Paraphrase the relationship
A reliable paraphrase preserves who does what, why, under which condition, and with what degree of certainty. Replacing individual words is not enough. Practise rewriting complete relationships, then compare actor, action, cause, condition, and strength. Synonyms may change grammar, and the same word can support a different claim. Meaning checks should therefore operate at sentence level rather than through word pairs alone.
- Situation
- ‘Seats not claimed by the start time may be released to the waiting list.’
- In practice
- Accurate: reserved places can be reassigned when registered participants are absent at the beginning. Inaccurate: all reservations end ten minutes before the activity.
- Why it works
- The accurate version preserves possibility, timing, and the condition of absence.
Try this
- Underline actor, action, condition, and strength.
- Rewrite using different grammar where possible.
- Compare the two versions element by element.
Build a condition stack
When a choice must satisfy several rules, represent each as a separate checkpoint. A visitor might need the right age, registration status, item type, room access, and arrival time. One matching condition cannot compensate for another failure. Include general notes above or below a table because they often govern every row. For exceptions, write the default and the exception separately rather than letting one erase the other.
- Situation
- A fourteen-year-old wants a hands-on session and has not registered in advance.
- In practice
- Check stack: hands-on yes; age threshold yes for mitten repair; entry rule no because advance registration is required. Result: not currently eligible.
- Why it works
- Age fit does not override the separate registration condition.
Try this
- Turn every rule into a yes/no checkpoint.
- Include document-wide notes in the stack.
- Reject a candidate immediately after a clear failed condition.
Tactics to keep
- Use actor-action-condition-strength as a paraphrase checklist.
- Rewrite modal verbs explicitly.
- Build rule stacks before examining answer choices.
- Keep default and exception on separate note lines.
Common pitfalls
- Calling two sentences paraphrases because they share nouns.
- Dropping may, usually, only, or unless.
- Stopping after the first matching table condition.
Practice prompts
Prompt 1
Select six sentences containing conditions or qualifications.
Write accurate paraphrases and one subtly distorted version of each.
Check yourself
- Actors and conditions match.
- Strength is preserved.
- Distortions are identifiable.
Prompt 2
Use an original schedule with general rules and row-specific conditions.
Create three user profiles and complete a yes/no condition stack for each.
Check yourself
- All rules appear.
- One failure rejects a choice.
- Exceptions remain distinct.
