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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 16 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.Why is it not enough to change one or two words of a source and call it your own?
  • A.Paraphrases must be longer than the source
  • B.Changing two words always makes a paraphrase
  • C.The sentence is still the author's, so it is copying, not paraphrasing
2.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.
3.Source: "Earthworms mix the soil, which lets air and water reach plant roots." Which note is a fair paraphrase?
  • A.Earthworms mix the soil, which lets air and water reach plant roots.
  • B.Earthworms block air and water from reaching roots.
  • C.By churning the soil, earthworms help air and water get down to roots.
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.Early trains moved slowly yet carried much bigger loads than horse-drawn carts.
  • B.The first trains were faster than anything but carried very little.
  • C.The first trains were slow, but they could carry far more than a horse and cart.
5.Source: "Lightning is hotter than the surface of the sun." Which note is a fair paraphrase?
  • A.A bolt of lightning reaches a higher temperature than the sun's surface.
  • B.Lightning is hotter than the surface of the sun.
  • C.Lightning is much cooler than the sun's surface.
6.Source: "Camels can go for days without water because they lose very little through sweating." Which note is a fair paraphrase?
  • A.Camels sweat a lot, so they need water every hour.
  • B.Camels can go for days without water because they lose very little through sweating.
  • C.Because camels sweat so little, they can survive days with no water.
7.Source: "Children need more sleep than adults because their brains and bodies are still growing." Which note is a fair paraphrase?
  • A.Adults need more sleep than children.
  • B.Growing bodies and brains mean children need extra sleep compared with adults.
  • C.Children need more sleep than adults because their brains and bodies are still growing.
8.Source: "Most of the town's workers once had jobs at the mill." Which note is a fair paraphrase?
  • A.Most of the town's workers once had jobs at the mill.
  • B.At one time, the mill employed most people who worked in the town.
  • C.Nobody in the town ever worked at the mill.

LessonPrint · W.5.8 · Set 16 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — In Your Own Words

Set 16. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.The sentence is still the author's, so it is copying, not paraphrasing
  2. 2.Although penguins are unable to fly, they swim powerfully and quickly.
  3. 3.By churning the soil, earthworms help air and water get down to roots.
  4. 4.Early trains moved slowly yet carried much bigger loads than horse-drawn carts.
  5. 5.A bolt of lightning reaches a higher temperature than the sun's surface.
  6. 6.Because camels sweat so little, they can survive days with no water.
  7. 7.Growing bodies and brains mean children need extra sleep compared with adults.
  8. 8.At one time, the mill employed most people who worked in the town.

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