, paraphrasing serves as a way to summarize points made by others, ensuring that everyone understands and agrees before moving forward.
• In conflict resolution scenarios, paraphrasing can de-escalate tension by showing empathy and confirming that both parties feel heard and understood.

Review Questions

• Paraphrasing enhances active listening by allowing the listener to restate what they have heard in their own words, which shows that they are engaged and understand the message. This technique confirms comprehension and gives the speaker an opportunity to clarify any misinterpretations. As a result, it fosters a more meaningful dialogue where both parties feel valued and acknowledged.
• Paraphrasing improves one-on-one communication strategies by creating a foundation of trust and rapport between individuals. By reflecting back what the other person has said, it not only confirms understanding but also encourages openness. This back-and-forth exchange creates a safe environment for expressing thoughts and feelings, which is essential for effective interpersonal communication.
• Paraphrasing plays a critical role in facilitating group discussions by ensuring that all members have a clear understanding of each other's viewpoints. By summarizing and rephrasing contributions, facilitators help clarify points, reduce confusion, and keep the conversation focused. This practice can significantly enhance decision-making processes as it ensures that all voices are heard, leading to more informed and collaborative outcomes.

Related terms

Active Listening : A communication technique that involves fully concentrating, understanding, responding, and remembering what the other person is saying.

Summarizing : The process of distilling the main ideas from a longer text or speech into a concise form while omitting extraneous details.

Clarification : A technique used to ensure understanding by asking questions or rephrasing what someone has said to make their meaning clearer.

" Paraphrasing " also found in:

Subjects ( 55 ).

• AP English Language
• Acting for the Stage
• Advanced Negotiation
• Advanced Public Speaking
• Art of the Interview
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