PTE General: Lesson Ideas

Team Paraphrasing Race

Time: 10 - 15 minutes
This activity focuses on learning paraphrasing techniques and increasing
the speed at which students can create a suitable paraphrase.

Objectives
For all levels

This activity practices paraphrasing sentences which is important in the

writing section. It also aids students in recognizing paraphrasing in the
listening and reading sections. By developing this skill, students can
create a suitable paraphrase quickly and effectively increasing the
amount of time they have to spend on the writing task.

This activity can be done at any time during your course – particularly
when practicing writing skills.

Preparation
Print the sample sheet or create your own practice sentences.

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Steps
1. Before starting the game, elicit the key techniques needed for paraphrasing.
These are usually taught in a previous lesson and include:
I. Synonyms
II. Antonyms
III. Phrasal Verbs
IV. General Verbs
V. Phrases

2. If the students are not very good at paraphrasing, write the tips on the board as a
reminder during the game. However, eventually, this will not be necessary.

3. Divide the class into groups. Groups of three work very well but larger or smaller
groups can be used.

4. Tell the students that you will write a sentence on the board. They will get five
mins (base the time on the difficulty of the sentence) to write as many different
paraphrases of the sentence as they can. The group with the most correct
paraphrases wins.

5. The rules for scoring should be explained. If it is one of the first times the students
are playing this game, go through an example as you explain the marking. Elicit
possible changes.
I. Each paraphrase must be accurate i.e. same tenses and meaning.
Original: This shirt is too big for her. -> She was too big for the shirt.
Both the meaning and tenses have changed in the example.
II. Each paraphrase has to have more than one change. For example:
Original: This shirt is too big for her. -> This shirt is too large for her ->
This blouse is too big for her. -> This shirt is excessively big for her.
None of these are good paraphrases.

6. At this point, the students should be ready to begin. Write one of the provided
sentences on the board or use one of your own creations. Sentences that include
someone in your class/school/town/country doing something funny or strange makes
this a more interesting activity. For example: A paparazzi has just taken a picture of
Madonna eating dog food with Lady Gaga.

7. After 3 mins, review the various sentences, writing the best on the board. Point
out what makes the best paraphrases exceptional and then give points.

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permission of Pearson Education Ltd. 2
Sample Sentences
These have been taken from various past test papers.
Level Sample 1
In summer it is not exciting
A1 but in winter it’s great.
I arrived early and didn’t
L1 want to wait outside in the
rain.
Please do not put electrical or
L2 computer equipment in this
area.
If you have an enquiry please
L3 visit us at our shop to get an
estimate.
This is a scholarly but
accessible collection of essays
that will provide fascinating
L4 and instructive reading for
anyone who is interested in
history and society.
Please note: you will not be
covered for any pre-existing
L5 medical conditions that you
may have.
© Pearson Education Ltd 2011. All rights reserved; no part of this publication may be reproduced without the prior written
permission of Pearson Education Ltd.
Sample 2
All flights leaving the airport this
morning are delayed due to fog.
The studios are in Brampton which is
convenient for people travelling by bus,
rail or car.
Young people can feel bored in the long
summer holidays, especially if parents
are working.
As part of this adventure we expect you
to play an active role in the daily running
of your trip, to get stuck in and work as
a team.
For supporters of neutrality, Internet
freedom means equal, affordable access
to whatever online applications and
content they choose.
The rapidity of modern communications
does not merely accelerate the process
whereby relationships are formed and
severed; it inevitably changes how those
relationships are conducted and
understood.
3