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Paraphrase a Source
Grade 4 - Writing - On Level
Worksheet 1
1Source: "A complete circuit needs an unbroken path from the battery through the wires and bulb." Which sentence is the best paraphrase?
2Which choice copies the source too closely? Source: "Rain gardens collect water from roofs and pavement so it can soak slowly into the ground."
3Which paraphrase changes the source meaning and should be rejected? Source: "Compost forms when tiny organisms break down food scraps, leaves, and other once-living materials."
4Which note would help a writer paraphrase this source? "Rain gardens collect water from roofs and pavement so it can soak slowly into the ground."
5Why is this a strong paraphrase: "Tracks may reveal where an animal went and how it was moving."
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
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.
Worksheet 1