7. Creative use of Time, Numbers & Dates
Time
There are different ways to express time. You can convert time into different units. For
example:
Weeks could be expressed in months or days or vice versa
•
12 weeks = 3 months = 84 days
Days may be expressed in hours
•
3 days ago = 72 hours
Time can also be expressed in more general terms
•
10 a.m. could be described as “mid-morning” or before noon.
•
2 p.m. could be in the afternoon
•
Noon could be in the middle of the day
•
Night times could be expressed as before/after sunset or midnight
•
Very early morning could be described as before dawn or sunrise.
Numbers & Statistics
In English there are different ways to express multiples.
•
2 might be expressed as: a couple, twice, double.
•
3 might be expressed as: a trio, or triple
7 Ways to Paraphrase
/
8
Alexander College Writing & Learning Centres
Statistics can be reversed:
•
For Example:
•
If a statistic says 60% of people
did something that means 40%
didn’t do it
•
Conversely, if 50% voted
against, then that means 50% voted
for it.
Statistics can also be generalized:
•
For Example:
•
If a statistic says 60.48% of eligible voters voted in the last election, you can say:
•
Just over 60% of eligible voters voted.
•
Almost 4
0% of eligible voters didn’t vote.
Dates
•
If the date isn’t important to your essay, you may omit it.
•
A specific year, such as 1989 can be expressed as the late 1980’s.
•
It could also be expressed as
before
the 1990’s.
Dates can also be expressed relative to an important, relevant historical figure.
•
Example:
•
Space flight became a regular occurrence during the
Kennedy era.
•
(i.e. E
arly 1960’s when J.F. Kennedy was the U.S. President)
Dates can also be relative to a specific historical time period
•
Examples:
•
Engines powered by water have been with us since the
Industrial Revolution.
•
Human artistic expression dates back to the
Stone Age, when pictures of
successful hunts were painted on cave walls.
Remember: A successful paraphrase is about sharing the
author’s
ideas
, not using similar words.
