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Structured paraphrase · MU-W-011 · Public Beta

Structured Paraphrase Practice

Read the story. Put the point you give priority at the top as the main point (MP), connect every other point to the point it relates to, and code each one. Then check your work. New here? Start with the tutorial.

Points from the story

    Press Enter to add this point to the bottom of your paraphrase.

    Your paraphrase

    Arrow keys move this point: up and down change its place, right nests it under the point above, left brings it back out. Enter shows buttons for the same moves.

      Subordination codes
      [s]
      Support: the SP is the reason to think the point above it. The concert must have been amazing because everyone's stories were filled with clips.
      [q]
      Qualification: the catch-all when the SP does not support, explain, or result. It limits or softens, adds a condition, gives the means, or says what the point means. "By", "if", "when", and "but" always mark [q]. Charlie works as a janitor at the bar, but he really enjoys it.
      [ec]
      Explanation by cause: the SP causes the point above it. Frank lost his memory because he fell from the window.
      [em]
      Explanation by motive: the SP explains why the person did it by appeal to their fears, beliefs, emotions, likes, or dislikes. Dee auditions for a lot of roles because she wants to be an actress.
      [ep]
      Explanation by purpose: the SP is the goal the person tried to accomplish, stated outright. Dennis went to the McPoyle wedding to see his ex-wife.
      [re]
      Result as effect: the SP is an effect of the point above it. Heavy rains came in early summer, so the crop yield was particularly good.
      [ri]
      Result as inference: the SP is what we can tell from the point above it. Flags: "must", "probably", "I bet", "should". It's going to be hot today, so I bet the beaches will be crowded.
      [ec/ri]
      The SP explains the point above it by cause and is also inferred from it. Many apparent [ri] are really this. No one can connect at the dorms, so the campus wi-fi must be down again.
      [ec/s]
      The SP explains the point above it by cause and, because that point is in doubt, also supports it. Often a prediction. I'm about to get a headache because Michael Bolton is taking the stage.

      Any point can be the MP. When an MP and an SP trade places, [ec] becomes [re] and [s] becomes [ri], and the other way round; [em] becomes [re]. Order within a level does not matter.