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4th Grade Paraphrase a Source worksheets

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Paraphrase a Source

Grade 4 Writing Worksheet - Challenge Me

NameDate

Read each source. Circle the best paraphrase.

  1. Source: "Coral reefs cover less than one percent of the ocean floor. Yet about a quarter of all ocean fish live near them." Which is the best paraphrase?

    • Coral reefs cover less than one percent of the sea floor. But about a quarter of ocean fish live near them.
    • Reefs use only a tiny bit of the sea floor. Still, most ocean fish live near them.
    • Reefs use only a tiny bit of the sea floor. Still, about one in four ocean fish lives near them.
    • Coral reefs cover about a quarter of the ocean floor. Few ocean fish live near them.
  2. Source: "The Sahara is the largest hot desert in the world. It stretches across much of northern Africa." Which is the best paraphrase?

    • The Sahara is the biggest desert in the world. It reaches across all of Africa.
    • The Sahara is the most beautiful desert on Earth. It stretches across northern Africa.
    • The Sahara is the largest hot desert in the world. It stretches across a lot of northern Africa.
    • No other hot desert is bigger than the Sahara. It covers a large part of northern Africa.
  3. Source: "Spiders are not insects. They have eight legs, while insects have six." Which is the best paraphrase?

    • Spiders are not insects. They have eight legs, and insects have six legs on their bodies.
    • Spiders are a different group from insects. Spiders have eight legs; insects have six.
    • Spiders are a kind of insect, but they have eight legs instead of the usual six.
    • Spiders are not insects, and they are much scarier because they have eight legs.
  4. Source: "The first Ferris wheel was built for a fair in Chicago in 1893. It was meant to rival the Eiffel Tower." Which is the best paraphrase?

    • Chicago's 1893 fair had the first Ferris wheel. Builders copied the shape of the Eiffel Tower.
    • The first Ferris wheel was made for a fair in Chicago in 1893. It was meant to compete with the Eiffel Tower.
    • Chicago's 1893 fair had the first Ferris wheel. Builders hoped it would match the Eiffel Tower.
    • The first Ferris wheel was built in Paris in 1893 to stand next to the Eiffel Tower.
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4th Grade Paraphrase a Source worksheet 1 – printable PDF
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About this worksheet

Paraphrasing means restating source information in new words while keeping the meaning accurate. It is not enough to swap one or two words, and it is not acceptable to add an opinion that the source did not support. Fourth graders are just beginning to use sources in research and explanatory writing, so they need practice seeing the difference among a true paraphrase, a copied sentence, an inaccurate statement, and a personal reaction.

This worksheet gives one source sentence at a time and asks children to choose the best paraphrase or useful note. Parents should watch for answers that keep the exact sentence structure of the source. A strong paraphrase changes the wording and structure while preserving the important facts clearly.

What your child will learn

  • Restate source information in new words
  • Keep the source meaning accurate
  • Avoid copying the source sentence
  • Use notes to support a paraphrase

Common Core standard: W.4.8

Worked example

If a source says rain gardens collect runoff so water soaks into soil, a paraphrase can say they catch runoff and let it sink slowly into the ground.

Common mistake

Changing only one word from the source and calling the copied sentence a paraphrase.

Helpful hint

Keep the facts, but change the wording and sentence structure.

Questions parents ask

What is the most common mistake with paraphrase a source?

Changing only one word from the source and calling the copied sentence a paraphrase.

How can I help my child with paraphrase a source?

Keep the facts, but change the wording and sentence structure.

Are these 4th grade writing worksheets free to print?

Yes. All 6 printable versions on this page are free to download and print, with no account needed.

Similar: Short Research Projects · Write From Text Evidence

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