Rephrasing

1
Rephrasing

• Strategies for Clear
• Communication

2
Review

• Strategies weve learned so far for the final
  group discussion
• (1) Checking Comprehension
• (2) Asking For Clarification

3
Last Week

• Last week, we looked at asking for clarification
  as a strategy for avoiding misunderstandings.
• When we ask for clarification we followed three
  steps
• Step (1) Interrupt
• Step (2) State the problem.
• Step (3) Ask speaker to clarify.

4
Last Week

• Step (1) We interrupted the speaker.
• Im sorry.
• Excuse me.
• Hang on a minute.
• Just a minute.
• Wait a minute.

5
Last Week

• Step 2 We stated the problem
• If you didnt hear
• I didnt catch that.
• I didnt hear you
• I didnt hear what you said.
• I missed that.

6
Last Week

• If you didnt understand
• I dont follow you.
• I dont understand.
• I didnt understand that.
• I dont get it.
• Im not clear.
• You lost me.

7
Last Week

• Step 3 We asked the speaker to clarify.
• You can ask the speaker to clarify everything
  again
• Can you repeat that?
• Can you say that again?
• Can you explain that again?
• Can you rephrase that?
• Can you clarify that for me?

8

• You can ask your partner to clarify details
• He did what?
• He went where?
• He left when?
• He did it because why?
• He talked to who?

9
This Week

• We are going to look at another good strategy for
  maintaining clear communication
• Rephrasing What You Say

10

• Rephrasing means to say something again.
• When you rephrase, you say what you said again
  but you change the way you say it.
• Rephrasing will help your partner understand you
  because it gives your partner a second chance to
  catch your drift.

11

• We usually rephrase in two steps (though adding
  comprehension check is also a good option)
• Step 1 Indicate You Are About to Rephrase
• Step 2 Rephrase
• Step 3 Optional Check Comprehension

12
Step 1 Indicate You Are About to Rephrase

• Indicating you are about to rephrase is an
  important step. It allows your partner to prepare
  for what you are about to say. You can use the
  following phrases
• In other words, . .
• To put it another way . . .
• What I am saying is . . .
• What I am trying to say is . . .
• What I mean is . . .

13

• You can also use phrases like the following,
  which are a little more formal
• Let me rephrase that.
• Let me explain that another way.
• Let me explain that again.
• Let me put that (to you) differently.
• Let me put that another way.

14
Step 2 Rephrase

• Exactly what the title says! Rephrase what you
  said. But here are some things that can help you
  simplify your argument.
• (1) Change/simplify Vocabulary
• (2) Change/simply Sentence Structure

15
Vocabulary Synonyms

• Perhaps, the easiest way to begin paraphrasing is
  to find synonyms for key words.
• Smoking is forbidden in the building.
• Smoking is prohibited on the premises.

16
Vocabulary Synonyms

• However, there are two important points to make
  about using synonyms to paraphrase.
• (1) Make sure the synonym actually works in that
  situation.
• (2) Many technical terms should not be
  paraphrased.
• comprehensible input
• understandable input

17
Vocabulary Antonyms

• Antonyms can also be used when the structure is
  changed from an affirmative sentence to a
  negative sentence.
• Smoking is prohibited in the building.
• Smoking is not allowed in the building.

18
Vocabulary Word Form

• You can also change the form of important keyword
  from say a noun to a verb or adjective.
• Chronic health problems have been linked to
  industrialization.
• Chronic health problems have been linked to the
  rise of industry.

19
Sentence Structure Affirmative/Negative

• As already mentioned above negative sentences can
  be made affirmative or vice versa. Note some
  vocabulary shift is usually required to do this.
• Few learners willingly participate.
• Most learners do not willingly participate.

20
Sentence Structure Active/Passive Voice

• Another good structural change is changing active
  to passive voice or vice versa.
• Researchers have found compelling evidence that
  smoking causes cancer.
• Compelling evidence that smoking causes cancer
  has been found.

21
Sentence Structure Gerund/Infinitive Structures

• Another good structural change is changing active
  to passive voice or vice versa.
• Speaking with married women is taboo in some
  cultures.
• Its taboo to speak with married women in some
  cultures.

22
Sentence Structure Other Structures

• The possibilities are endless for changing
  structure. Modals for example can often be
  rewritten.
• He may have committed a fraud.
• It is possible that he committed a fraud.

23
Paraphrasing Longer Works

• When paraphrasing longer works (as in doing
  summaries) you should also consider changing the
  sentence order when possible.

24

• Over grazing on the steppe lands of Asia has
  resulted in a loss of ground cover. This in turn
  has left soil exposed to the wind resulting in a
  yellow dust that blows across China, Korea, and
  Japan.
• The yellow dust that afflicts some East Asian
  countries occurs as a result of soil being
  exposed to winds. This is due to overgrazing on
  the Asian steppe which erodes the ground cover.

25
Heres an example rephrasal
26
(No Transcript)
27
Exercise

• Complete the rephrasal writing exercise on the
  handout.
• In the next hour we will practice rephrasing in
  a communication activity.