What must stay the same when the words change?
FNEGE lists paraphrasing among the skills in the Expression subtest. This Upsilar workshop focuses on choosing a sentence that preserves the original message. You are not being asked to draw a new conclusion or judge whether the statement is true.
Before reading the options, identify who does what, to whom, when, and under what conditions. Also note the degree of certainty and quantity: possible, probable, certain; some, most, all. These details form a short checklist. The words may change, but none of these relationships should be strengthened, weakened, or reversed.
Connectors are especially important. “Malgré” (“despite”) signals a concession; “parce que” (“because”) signals a cause; “à condition que” (“provided that”) signals a condition. A grammatically correct option can distort the message by changing just one of these links. Compare the meaning structure first, then the fluency of the wording.
How can you preserve a concession?
In the first exercise, the contrast between two facts is part of the message. A paraphrase must preserve that contrast without inventing a causal link.
Phrase originale : « Malgré la réduction de son budget, l’association a maintenu toutes ses activités. » Quelle reformulation conserve le sens ?
Choose an answer.
The solution, step by step
Although its budget decreased, the organization kept all of its activities.
The method in action
- “Bien que” (“although”) preserves the concession; “ait diminué” paraphrases the reduction; “l’ensemble” preserves the scope of “toutes” (“all”).
- “Grâce à” (“thanks to”) and “pour” (“in order to”) introduce a favorable cause and a goal, respectively, neither of which appears in the original sentence.
- The conditional turns a fact into a hypothetical situation. “La plupart” (“most”) narrows the scope: it no longer says all activities were maintained.
How can you preserve a time restriction?
A time restriction does not necessarily promise that an event will happen. Identify what it rules out and what remains possible.
Phrase originale : « Le comité ne se prononcera pas avant d’avoir reçu le rapport. » Quelle reformulation est fidèle ?
Choose an answer.
The solution, step by step
The committee must wait until it receives the report before taking a position.
The method in action
- The sentence establishes an order: receive the report before taking a position. The selected answer preserves that constraint.
- “Dès” (“as soon as”) adds immediacy. The original sentence specifies neither how soon after receipt the committee will respond nor whether it will take a position at all.
- The passage says nothing about an earlier decision, permission to speak before receipt, or an obligation to approve. Those options add information.
The pitfall
Choosing the most elegant sentence instead of the most faithful
A short, natural sentence may remove an important qualification. Replacing “could reduce expenses” with “will reduce expenses” is more direct, but it turns a possibility into a certainty. Elegant wording does not justify that change.
Conversely, repeating many words from the original proves nothing. An option can repeat the subject, verb, and object, then reverse the negation. Give more weight to relationships and constraints than to surface similarity.
How can you distinguish between two similar statements?
Look for a scenario in which the original sentence is true but the option is false, or vice versa. In the committee example, receiving the report on Monday and responding on Friday is consistent with the original but contradicts “dès la réception” (“as soon as the report is received”). This small scenario makes the added claim visible.
In your error log, categorize the difference: quantity, certainty, time, cause, condition, or negation. Then rewrite the incorrect answer by changing only the element responsible. This trains precise paraphrasing instead of memorizing an isolated sentence.
Key takeaways
- Preserve the subject, scope, degree of certainty, and logical connections.
- A sequence of events does not create a promise of an outcome.
- A comparison scenario can reveal a hidden difference.