English for

Lesson 3 Paraphrasing and summarising
Time: 90 minutes
By the end of this lesson, learners will be able to
➡
paraphrase questions
➡
summarise speaker’s ideas
Lead-in
1 Encourage your learners to remember the strategies 
from Lesson 2 and use them to answer the questions.
Suggested answers
1 check that you understand the question
2 avoid giving an answer or refer the questioner to another 
source of information
3 admit that you cannot answer the question
4 check that you understand the question or reformulate the 
question in your own words
Language focus
2 
Answer
Learners’ answers may vary, but lead learners to the conclusion 
that the question is too long and complicated. The most appropriate 
strategy is to ask for clarification and paraphrase the question.
3 
Suggested answers
●
They have used words and phrases that mean the same 
(wonder if 
 not sure whether, doubt; sufficient 
 enough; 
connection 
 link).
●
They have simplified some grammatical structures (in 
the experimental group and control groups 
 in both 
experimental and control groups; would be 
 is).
●
They have expressed numbers more simply (10 students … and 
10 students … 
 the number of students / 20 participants / 
as few as 10).
●
You may want to remind your learners that other paraphrasing 
techniques can be used, e.g. 
changing the form of a word (conclude 
conclusion) 
replacing a word with a phrase (determine 
discover the facts)
4 
Answers
●
a simplified grammatical structure: the idea of a classroom 
being 
 the idea of a classroom as
●
b words and phrases that mean the same: as little as possible 
like 
 different from; conventional 
 traditional
●
simplified grammatical structure: It is necessary for … to make  
 the need to make; classrooms 
 ones)
●
c words and phrases that mean the same: integrative studies
 interdisciplinary programme; risk 
 disadvantage; 
school 
 course; job opportunities 
 getting a job
●
simplified grammatical structure: The price … will be the risk of
 students … will be at a disadvantage

---