Writing and Language
How to Paraphrase: Definition, 7 Techniques and Examples
By AIDetector365 Editorial Team · 13 min read · Published · Updated
Paraphrasing means expressing someone else's idea in your own words and sentence structure while keeping the original meaning. It is one of the most important skills in academic and professional writing: it shows you understood a source, lets you integrate evidence smoothly and avoids stringing together long quotations.
This guide explains what makes a good paraphrase, gives seven techniques with before-and-after examples, shows how to cite paraphrased material and explains where a paraphrasing tool helps — and where it does not.
Key takeaways
- A paraphrase keeps the meaning but changes both the words and the structure.
- Changing a few words in the original sentence (“patchwriting”) is not a paraphrase.
- Paraphrased ideas still need a citation.
- Read, understand, put the source away, write, then compare.
- Paraphrasing tools are helpful for rewording your own text; check meaning and cite sources.
Try it now: free AI Paraphraser
Reword text while keeping its meaning. Runs in your browser, no sign-up.
Paraphrase vs. summary vs. quotation
| Paraphrase | Summary | Quotation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length | About the same as the original | Much shorter | Exactly the original |
| Wording | Your own | Your own | The author's, in quotation marks |
| Covers | One specific passage | The main points of a longer text | A specific passage |
| Citation needed? | Yes | Yes | Yes, with page number |
| Use when | The idea matters more than the wording | You need the big picture | The exact words matter |
For condensing whole articles, see How to summarize an article.
The 5-step paraphrasing method
- Read the passage until you fully understand it. Look up unfamiliar words in the English dictionary.
- Note the key idea in a few words, then put the source out of sight.
- Write the idea from memory, as you would explain it to a friend.
- Compare with the original: is the meaning the same? Did you accidentally copy distinctive phrases?
- Add the citation and, if needed, quotation marks around any unique terms you kept.
7 paraphrasing techniques with examples
Original: “Regular physical activity significantly reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular disease in adults.”
1. Use synonyms carefully
“Exercising often greatly lowers adults' chances of getting heart disease.” Synonyms alone are rarely enough; combine them with other techniques.
2. Change the word form
“Adults who are physically active are significantly less likely to develop cardiovascular disease.” The noun “activity” becomes the adjective “active.”
3. Change the sentence structure
“The risk of cardiovascular disease in adults drops significantly with regular exercise.” The subject and object swap places.
4. Switch between active and passive voice
“Cardiovascular disease risk is significantly reduced in adults by regular physical activity.” Use sparingly; active voice is usually clearer.
5. Reorder clauses
“For adults, staying physically active on a regular basis is one of the most effective ways to protect the heart.”
6. Split or combine sentences
“Adults benefit from regular exercise. It significantly lowers their risk of heart and blood vessel disease.”
7. Change the level of detail
“Exercise is strongly linked to better heart health in adults.” Be careful: generalizing too much changes the meaning.
Patchwriting: the most common paraphrasing mistake
Patchwriting is when you keep the original sentence structure and swap a few words: “Regular physical exercise considerably reduces the danger of developing cardiovascular illness in grown-ups.” It looks different at a glance but follows the source word for word. Most universities treat it as plagiarism even with a citation, because the expression is still the author's.
How to cite a paraphrase
Every major citation style requires credit for paraphrased ideas:
- APA 7: (Author, Year), e.g. (Smith, 2021). Page numbers are encouraged but not required.
- MLA 9: (Author Page), e.g. (Smith 42).
- Chicago: a footnote or (Author Year, Page) in author-date style.
Common knowledge — facts widely known and easily verified, such as “Paris is the capital of France” — does not need a citation.
When to use a paraphrasing tool
An online paraphraser is useful for rewording your own sentences, simplifying dense text, adjusting formality and seeing alternative phrasings. The AIDetector365 paraphraser offers five modes:
- Standard — trims wordy phrases and swaps some words for close synonyms.
- Fluent — removes stock phrases and filler transitions, splits long sentences.
- Formal — expands contractions and raises the register.
- Simple — plainer words and shorter sentences.
- Creative — more synonyms and reordered clauses.
Tools cannot understand a source the way you do, and synonyms can subtly change meaning. Always check the output against the original and cite your sources. Text produced by paraphrasing tools may also be flagged by detectors; see Can AI detectors detect paraphrasing?.
Frequently asked questions
What is paraphrasing in simple words?
Saying someone else's idea in your own words and your own sentence structure, without changing its meaning.
Is paraphrasing plagiarism?
Not if you change the wording and structure and cite the source. Paraphrasing without a citation, or patchwriting, is plagiarism.
How much do I need to change when paraphrasing?
Both the words and the sentence structure. Keeping technical terms that have no synonym is fine.
Is it OK to use a paraphrasing tool?
For rewording your own writing, yes. For sources, understand them first, check the tool's output and cite. Follow your institution's policy on AI tools.
How long can text be in the AIDetector365 paraphraser?
Up to 15,000 characters per request. It runs in your browser and your text is not uploaded.
Put this into practice with the free AI Paraphraser
Reword text while keeping its meaning. Runs in your browser, no sign-up.