Speaking: Fluency & Coherence B2 - Lesson 4: Paraphrasing & Reformulating Effectively

Speaking: Fluency & Coherence B2 - Lesson 4: Paraphrasing & Reformulating Effectively 🗣️🔁📝

Objective: To learn and practice techniques for paraphrasing (saying something in different words) and reformulating (correcting or clarifying what you've said) to improve fluency, clarity, and communication effectiveness.

• Understand what paraphrasing is and why it's a useful skill.
• Learn common techniques for paraphrasing: using synonyms, changing sentence structure, and changing word forms.
• Understand what reformulating is and when to use it.
• Learn phrases for introducing a reformulation or self-correction.
• Practice paraphrasing and reformulating in various speaking contexts.

Sometimes when we speak, we can't find the exact word, or we realize what we said wasn't quite clear. Being able to paraphrase (express the same idea in different words) and reformulate (rephrase or correct yourself) are essential skills for fluent and effective communication. They help you keep the conversation flowing, clarify your meaning, and show flexibility in your language use.

What is Paraphrasing?

Paraphrasing means restating someone else's idea, or your own idea, in different words, while keeping the original meaning. It's useful when:

• You can't remember a specific word.
• You want to explain something complex in a simpler way.
• You want to check your understanding of what someone else said.
• You want to avoid repeating the same words or sentence structures.

Techniques for Paraphrasing:

1. Using Synonyms: Replace keywords with words that have a similar meaning.
   Original: "The movie was very enjoyable."
   Paraphrase: "The film was really entertaining." / "I found the movie quite pleasant."
2. Changing Sentence Structure: Change the order of clauses or use different grammatical structures (e.g., active to passive, or vice versa, though this is more common in writing).
   Original: "Because the weather was bad, we cancelled the picnic."
   Paraphrase: "We cancelled the picnic due to the bad weather." / "The bad weather caused us to cancel the picnic."
3. Changing Word Forms: Change a noun to a verb, an adjective to an adverb, etc.
   Original: "Her explanation was clear." (Noun)
   Paraphrase: "She explained it clearly." (Verb + Adverb)

Often, effective paraphrasing uses a combination of these techniques.

What is Reformulating? (Self-Correction/Clarification)

Reformulating is when you rephrase something you've just said, perhaps because:

• You made a mistake and want to correct it.
• You feel your first attempt wasn't clear enough.
• You want to use more precise or appropriate language.

Phrases for Introducing a Reformulation:

• What I mean is, ...
• In other words, ...
• To put it another way, ...
• Or rather, ... (Often used for a quick correction)
• Let me rephrase that.
• Actually, what I meant to say was...

Practice Activities

Activity 1: Paraphrasing Sentences

Paraphrase the following sentences using a different structure or synonyms. Click the button to hear a sample paraphrase.

1. Original: "The journey to Mondulkiri is quite long and tiring."
   Your paraphrase:
2. Original: "Many people in Cambodia enjoy drinking iced coffee."
   Your paraphrase:
3. Original: "It's essential to have good communication skills for this job."
   Your paraphrase:

Activity 2: Reformulating for Clarity or Correction

Imagine you said the first part of the sentence, but then wanted to reformulate it. Complete the sentence using one of the reformulation phrases. Click the button to hear a sample.

1. You said: "The food was, uh, not bad..."
   Your reformulation: "... [reformulation phrase], it was actually quite delicious!"
2. You said: "We should leave at 7 AM to avoid the traffic jam." (You meant 6 AM)
   Your reformulation: "... [reformulation phrase], I meant 6 AM."
3. You said: "The instructions were a bit... convoluted." (You want to explain "convoluted")
   Your reformulation: "... [reformulation phrase], they were quite complex and difficult to follow."

Activity 3: Topic Talk with Paraphrasing

Choose one of the following topics. Prepare to talk about it for about 1 minute. During your talk, consciously try to paraphrase one of your own ideas or a common concept related to the topic.

• The importance of preserving Cambodian culture.
• The benefits of learning a foreign language.
• Your opinion on online learning.

Example: "I think preserving culture is vital. What I mean by that is, it's crucial to keep our traditions and heritage alive for future generations..."

Tips for Effective Paraphrasing & Reformulating:

• Understand the original meaning fully: You can only paraphrase accurately if you understand the idea.
• Don't just change a few words: Aim for a significantly different sentence structure or a good range of synonyms for effective paraphrasing.
• Keep the meaning the same: The core message should not change when you paraphrase.
• Reformulate quickly and confidently: If you need to correct yourself, do it smoothly without drawing too much negative attention to the initial mistake.
• Practice regularly: The more you practice these skills, the more natural they will become. Try paraphrasing sentences you read or hear.

Summary: Paraphrasing and reformulating are valuable skills for fluent and coherent communication. Being able to express ideas in different ways helps you overcome vocabulary gaps, clarify your meaning, and make your speech more engaging and flexible. Regular practice will make these techniques a natural part of your spoken English.