By Robby
If you are new here please read this first.
On a daily basis, we all find ourselves in situations when we can’t find the correct word to say. You know what you want to say, but it just won’t come out! Many people refer to the phenomenon as being ‘tongue-tied’. For foreign English speakers, this problem can be even more pronounced. You might have heard some news or read an article in a newspaper, and you want to tell the story to others. The problem arises when you just can’t remember the news word-for-word.
Let’s look into the problem by using an example. The news on the previous evening announced:
– The president issued a warning to all opposing his bill.
You want to discuss the implications of the Presidents warning with your work colleagues, but you can’t remember the exact words. The solution is to PARAPHRASE the statement. Paraphrasing is defined as:
-verb: express the meaning of something using different words.
-noun: a rewording of a passage.
Therefore, if we paraphrase the statement above, it can be said in many different ways e.g.:
– The president issued a warning to those against his bill, or
-The President warned those opposing the bill.
All three statements convey the same message in different words. The statement has been somewhat simplified but does not lose its meaning! No one to whom you speak will correct you to say that’s not EXACTLY what they said on the news! No one will even notice that the words have been changed. Paraphrasing means you don’t have to be tongue-tied. You won’t have the feeling of knowing what you want to say, of having a word on the tip of your tongue, and not being able to say what you want.
Let’s take one more example to highlight the importance of paraphrasing. A very simple sentence:
-the girl cycled to the lake. This can be said in many ways:
-the girl rode her bike to the lake, or
-the girl took her bike to the lake.
There are also many different words for ‘girl’ in English, depending on where you are in the world. A girl will be called a ‘Sheila’ in Australia or a ‘lass’ in Scotland. One of the points I wanted to make here is that stories and statements often change when news is passed by the spoken word, and this is often due to paraphrasing.
Paraphrasing is a natural and normal part of any language. Can you think of examples in you own language? There are probably thousands! You may have never noticed them until reading this article.
Once you have the confidence to paraphrase, you will be amazed at the difference it makes to your spoken English. The English Harmony System incorporates paraphrasing concept into the learning process, and will give you the confidence and ability to use your new skills in no time! There are hundreds of examples in the course, and all are designed specifically to be used in normal day-to-day situations when Speaking English fluently is most important to you!
Talk to you soon again,
Robby
P.S. Are you ready to get on the fast track to spoken English fluency? Check out my English Harmony System HERE!
P.S. Are you serious about your spoken English improvement? Check out the English Harmony System HERE!
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