Skkn cấp tỉnh methods for solving paraphrasing questions in english reading passages

These questions demand not only athorough understanding of a given sentence in the passage but also the ability tothink flexibly in terms of language use, recognize equivalent grammatica

MỤC LỤC

Trang

TRƯỜNG THPT TRIỆU SƠN 1

SÁNG KIẾN KINH NGHIỆM

METHODS FOR SOLVING PARAPHASING QUESTIONS IN

ENGLISH READING PASSAGES

Người thực hiện: Nguyễn Thị Cương Chức vụ: Giáo viên

SKKN thuộc môn: Tiếng Anh

THANH HOÁ NĂM 2025

1 Introduction 1

1.1 Rationale for the topic 1

1.2 Research objectives 1

1.3 Research subjects 2

1.4 Research methods 2

2 Main Content 3

2.1 Theoretical basis 3

   2.1.1 Definition of a paraphrasing sentence 3

   2.1.2 Characteristics of paraphrasing questions 3

   2.1.3 The role of paraphrasing sentences in reading tests 3

2.2 Current situation before implementation 4

2.3 Solutions implemented 5

   2.3.1 Systematizing foundational knowledge of paraphrasing sentences 5

      2.3.1.1 Teaching core theory 5

      2.3.1.2 Categorizing common forms of paraphrasing 8

      2.3.1.3 Providing a list of synonymous words/phrases 8

   2.3.2 Developing a five-step procedure for paraphrasing sentences 10

      2.3.2.1 Step 1: Accurately identify the original sentence to be paraphased 10

      2.3.2.2 Step 2: Analyze the context of the paragraph containing the sentence 10

      2.3.2.3 Step 3: Break down the sentence into smaller components 10

      2.3.2.4 Step 4: Compare the sentence with the given options 10

      2.3.2.5 Step 5: Select the most accurate option and double-check the overall the meaning 10

      2.3.2.6 Illustrative examples 10

   2.3.3 Designing Specialized Practice Materials 13

      2.3.3.1 A reference table of Common Structures and Vocabulary used in Paraphrasing 13

      2.3.3.2 Exercises at various levels of difficulty 15

2.3.4 Periodic assessment and timely feedback 18

2.4 Effectiveness of the initiative 18

3 Conclusion and recommendations 19

3.1 Conclusion 19

3.2 Recommendations 20

References

List of Assessed Initiatives

Appendices

1 Introduction

1.1 Rationale for the study:

Within the context of comprehensive reform in general education under the 2018curriculum, the national high school graduation exam in English—starting from2025—has undergone significant changes in both format and content One of themost notable shifts is the emphasis on assessing students’ practical andcomprehensive language use, rather than merely testing discrete linguisticknowledge such as isolated grammar points or vocabulary The exam no longerfocuses solely on memorization but requires students to apply their languageknowledge in contexts that closely resemble real-life, academic, andcommunicative situations Consequently, questions that require higher-orderthinking and application are increasingly being emphasized, especially in thereading comprehension section

Among the various types of reading comprehension questions, paraphrasedsentence items stand out due to their high level of difficulty and their role indifferentiating students' proficiency levels These questions demand not only athorough understanding of a given sentence in the passage but also the ability tothink flexibly in terms of language use, recognize equivalent grammatical andlexical structures, and infer the true meaning of the sentence within its context.Moreover, students must apply skills such as synthesis, analysis, and elimination

to choose the most appropriate answer while avoiding distractors Due to theircomplexity, paraphrased sentence questions are often categorized at the higher-order thinking level and serve as an effective tool for student classification.However, in reality, many students still struggle with this type of question Thismay result from a limited academic vocabulary, a lack of skills in analyzingsentence structures, or an insufficient understanding of paraphrasing techniques

In addition, without systematic practice, students tend to rely on intuition, leading

to incorrect answers or spending too much time on a single question, whichnegatively impacts their overall performance in the reading section

Based on my teaching experience and the challenges students face during exam

preparation, I have chosen to implement an educational initiative titled "Methods

for solving paraphrasing questions in english reading passages." This initiative

aims to share practical teaching and learning methods that help students identify,analyze, and effectively approach paraphrased sentence questions It alsocontributes to a broader strategy of improving English exam preparation quality,fostering students’ genuine and sustainable reading comprehension skills, andmeeting the requirements of the upcoming changes in national high schoolgraduation assessments

1.2 Research objectives

- To help students master the skills of identifying and answering paraphrased sentence questions in reading passages.

- To systematize strategies for solving paraphrased questions based on

vocabulary, grammar, and context

- To increase the number of students who answer these questions correctly in thenational English exam

- To support teachers with effective methods and materials for teaching thisquestion type.

+ Sample test formats (form 2025)

+ Teaching guidelines under the 2018 curriculum

+ Standardized test prep materials

+ English textbooks and workbooks with paraphrasing content

+ Summarize techniques and strategies to establish the theoretical basis for theinitiative

- Survey and observation:

+ Conduct surveys and assessments with Grade 12 students through:

+ A diagnostic test including paraphrased sentence questions

+ Questionnaires on study habits and confidence levels

+ Short interviews with students and teachers for practical feedback

+ Use findings to determine students' current needs and inform teaching

strategies

- Experimental teaching:

Implementing an 8-week teaching plan (weeks 8–15, semester 1, 2024–2025) for

2 classes 12B8 and 12B9

+ Introduce a 5-step process for answering paraphrasing questions

+ Provide tiered practice exercises from basic to advanced levels

+ Use worksheets, group activities, and periodic assessments to track progress

- Data collection and analysis:

+ Compare pre-test and post-test results to measure improvement

+ Analyze data using basic statistical methods (percentages, average scores, number of improved students) to evaluate effectiveness

English test will shift from mainly assessing isolated language knowledge(grammar and vocabulary) to evaluating students’ ability to use Englishcomprehensively in real-life and academic contexts This reflects the moderneducational trend of emphasizing communicative competence over rote learning.

In the new test structure, reading comprehension accounts for approximately 35–40% of the total questions, highlighting its role in developing cognitive and

academic skills Among the question types, paraphrasing questions are

increasingly used to assess high-level thinking and language processing withinspecific contexts

These questions require students not only to understand the surface meaning of asentence but also to analyze its deeper meaning, tone, and logical connections, aswell as to identify structurally and semantically equivalent expressions

2.1.1 Definition of a paraphrasing sentence

A paraphrasing sentence question asks students to select the option that best

restates a given sentence from the passage without changing its original meaning,tone, or communicative intent This involves using different vocabulary orgrammatical structures while maintaining the core message

Success in this task requires strong reading comprehension, logical reasoning, and

a broad language base Even minor shifts in wording can alter meaning, makingthis a high-level language skill that goes beyond memorization

2.1.2 Characteristics of paraphrasing questions

- Lexical and grammatical variation: The correct option is often rephrased

using synonyms, altered word forms, changes in voice (active/passive), ordifferent sentence structures, yet must convey the same meaning

- Accuracy and consistency in meaning: The paraphrase must retain all key

ideas, logical relationships, and emotional tone Any distortion, exaggeration, oromission of information will make the option incorrect

- Varied forms of paraphrasing: Some paraphrases closely resemble the original

sentence with only minor changes, while others rephrase the entire idea in adifferent form, requiring careful inference and contextual understanding

- Typical question formats include:

 "Which of the following best restates the sentence in line…?"

 "Which sentence is closest in meaning to…?"

 "What does the author mean when he says…?"

 "Which of the following best paraphrases the underlined sentence?"

2.1.3 The role of paraphrasing questions in reading tests

These questions are designed to assess higher-order thinking, not just languagerecall They measure how well students interpret meaning in context, recognizeequivalent expressions, and understand logical and emotional nuances In the

2025 exam format, two paraphrasing questions are expected per reading section.Moreover, this skill aligns with international exams like IELTS, TOEFL, or SAT,where paraphrasing is crucial for academic reading and writing tasks Thus,mastering paraphrasing not only benefits test performance but also preparesstudents for future academic and lifelong learning

Early exposure and structured practice in paraphrasing help students developdeeper reading comprehension and language reasoning—essential competencies

in an increasingly globalized and knowledge-driven world

2.2 Current situation before implementation

To gain an accurate understanding of students’ difficulties with paraphrasingquestions, I conducted a survey in class 12B8—an academic class focusing onuniversity entrance exams with English as a core subject The survey involved 42students representing average to fairly good performance levels

I observed students during a specially designed reading test that includedparaphrasing questions The test aimed to collect both quantitative and qualitativedata—accuracy rates, time spent per question, types of incorrect choices, andcommon errors

Additionally, I monitored student behavior during the test, noting signs ofhesitation, reliance on familiar keywords, and lack of contextual analysis Thishelped identify gaps in logical reasoning and deep reading skills

The findings revealed significant challenges, providing a clear foundation fordesigning targeted teaching interventions that meet students’ actual needs andlearning capacities

The test results are presented below:

Table 1 Results of the paraphrasing question test before implementation of the initiative

of students

of students

of students

%

Analysis of Table 1 indicates that many students still struggle with paraphrasing

questions in reading comprehension, even though their vocabulary is relatively

adequate The low percentage of correct answers highlights a lack of semanticanalysis skills and limited flexibility in language use

The core issue does not stem from gaps in vocabulary or grammar knowledgealone, but from students’ lack of training in contextual sentence analysis andlogical thinking Many students rely on intuition, easily misled by distractoroptions that subtly alter the meaning

This reality shows that instruction on paraphrasing questions is not yet systematic.Students often lack key skills such as identifying sentence functions, extractingcore information, and distinguishing nuanced meaning Without a clear strategy,they become passive, especially under exam time pressure

Thus, it is essential to develop a structured, practical, and easy-to-apply approachthat helps students gradually master this question type Improving paraphrasingskills will also enhance their academic reading comprehension and examperformance This is the central goal of my initiative

Teachers should guide students to answer three key questions:

- What is paraphrasing?

→ It is the act of expressing an idea or sentence using different words or

structures while retaining the original meaning, content, and tone

- How do paraphraseing questions appear in the exam?

→ In the national high school graduation exam (form 2025), these questions ask students to choose a sentence that is equivalent in meaning to a quoted sentence from the passage, using different linguistic forms

- Why are they considered high-level questions?

→ Because they require deep understanding of semantics, the ability to comparedifferent ways of expression, and analyze tone, logical structure, andcommunicative intent—skills that go beyond memorization and demand flexiblelanguage thinking

Below are some examples extracted from Grade 12 test preparation materials

Example 1:

Which of the following best paraphrases the sentence:

“People who eat late at night are more likely to suffer from digestive

problems”?

A People who skip meals at night are likely to have serious health problems.

B Eating late increases the chances of having issues with the digestive system.

C Late-night eating may prevent some digestive issues in certain people.

D People eating late tend to experience digestive discomfort more often.

Key:

B Eating late increases the chances of having issues with the digestive system.

→ This option preserves the original meaning by using synonyms or equivalentexpressions:

+ People who eat late at night → Eating late

+ more likely to suffer from → increases the chances of having

+ digestive problems → issues with the digestive system

Example 2:

Which of the following best paraphrases the sentence:

“Some students perform poorly in exams not because they lack knowledge, but because they cannot manage their time effectively.”

A Students often get bad grades due to their poor study habits and limited

knowledge

B Lack of effective time management, rather than insufficient knowledge, can

lead to low exam performance in some students

C Students who know little are more likely to run out of time in their exams.

D Students fail exams mainly because the tests are too difficult and time is too short Key:

B Lack of effective time management, rather than insufficient knowledge, can

lead to low exam performance in some students

→ This option preserves the original meaning by using equivalent structures:+ Some students perform poorly → can lead to low exam performance in somestudents

+ not because they lack knowledge, but because they cannot manage their time →Lack of effective time management, rather than insufficient knowledge

2.3.1.2 Categorizing common forms of paraphrasing

During the process of teaching and practicing paraphrased sentence questions in the reading comprehension section of the national high school English exam, it

is essential to help students recognize and distinguish between common types of paraphrasing This not only improves their test-taking strategies but also

enhances their linguistic thinking and flexibility in expression—two core

competencies emphasized in the new general education curriculum

Below are four frequently encountered forms of paraphrasing, accompanied by defining features and illustrative examples:

2.3.1.2.1 Replacing words with synonyms or equivalent phrases

This is the most basic and widely used form of paraphrasing In this case, key words in the original sentence are replaced with synonyms or semantically equivalent phrases without altering the original meaning

Which of the following best paraphrases the sentence:

“Global warming is a serious threat to human life and biodiversity.”

A Global warming doesn't affect humans much, but harms animals.

B The increasing global temperature poses a major risk to both people and the

variety of life forms

C Biodiversity increases as global temperatures rise.

D People are trying to stop global warming from spreading diseases.

Key:

B The increasing global temperature poses a major risk to both people and the

variety of life forms

→ This option preserves the original meaning by using synonyms or equivalent expressions:

+ “Serious threat” → “major risk”

+ “Human life” → “people”

+ “Biodiversity” → “the variety of life forms”

2.3.1.2.2 Changing grammatical structure while retaining the original meaning

This type of paraphrasing requires students to understand how different

grammatical structures can be used to convey the same idea The transformation may involve converting a conditional sentence into a cause-and-effect structure, changing a phrase into a clause, or rearranging the sentence order

Which sentence expresses the same idea as the sentence :

“If students don’t revise regularly, they will struggle to retain information.”

A Students who study daily never forget what they learn.

B Failing to review lessons consistently makes it harder for students to

remember them

C Reviewing lessons once a month helps students succeed in exams.

D Students who remember things easily never need to revise.

Key:

B The increasing global temperature poses a major risk to both people and the

variety of life forms

→ This option preserves the original meaning by using equivalent structures:+ “If students don’t revise regularly” → “Failing to review lessons consistently”+ “They will struggle to retain information” → “makes it harder to remember”

2.3.1.2.3 Switching Between Active and Passive Voice

In many cases, the same action can be expressed in both the active and passive voice without changing the core meaning This form of paraphrasing is a

characteristic feature of English grammar and is often used to assess a learner’s flexibility in expression

Characteristics:

- Involves switching the position of the subject and the object of the action

- Students must correctly identify the nature of the action and determine who performs it

Example:

Which of the following best paraphrases the following sentence:

“Researchers have discovered a new treatment for the disease.”

A A new disease has been discovered by researchers.

B Researchers found a cure for a different illness.

C A new treatment for the disease has been discovered by researchers.

D The disease was removed entirely thanks to researchers.

Key:

C A new treatment for the disease has been discovered by researchers

→ This option preserves the original meaning by switching from active intopassive form

+ Active: “Researchers have discovered ” → Passive: “has been discovered byresearchers”

2.3.1.2.4 Paraphrasing through reduction, expansion, or word class transformation

This is an advanced form of paraphrasing where the writer or speaker modifies thesentence by changing the word class (for example, converting a verb into a noun,

or an adjective into an adverb), or by shortening or expanding the sentenceaccording to the communicative purpose

Which of the following has the same meaning with the sentence:

“Technology has significantly transformed the way people communicate.”

A Communication among people has changed greatly due to technological

advances

B People don’t talk much because of technology.

C The way technology works is the same as before.

D Talking has become unnecessary thanks to the Internet.

+ significantly transformed → changed greatly

+ Technology → technological advances (advanced phrased)

+ the way people communicate→ Communication among people

+ The sentence is reduced but still retains the original meaning

2.3.1.3 Providing a list of synonymous words/phrases

Teachers should develop and provide students with a comprehensive list ofsynonymous or equivalent words and phrases frequently appearing in paraphrasedsentence questions This resource aims to gradually help students build the ability

to flexibly recognize different ways of expression Regular exposure to pairs ofsynonymous or near-synonymous words/phrases within specific contexts not onlysupports students in answering multiple-choice questions more accurately but alsocontributes to the development of academic vocabulary, nuanced languageanalysis skills, and diverse expressive thinking These are core elements ofreading comprehension competency aligned with the new general educationcurriculum’s focus on language proficiency development

To maximize effectiveness, teachers are recommended to:

- Organize vocabulary by common academic themes (such as education, health, environment, technology…);

- Combine the vocabulary list with contextual examples extracted from reading ssages;

- Guide students to use this list as a reference tool for daily practice in reading comprehension and writing exercises.

Example of a vocabulary consolidation table :

TABLE OF COMMON SYNONYMS AND EQUIVALENT PHRASES IN

students learners, pupils

Many pupils strugglewith time

management

education system

schooling system, academic structure

The academic structure needs reform

exam performance

test results, academic achievement

Poor time management affects test results

Health

health problems medical issues, health concerns

Smoking causes various medical issues

suffer from experience, be affected by

Many people suffer from anxiety → Many experience anxiety

cause disease

lead to illness, trigger health problems

Pollution can lead to illness

Environmen

t

global warming climate change, rising temperatures

Climate change threatens

biodiversity

protect the environment

preserve nature, safeguard natural resources

We must safeguard natural resources.pollution

environmental contamination, toxicwaste

Toxic waste leads to environmental

contamination

Technology

technological development

advancements in technology, tech progress

Tech progress changes how we live

use the Internet

go online, browse the web, access the Internet

Many users go online daily

communication

interaction, exchange of information

Digital tools enhancehuman interaction

unemployment joblessness, lack of employment Joblessness is a growing concern.crime rate

level of criminal activity, offense frequency

The offense frequency has increased

social inequality economic disparity, class divide

Economic disparity affects education access

2.3.2 Developing a Five-Step procedure for paraphrasing sentences

questions

Students are guided to apply a structured 5-step approach to effectively handle paraphrased sentence questions This process provides them with a clear

thinking framework and test-taking strategy:

2.3.2.1 Step 1: Accurately identify the original sentence to be paraphrased

→ Focus on key words, phrases, main verbs, and adverbs indicating degree or emotional tone

2.3.2.2 Step 2: Analyze the context of the paragraph containing the

2.3.2.4 Step 4: Compare the sentence with the given options

→ Apply elimination techniques to remove options that: distort facts, reverse cause–effect relationships, alter degrees of meaning, or change tone

2.3.2.5 Step 5: Select the best answer and double-check the overall meaning

→ Ensure that the selected option is fully equivalent in terms of content, tone, degree, and logical relationship

2.3.2.6 Illustrative examples:

Read the following passage and choose the best answer for the questions below:

Body language is a vital form of communication In fact, it is believed

that the various forms of body language contribute about 70 percent to ourcomprehension It is important to note, however, that body language varies indifferent cultures Take for example, eye movement In the USA a child isexpected to look directly at a parent or teacher who is scolding him/her In othercultures the opposite is true Looking directly at a teacher or parent in such asituation is considered a sign of disrespect

Body language varies by culture, particularly in terms of distance In

North America, people typically maintain a greater distance than in SouthAmerica Strangers in North America keep about four feet apart, while in SouthAmerica, they stand two to three feet apart North Americans stand closer than twofeet only during confidential conversations or when they share intimacy

Gestures are a common way to communicate, such as pointing, raising an