This guide shows real rephrasing versus disguised copying.
Why is writing “in your own words” such a big deal?
Several reading questions, especially summary and comprehension, test whether you understood a point, not just whether you found it. Saying the idea in different words is the proof. Anyone can copy a sentence that contains the answer.
So “in your own words” is not a polite suggestion. It names the skill being marked. Students who copy often score below their real reading ability.
What do the marks reward?
Many reading questions give credit for two things. One is finding the right content. The other is expressing it clearly and briefly in your own language.
Copying can earn the first but never the second. It also drags in the writer’s detail and examples, so the answer gets longer but earns less.
What is the difference between rephrasing and disguised copying?
Changing a few words does not count. Turning “the town was deserted and silent” into “the village was empty and quiet” keeps the writer’s sentence shape. Examiners spot this at once.
Real rephrasing rebuilds the idea with a new structure and new words. A reliable method is to understand the point, cover the text, and write it from memory in plain words. If you cannot do that, you have not understood it yet.
An example
Suppose a passage reads: decades of neglect had left the pier a skeleton of rusting girders, and the tourists who once crowded its boards were now only a memory.
A copied answer says: “The pier was a skeleton of rusting girders and the tourists were a memory.” A genuine own-words answer says: “The pier has fallen into serious disrepair and no longer attracts visitors.” It is shorter and clearly the student’s own.
Advice like this is easier to act on with a teacher beside you. A paid one-hour trial starts from your child's own writing.
When should you quote instead?
Analysis questions want the opposite. There you quote a short, precise phrase and explain its effect, because the exact words are what you are examining. Read the command word to know which mode you are in.
Our glossary explains terms like “summarise” and “analyse”. Our skills guides show both modes with worked examples.
Does this matter beyond summary?
Yes. Own-words expression matters in First Language English and in ESL reading, where rephrasing shows comprehension. In your own writing, choosing your own precise words instead of stock phrases makes the piece feel alive.
Question types differ by board; see the qualification pages and the First Language English syllabus page.
How our teachers help
Students rarely notice their own copying, so outside feedback makes the difference. In our English as a Second Language tuition and First Language lessons, experienced English teachers highlight every borrowed or lightly disguised phrase. Your child then rewrites the point from understanding, with the text covered, until rephrasing becomes natural.
If your child understands texts well but summary marks stay low, book a paid one-hour trial lesson. The teacher will check their answers for copying and show them how to rebuild ideas in their own words.