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In Your Own Words is a free printable Grade 5 English worksheet on choosing the note that paraphrases without copying or changing the meaning, aligned to Common Core standard W.5.8. It prints 8 questions with an answer key on its own sheet of paper, in 25 versions that each ask different questions, so no two students in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.

Set 14 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.

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Set 1 has all 25 in a single PDF. All 25 sets ask different questions.

In Your Own Words

W.5.8

NameDate

Circle the right answer.

1.Source: "The glacier has shrunk by half in the last hundred years." Which note is a fair paraphrase?
  • A.In a century, the glacier has lost about half its size.
  • B.The glacier has shrunk by half in the last hundred years.
  • C.The glacier has doubled in size in a century.
2.Source: "Owls can turn their heads much further than people can." Which note is a fair paraphrase?
  • A.Owls cannot move their heads at all.
  • B.An owl can twist its head a lot further than a human.
  • C.Owls can turn their heads much further than people can.
3.Source: "Most of the town's workers once had jobs at the mill." Which note is a fair paraphrase?
  • A.At one time, the mill employed most people who worked in the town.
  • B.Most of the town's workers once had jobs at the mill.
  • C.Nobody in the town ever worked at the mill.
4.Source: "The first trains were slow, but they could carry far more than a horse and cart." Which note is a fair paraphrase?
  • A.The first trains were faster than anything but carried very little.
  • B.Early trains moved slowly yet carried much bigger loads than horse-drawn carts.
  • C.The first trains were slow, but they could carry far more than a horse and cart.
5.Source: "Camels can go for days without water because they lose very little through sweating." Which note is a fair paraphrase?
  • A.Because camels sweat so little, they can survive days with no water.
  • B.Camels can go for days without water because they lose very little through sweating.
  • C.Camels sweat a lot, so they need water every hour.
6.Source: "Penguins cannot fly, but they are strong, fast swimmers." Which note is a fair paraphrase?
  • A.Penguins cannot fly, but they are strong, fast swimmers.
  • B.Penguins fly well but cannot swim.
  • C.Although penguins are unable to fly, they swim powerfully and quickly.
7.Source: "Lightning is hotter than the surface of the sun." Which note is a fair paraphrase?
  • A.Lightning is much cooler than the sun's surface.
  • B.Lightning is hotter than the surface of the sun.
  • C.A bolt of lightning reaches a higher temperature than the sun's surface.
8.Source: "Earthworms mix the soil, which lets air and water reach plant roots." Which note is a fair paraphrase?
  • A.Earthworms block air and water from reaching roots.
  • B.Earthworms mix the soil, which lets air and water reach plant roots.
  • C.By churning the soil, earthworms help air and water get down to roots.

LessonPrint · W.5.8 · Set 14 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — In Your Own Words

Set 14. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.In a century, the glacier has lost about half its size.
  2. 2.An owl can twist its head a lot further than a human.
  3. 3.At one time, the mill employed most people who worked in the town.
  4. 4.Early trains moved slowly yet carried much bigger loads than horse-drawn carts.
  5. 5.Because camels sweat so little, they can survive days with no water.
  6. 6.Although penguins are unable to fly, they swim powerfully and quickly.
  7. 7.A bolt of lightning reaches a higher temperature than the sun's surface.
  8. 8.By churning the soil, earthworms help air and water get down to roots.

Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to W.5.8 of the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.