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Check a French paraphrase: phrases for discussing meaning

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Use French review phrases to catch lost attribution, stronger predictions, wider scope and missing conditions. Compare a source with two paraphrases.

In short

Compare who says it, what could happen, to whom and under what condition. In a review, use La source dit… and Ta version… to name the exact difference. You can change the construction while keeping the same claim.

Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn

A coordinator speaking with waiting candidates in a French community centre corridor, blank closed folders and a bench.
An extra session pourrait réduire l’attente. Illustration: Atelier

Source : Selon la coordinatrice, une seconde session pourrait réduire l’attente des candidats du groupe B, si un évaluateur supplémentaire est disponible.

Source: According to the coordinator, a second session could reduce waiting for candidates in group B, if an additional evaluator is available.

Paraphrase à revoir : La nouvelle session réduira l’attente de tous les candidats.

Paraphrase to review: The new session will reduce waiting for all candidates.

1

Keep the speaker and degree of certainty

Use these lines when a prediction becomes an unqualified statement.

YouÀ qui cette prévision est-elle attribuée ?Who is this prediction attributed to?
ReviewerÀ la coordinatrice. Il faut garder cette attribution.To the coordinator. That attribution needs to stay.
YouLa source dit « pourrait ». Ma version affirme que le résultat est certain.The source says “could”. My version presents the result as certain.
ReviewerTu peux écrire : « La coordinatrice estime qu’une seconde session pourrait réduire l’attente. »You can write: “The coordinator considers that a second session could reduce waiting.”
2

Restore the group and condition

Two short questions catch large changes in scope.

YouLa source parle-t-elle de tous les candidats ?Does the source refer to all candidates?
ReviewerElle parle des candidats du groupe B.It refers to candidates in group B.
YouQuelle condition ai-je supprimée ?Which condition have I removed?
ReviewerLa disponibilité d’un évaluateur supplémentaire. Cette condition doit rester liée à la prévision.The availability of an additional evaluator. That condition must remain linked to the prediction.
3

Check a new construction

Ask about meaning after changing the sentence structure.

YouEst-ce que « sous réserve de » conserve la condition ?Does “subject to” preserve the condition?
ReviewerOui, si tu précises : « sous réserve qu’un évaluateur supplémentaire soit disponible ».Yes, if you specify: “provided an additional evaluator is available”.
YouEst-ce que je peux garder « seconde session » ?Can I keep “second session”?
ReviewerOui. Ce terme précis aide le lecteur à reconnaître le même projet.Yes. That precise term helps the reader recognise the same project.

How do you check a paraphrase in French?

La coordinatrice estime qu’une seconde session pourrait diminuer l’attente des candidats du groupe B, sous réserve qu’un évaluateur supplémentaire soit disponible.

The coordinator considers that a second session could shorten waiting for candidates in group B, provided an additional evaluator is available.

Four meanings to carry across
QuestionKeep this
Whose prediction?La coordinatrice.
How certain?Un effet possible : pourrait.
For whom?Les candidats du groupe B.
Under what condition?Un évaluateur supplémentaire doit être disponible.

Diminuer can replace réduire here because both describe a possible decrease in waiting. Keeping seconde session avoids a strained synonym. The useful test is what a reader learns from the new sentence: the same speaker, possibility, group and condition should remain easy to recover.

Question 1No account needed
Which question targets attribution?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Qui est à l’origine de cette prévision ?. The first question asks who supplies the prediction. That identifies whether the source’s attribution survives.

Question 2No account needed
Which replacement preserves the condition?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Sous réserve qu’un évaluateur supplémentaire soit disponible.. The second option keeps availability as a condition. The others change it into a concession or an established reason.

Question 3No account needed
Which edit strengthens the prediction?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Remplacer « pourrait réduire » par « réduira ».. Replacing pourrait réduire with réduira turns a possible result into a future assertion. The other edits preserve the relevant meaning.

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