Paraphrasing

and
reframing
ideas

COMMUNICATION

LEVEL NUMBER LANGUAGE

Advanced EN_BE_3320X English
Goals

■ Can identify and explain a

variety of ways of
paraphrasing and
reframing ideas.

■ Can extract key

information from a longer
text and effectively
paraphrase its ideas and
concepts.
ef fec' tive ly

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So if I understand you correctly, you
mean that it’s a good idea to be
creative with the design. Can we go
back to what you said about the
concept? I take your point but I think
we still need to consider some other
elements.

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Defining the terms

Can you think of a definition for paraphrasing?

What do you think reframing an idea means?
You can use the hints on the cards below to help you!

skill paraphrase communicate

rephrase summary effective

convey message succinct

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Effective communication

? ? ? ?? ?
? ? ?
In your opinion what is
the key to effective

? ?
communication?

? ? ?
What do you think

? ? ?
constitutes inadequate
communication?

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Paraphrasing and reframing ideas

In what situations might the

ability to paraphrase and
reframe an idea be useful in a
business context?

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 Paraphrasing

Paraphrasing is a really important skill, for example, when brainstorming or during

negotiations. Learning to efficiently paraphrase can help you and the person or
people you're talking to understand what is being said. Paraphrasing is an effective
tool in communication.

When we paraphrase we express the meaning of something

using different words. We do this to ensure we have
correctly understood the intended meaning.

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Paraphrasing

Paraphrasing should always involve a shorter form of a longer formed idea.

Paraphrasing something someone has said involves

identifying and extracting the most important parts of
what has been mentioned.

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 New words and phrases

you’re saying
So you’re saying that we need to rethink our approach?
that

if I understand
If I understand you correctly, you mean that the idea
you correctly, is good but it’s not very original?
you mean that

in other words In other words, we need to be more creative.

let me double-
Let me double-check I have this right, I need to take
check I have the second left and then the shop is on the corner?
this right…

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Practise rephrasing

Can you rephrase the sentences on the cards below?

women (wim' in)

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 Identifying key words and tones

Look at the two opinions below. Can you identify the subject, key words
and tones of each? Discuss your findings.
SJW = social justice warrior

“ It’s not that I have a problem with vegetarians

but I just don’t see the point. I don’t understand
it. I mean, we were born as omnivores, we have
been eating meat for centuries. Plus it’s good for
“
vegan = person that us - we need the protein to live.
does not eat any type
of animal products

“
What people don’t understand is how terrible the
meat and farming industry is. It is so cruel and
unnecessary! I just think it’s diabolical that in our
day and age, with the alternatives we have available “
to us, we are still engaging in these cruel practices.
We should all be vegetarian, there’s no excuse not
to be.

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Practise paraphrasing

Read the conversation below and paraphrase what was discussed.

Rob, I think we need to discuss our marketing objectives and strategies. To

recap, our goal is to increase sales by 10% by the end of next year and expand
into new markets in Asia. How do you suppose we can achieve this?

Of course, market research is essential. We need to know everything about our

customers’ spending habits and be monitoring our competitors at all times. We
should also focus on raising brand awareness and improving brand image.

What about email marketing? That’s something we haven’t really explored

before.

I don’t think that’s a good idea. We don’t want our customers to feel like they
are being spammed. This could lead to them unsubscribing. Let’s discuss this
further this afternoon with the rest of the team.

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Reframing an idea

■ Reframing differs from paraphrasing. When you reframe an idea you expand
the meaning of the idea and you add your own opinion or meaning.
■ However, when we paraphrase we simply summarise what has been said and
highlight the most important elements.

Reframing an idea is taking what someone has said and adding your
own meaning to it.

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Reframing an idea

■ Reframing an idea can be helpful when trying to develop an idea or concept

in a specific direction.
■ Reframing is about thinking about or taking what someone has said and
restating it from a different perspective.

When reframing, it’s acceptable to focus in on one small aspect of

what somebody has said. Reframing is less to do with making sure you
have understood the other person, but more about what they said
means to you or has helped you to realise.

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 New words and phrases

one
positive/negative
One positive way of looking at the same thing is that
way of looking at it gives some perspective and encourages time to think.
the same thing
is...

that's a fair point,

That's a fair point, but I would like to think that he
but I would like wouldn’t hold it against you. It was an accident!
to think that...

can we go back to I was listening to your presentation and I wondered

what you said about a certain point. Can we go back to what you said
about...? about the employment prospects after the course?

I think there's
something I really liked your speech about recycling in the modern
interesting in age. I think there's something interesting in that.
that.

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Get ready to listen

The next few slides will focus on

training your listening comprehension

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Check your comprehension

As you listen, pick out from the text the elements on the cards
below. Can you comment on each of them?
Do you agree with the points made?

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Imagine you are…

Imagine it was your friend speaking about language learning.

You want to check you have understood what they said. Can
you paraphrase the text you listened to?
What would you say to your friend?

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Paraphrasing tips!

A really great way to practise paraphrasing is by reframing the paraphrase as a

question!

So, what you’re saying is that you want us to work overtime to help the
company through this difficult period, but not get any extra pay for doing
so?

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Tips for paraphrasing

Remember to focus
Put the limelight on
on what the speaker
the person speaking,
actually implied, not
don’t generalise using
what you want them
pronouns such as we.
to say!

When paraphrasing,
Reuse some of the
do not judge or give
words that the other
your own opinion on
person used when
what the other person
you are paraphrasing.
has said.

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Get ready to listen

The next few slides will focus on

training your listening comprehension

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Paraphrasing practice

Can you paraphrase the text you have just heard using
questions? On the cards below are some hints about the key
points mentioned that you may want to include.

pet ownership
advantages disadvantages
increase

health neighbour landlords

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Reframing the idea

Read the text below and paraphrase it.

Once you have done this, try to reframe the text putting a more
positive spin on its interpretation.

Many think it is unacceptable and cruel to leave pets at

home all day without any stimulation. Experts have
found that dogs, like humans, can get lonely. Being
descendants of wolves which live in packs, they are
social animals who appreciate company. They enjoy
companionship and shouldn’t be left for extended
periods of time. There are many signs to show that a
dog is lonely. These can include: excessive barking,
pacing, destructive behaviour in the form of ripping up
items left around the home and general despondency.

To guarantee your dog is happy, ensure they have

some visual stimuli and they have access to a window.
You could also leave the radio playing to give them
something to listen to. Create a cosy area for your dog
which has blankets and a bed for them to relax. It is
also advisable to give them toys and chews.

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Reflect

? ? ? ?? ?
When do you think you will

? ? ?
use your new-found

?
paraphrasing and reframing

?
skills?

? ? ?
What are the important

? ? ?
points to consider when
paraphrasing and
reframing?

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Reflect on this lesson

Take a moment to review any new

vocabulary, phrases, language structures
or grammar points you have come across
for the first time in this lesson.

Review them with your teacher one more

time to make sure you don’t forget!

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26 www.lingoda.com
Interest in learning foreign languages is on the increase. Being
able to speak a foreign language is not just fun, it also increases
your job prospects. These days, thanks to globalisation, more
and more companies are active on the international market and
having employees who can communicate in different foreign
languages is a huge bonus. Thanks to technology, learning a
foreign language has never been easier. You can take classes
online and even talk to your teacher through video conferencing.
Handy apps on your smartphone also make it easy to brush up
your vocabulary and grammar and practise your skills while you
are on the move. These days, there’s almost no excuse not to
learn a language in your free time.
Transcription listening 1
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Pet ownership is on the rise. In the UK alone over 44 per cent of
the population own a pet. Owning a pet has been proven to be
good for you. It can ease loneliness and it is beneficial for your
stress levels. Some research even shows that pet ownership can
help lower blood pressure. Taking a daily walk with your dog can
ease the mind, as well as your waistband! However, not everyone
is so enthusiastic about the increase of pets in our homes. Many
landlords refuse to rent to tenants with pets because of fears
about mess and noise. Dogs in particular can be noisy in certain
situations, and so pet ownership can also lead to disagreements
between neighbours. The most popular pets in the UK are dogs
(8 million) and cats (8 million), followed by fish, rabbits and
reptiles!
Transcription listening 2
Homework

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Examples

Write down your own definitions for the differences between

paraphrasing and reframing.

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How could you reframe or paraphrase the text below?

I really think it’s imperative that we include an evaluation after the

completion of the new project. Some of the work hasn’t been up to standard
and I think it’s important for the service users to have the opportunity to
express their feelings about this. Perhaps we could do this in the form of a
survey, or even request that they send us an email with details. Whatever is
easiest for them. Let’s do this by Friday. I want 3 points of feedback from
each person. We really need to hit deadline to improve!

paraphrase reframe

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