This document provides instructions on how to paraphrase text while maintaining the key ideas. It defines paraphrasing as rewriting text in one's own words to clarify meaning or shorten longer statements. The reader is taught to read carefully, identify the main ideas, highlight important parts, and rewrite the main points in their own words as demonstrated through examples paraphrasing passages about ancient Egyptian gods Osiris and Isis. The document concludes by having the reader practice paraphrasing a passage about a British expedition led by Richard Burton and John Speke.

1. In Your Own Words…
PARAPHRASING

2. By the End, You will
Know…
o How to put a passage in
your own words without
changing the meaning
o The definition of
Paraphrasing
o How to find the main idea
of the text in order to
paraphrase it

3. What is Paraphrasing???
o PARAPHRASING IS…
o A rewriting of text in
your own words
o Used to clarify meaning
o Used to shorten a
longer statement but
keeps the main ideas

4. So How Do We Do It?
o Read the passage
carefully PARAPHRASE
o Decide the main ME!
ideas of the passage
o Highlight important
words or phrases
o Put the main points
in your own words

5. Example 1
Passage from Book
• Ancient Egyptians
believed that Osiris, a
good and wise king, was
the first pharaoh. He
spread knowledge to
other parts of the world,
while his wife, Isis,
ruled Egypt in his place.

6. Good Example 1
ORIGINAL PASSAGE PARAPHRASED
· Ancient Egyptians believed PASSAGE
that Osiris, a good and wise · King Osiris was the first
king, was the first pharaoh. pharaoh and spread
He spread knowledge to knowledge. Queen Isis ruled
other parts of the world, Egypt when he was gone.
while his wife, Isis, ruled
Egypt in his place. HIGHLIGHTED
PASSAGE
Ancient Egyptians believed
that Osiris, a good and wise
king, was the first pharaoh.
He spread knowledge to
other parts of the world,
while his wife, Isis, ruled
Egypt in his place

7. Poor Example 1
Original Passage Poor Paraphrasing
· Ancient Egyptians believed · King Osiris was an ancient
that Osiris, a good and wise Egyptian King and the first
king, was the first pharaoh. pharaoh. He was good and
He spread knowledge to wise because he spread
other parts of the world, knowledge to other parts of
while his wife, Isis, ruled the world. His wife Isis ruled
Egypt in his place. Egypt in his place.
Highlighted Passage
Ancient Egyptians believed that
Osiris, a good and wise king, was
the first pharaoh. He spread
knowledge to other parts of the
world, while his wife, Isis, ruled
Egypt in his place.

8. Example 2
Passage from Book
o Upon returning home,
Osiris was murdered by
his evil brother Set, who
cut Osiris’s body into
pieces and dumped it in
the Nile River. Isis
found the body and put
it back together by
Osiris and Set
winding linen bandages
around it.

9. Good Example 2
Original Passage Paraphrased Passage
· Upon returning home, Osiris · Osiris’s brother Set killed Osiris by
was murdered by his evil cutting his body into pieces, and
brother, Set who cut his body Isis put the body back together.
into pieces and dumped it in the
Nile River. Isis found the body
and put it back together by
winding linen bandages around
it.
Highlighted Passage
Upon returning home, Osiris was
murdered by his evil brother, Set who cut
his body into pieces and dumped it in the Isis, Osiris’s
Nile River. Isis found the body and put it wife
back together by winding linen bandages
around it.

10. Poor Example 2
Original Passage Poor Paraphrasing
· Upon returning home, Osiris · Osiris was murdered and
was murdered by his evil Isis found the body
brother, Set who cut his body
into pieces and dumped it in the
Nile River. Isis found the body
and put it back together by
winding linen bandages around
it.
Highlighted Passage
Upon returning home, Osiris was
murdered by his evil brother, Set who cut
his body into pieces and dumped it in the
Nile River. Isis found the body and put it
back together by winding linen bandages
around it.

11. Your Turn
Remember the Rules Passage from Book
o Read the passage · In 1857, a British
carefully expedition led by
o Find the main ideas Richard Burton and
o Highlight important John Speke set out to
words or phrases find the great lakes
o Put the main points in shown on Ptolemy’s
your own words map. After reaching
Lake Tanganyika, the
two men split up
because Burton was ill.

12. Now You Try!
Remember to highlight Which one is the best?
the right words o Richard Burton and his friend
· In 1857, a British expedition looked for the great lakes
led by Richard Burton and shown on Ptolemy’s map.
John Speke set out to find the The men split up.
great lakes shown on o In 1857, Richard Burton and
Ptolemy’s map. After John Speke searched for the
reaching Lake Tanganyika, great lakes on Ptolemy’s
the two men split up because map, but they had to split up
Burton was ill. when Burton was ill.
o Two men from Britain
looked for the great lakes but
had to split up because one
was ill.

13. CONGRATULATIONS!
Now that you’ve
mastered
paraphrasing,
let’s move onto
organization!