Responsible Paraphrasing and Citation | Learn Korean in English

Sentence explanations

1. 제가 바꿔 쓴 문장이 원문 자료와 너무 비슷하게 남는 것 같아 걱정돼요.

   I worry that my paraphrases stay too close to the sources.

   제가

   I (subject)

   바꿔 쓴

   reworded

   문장이

   sentence

   원문 자료

   source material

   너무

   too

   비슷하게

   similarly

   남는

   remains

   것 같아

   seems like

   걱정돼요

   am worried

   More detail

   제가 is the first-person subject form “I.” 저 is the polite/humble form of “I,” and -가 marks the subject, so 제가 identifies the speaker as the subject of the clause. A useful contrast is 나는, which also means “I” but uses the topic marker -는. 바꿔 쓴 means “reworded” here. It comes from the construction 바꿔 쓰다, “to rewrite or rephrase”: 바꾸다 becomes 바꿔 before the following verb, and 쓰다 becomes the past attributive form 쓴 before 문장. Thus 바꿔 쓴 문장 is “a sentence that I reworded.” Example: 표현을 바꿔 썼어요. — “I rephrased the expression.” 문장이 is “the sentence” as the subject of the next description. 문장 means “sentence,” and -이 is the subject marker used after a consonant-ending noun. The observed form does not itself specify which sentence beyond the sentence described by the surrounding words. 원문 자료 means “source material” in this utterance. 원문 is “the original text,” while 자료 is “material” or “source material.” Together they identify the material against which the reworded sentence is being compared. Example: 원문 자료를 확인했어요. — “I checked the source material.” 너무 is the degree adverb “too” or “excessively.” It shows that the similarity is greater than the speaker considers appropriate, rather than merely stating that the two things are similar. 비슷하게 means “similarly” or, here, “too similarly/too close.” It is the adverbial form of 비슷하다, “to be similar.” The ending -게 lets this descriptive word modify the following verb. 비슷하다 describes similarity; 같다 is a different form meaning “to be the same” or, in another construction, “to seem.” 남는 means “remaining” or “staying.” It comes from 남다, “to remain,” with the present attributive ending -는; this form modifies 것 in 남는 것 같다. In this sentence, it presents the paraphrased sentence as continuing to stay too close to the source. Example: 문제가 남아요. — “A problem remains.” 것 같아 is part of the reusable pattern A/V-(으)ㄴ/는 것 같다, “it seems that A/V” or “it looks as if A/V.” Here 남는 것 같아 means “it seems to remain.” 것 turns the preceding description into something that can be evaluated, and 같아 is the informal connective form of 같다, linking this impression to 걱정돼요. The exact observed ending is 같아, not the polite sentence-final 같아요, because it continues into the following expression. 걱정돼요 means “I am worried” or “I am concerned.” It is the polite present form of 걱정되다, used here for the speaker’s concern. This differs from 걱정하다, which means “to worry about” or “to be concerned about” something as an action or attitude. Example: 결과가 걱정돼요. — “I’m worried about the result.” Taken together, 제가 바꿔 쓴 문장이 sets up “the sentence I reworded” as the subject. 원문 자료와 supplies the comparison target, with -와 meaning “with” or “and” after 자료; 너무 비슷하게 남는 것 같아 says that it seems to remain excessively similar, and 걱정돼요 gives the speaker’s reaction. The whole utterance therefore means: “I worry that my paraphrases stay too close to the sources.”

2. 문장 구조가 바뀌었는지 확인해 보는 것이 도움이 돼요.

   A useful test is whether the sentence structure has changed.

   문장

   sentence

   구조

   structure

   바뀌었는지

   whether it has changed

   확인해 보는 것

   checking to see

   도움이 돼요

   is helpful

   More detail

   문장 means “sentence” here. It is a noun and can be combined with other nouns to specify a type of sentence, as in 문장 구조 (“sentence structure”). 구조 means “structure” or “organization.” In this utterance, 문장 구조 refers to how the parts of a sentence are arranged, not to the sentence as a whole. 바뀌었는지 expresses “whether [it] has changed.” The base verb is 바뀌다 (“to change” / “to be changed”). The form 바뀌었- marks a completed change, and -는지 turns the clause into an embedded yes-or-no question. Thus, 문장 구조가 바뀌었는지 means “whether the sentence structure has changed.” The subject marker 가 belongs to 문장 구조, the thing whose change is being checked. 확인해 보는 것 means “checking to see.” 확인하다 means “to check” or “to verify.” In 확인해 보다, 보다 follows another verb and adds the idea of trying an action or checking the result: “try checking” or “check to see.” The ending -는 것 nominalizes the action, so the whole expression can function as a noun-like subject. A reusable pattern is 동사-아/어 보다: 읽어 봐요 means “try reading it” or “read it and see.” 도움이 돼요 means “is helpful.” The noun 도움 means “help,” and 되다 means “to become” or, in this expression, “to be of help.” 돼요 is the polite present form of 되다; it is not the adjective “helpful” itself. The particle 이 marks 도움 as the subject of this expression. For example, 이 방법이 도움이 돼요 means “This method is helpful.” Together, 문장 구조가 바뀌었는지 확인해 보는 것 is “checking to see whether the sentence structure has changed,” and 도움이 돼요 says that this checking is helpful. The complete utterance therefore means: “A useful test is whether the sentence structure has changed.”

3. 가끔 단어는 바꾸지만 원래 논리는 그대로 유지해요.

   Sometimes I change vocabulary but keep the original logic.

   가끔

   sometimes

   단어

   word; vocabulary

   바꾸지만

   change, but

   원래

   original; originally

   논리

   logic

   그대로

   as it is; unchanged

   유지해요

   keep; maintain

   More detail

   가끔 means “sometimes” and places the change as occasional rather than constant. Example: 가끔 커피를 마셔요. — “I sometimes drink coffee.” 단어 means “word” here; in this sentence, the fixed translation uses the broader sense “vocabulary.” It refers to the lexical choices being changed, not to the sentence’s underlying reasoning. Example: 새 단어를 배워요. — “I learn new words.” 바꾸지만 comes from 바꾸다, “to change,” and has the form 바꾸다 → 바꾸지만: “change, but.” The ending -지만 links this clause to a contrasting or balancing statement. The subject is understood from context as “I,” matching the fixed translation. Example: 표현은 바꾸지만 뜻은 같아요. — “I change the expression, but the meaning is the same.” 원래 means “original” or “originally.” Here it describes the logic as belonging to the original version. It is different from 새로운, “new,” when contrasting an original with a newly changed version. 논리 means “logic” or “reasoning.” In this utterance, it is the thing that remains unchanged while the words may change. Example: 이 설명의 논리는 분명해요. — “The logic of this explanation is clear.” 그대로 means “as it is” or “unchanged.” It emphasizes that something is retained without alteration. The pattern 그대로 유지하다 is reusable for “to maintain something as it is.” Example: 형식은 그대로 두세요. — “Please leave the format as it is.” 유지해요 comes from 유지하다, “to maintain” or “to keep,” and is the polite present-style form. The subject of the verb is understood as “I,” and its object here is 원래 논리, “the original logic.” 유지하다 is a 하다-verb, so its polite form is made with -해요: 유지하다 → 유지해요. Together, 가끔 단어는 바꾸지만 means “I sometimes change the words, but,” while 원래 논리는 그대로 유지해요 means “I keep the original logic unchanged.” The whole utterance therefore means: “Sometimes I change vocabulary but keep the original logic.”

4. 그렇다면 바꿔 쓴 문장도 여전히 원문에 지나치게 의존할 수 있어요.

   Then the paraphrase may still depend too heavily on the source.

   그렇다면

   then; in that case

   바꿔 쓴

   rewritten; paraphrased

   문장

   sentence

   도

   also; too

   여전히

   still

   원문

   original text; source

   지나치게

   too much; excessively

   의존할 수 있어요

   may depend on

   More detail

   그렇다면 means “then” or “in that case.” 그렇다 is the descriptive verb meaning “to be so”; -다면 presents a condition, so this form connects the current statement to a preceding assumption or situation. 바꿔 쓴 describes the following noun as “rewritten” here. It comes from 바꾸다 (“to change”) plus 쓰다 (“to write”): 바꾸어 쓰다 contracts to 바꿔 쓰다, and its past attributive form is 바꿔 쓴. The past form marks the writing as completed before or by the point being discussed, not necessarily a past time for the whole sentence. Example: 표현을 바꿔 쓴 문장 means “a sentence in which the expression was rewritten.” 문장 means “sentence.” It is a noun and can be followed by particles such as 도 here. Example: 짧은 문장 means “a short sentence.” 도 is an additive particle meaning “also” or “too.” Attached to 문장, it adds the rewritten sentence to the relevant set: the rewritten sentence too may have the problem described next. Its exact scope comes from the phrase it follows; here the visible form is 문장도. 여전히 means “still” or “nevertheless,” indicating that the situation remains true despite a change such as rewriting. Example: 여전히 어렵다 means “It is still difficult.” 원문 means “the original text” or “source text.” 원 means “original” and 문 means “text,” but 원문 is a standard noun for the source version from which a rewritten text may be made. Example: 원문을 읽다 means “to read the original text.” 지나치게 means “excessively” or “too much.” It is the adverbial form used to modify the following dependency relation, so it says that the dependence is stronger than desirable. Compare 너무 (“too; very”), which is broader and often more conversational; 지나치게 more clearly emphasizes excess. 의존할 수 있어요 expresses “may depend on” here. 의존하다 means “to depend on” and takes the object or basis of dependence with -에, as in 자료에 의존하다 (“depend on data”). -(으)ㄹ 수 있다 expresses possibility or ability; because the sentence concerns a possible result, 의존할 수 있어요 means “may depend,” not simply “depends.” 있어요 is the polite present form of 있다. Example: 이 방법은 한 자료에 의존할 수 있어요. means “This method may depend on a single source.” Putting the parts together: 그렇다면 sets up “Then,” 바꿔 쓴 문장도 means “the rewritten sentence too,” and 여전히 원문에 지나치게 의존할 수 있어요 says that it “may still depend too heavily on the source.” The complete utterance therefore means: “Then the paraphrase may still depend too heavily on the source.”

5. 초안을 쓰기 전에 논문을 닫는 게 좋겠어요.

   I should probably close the article before drafting.

   초안을

   draft

   쓰기

   writing

   전에

   before

   논문을

   article

   닫는

   closing

   게 좋겠어요

   would be good

   More detail

   초안을 means “the draft” here. 초안 is a noun meaning a first or unfinished version of a text, and 을 marks it as the object of 쓰다 (“to write”) in the following expression. Because 초안 ends in a final consonant, it takes 을; a noun ending in a vowel takes 를 instead. 쓰기 comes from 쓰다, “to write,” plus -기, which turns a verb into a noun-like activity or event: 쓰기 means “writing.” This form can combine with time expressions such as 전 (“before”) and 후 (“after”). Example: 자기 전에 책을 읽어요. — “I read a book before going to bed.” 전에 means “before.” Here, it places 초안을 쓰기 earlier than the event in the following clause. 전 is a noun meaning “before” or “prior time,” and 에 marks the relevant time or point. 논문을 means “the article” here, as selected by the fixed translation. 논문 is a noun for an academic paper or article, and 을 marks it as the object of 닫다 (“to close”). It takes 을 because it ends in a final consonant. 닫는 is the present attributive form of 닫다, “to close.” The ending -는 makes the verb modify the following noun-like expression 것, giving the pattern 닫는 것 (“the act of closing” or “closing”). It is not the past form. Example: 문을 닫는 사람이 누구예요? — “Who is the person closing the door?” 게 좋겠어요 is the spoken shortened form of 것이 좋겠어요, meaning “it would be good” or, with this sentence’s intended meaning, “I should probably.” In the larger pattern, 닫는 게 좋겠어요 presents closing the article as the advisable action. 것이 commonly contracts to 게 in speech, while 좋겠어요 gives the judgment a tentative or considerate tone. Together, 초안을 쓰기 전에 means “before drafting,” and 논문을 닫는 게 좋겠어요 means “it would be good to close the article,” naturally rendered here as “I should probably close the article.” The complete utterance means: “I should probably close the article before drafting.”

6. 그러면 자신의 말로 그 생각을 다시 구성하게 될 수 있어요.

   That can force you to reconstruct the idea in your own terms.

   그러면

   then; in that case

   자신의 말로

   in one’s own words

   그

   that; the

   생각

   idea; thought

   다시

   again; anew

   구성하게

   come to construct

   될 수 있어요

   can; may

   More detail

   그러면 means “then” or “in that case.” It links this utterance to a consequence or next step. Example: 그러면 시작해요. — “Then let’s start.” 자신의 말로 means “in one’s own words.” 자신의 marks possession or association with the relevant person, while 말로 uses 말 (“words; speech”) with -로 to show the means or form used. In this sentence, the fixed translation identifies that person as “you,” so the intended meaning is “in your own terms.” Example: 자신의 말로 설명해 보세요. — “Try explaining it in your own words.” 그 is a demonstrative determiner placed before a noun. Its form does not by itself identify a unique referent; here it modifies 생각, with the intended meaning “that idea” or “the idea” in the fixed translation. 생각 means “idea” or “thought.” It is a noun, and 그 생각 means “that idea.” Example: 생각을 정리했어요. — “I organized my thoughts.” 다시 means “again” or “anew.” With 구성하다, it indicates reconstructing or organizing anew, not merely mentioning the idea again. Example: 문장을 다시 구성했어요. — “I reconstructed the sentence.” 구성하게 comes from the verb 구성하다, “to construct; to organize; to form.” Here, 구성하- combines with -게 in the pattern -게 되다. This pattern presents the action as something the subject comes to do or ends up doing, rather than simply stating a direct, intentional action. Example: 새로운 방식으로 생각하게 됐어요. — “I came to think in a new way.” 될 수 있어요 contains 될, the modifier form of 되다 (“to become; to happen”), followed by 수 and 있어요, the polite form of 있다. In -게 될 수 있어요, -게 되다 is further combined with -ㄹ 수 있다 to express that the development or outcome is possible: “can come to” or “may end up.” The fixed translation conveys this possibility as being able to force the person into the action. Example: 상황에 따라 바뀌게 될 수 있어요. — “It may end up changing depending on the situation.” Together, 그러면 sets up a consequence, 자신의 말로 specifies the form used, and 그 생각을 다시 구성하게 될 수 있어요 expresses the possibility that the person will be brought to reconstruct the idea. The whole utterance therefore means: “Then that can force you to reconstruct the idea in your own terms.”

7. 표현이 달라져도 주장에는 출처를 밝혀야 해요.

   I should also cite claims even when the wording differs.

   표현이 달라져도

   even if the wording differs

   주장

   claim

   출처

   source

   밝혀야 해요

   should cite

   More detail

   표현이 달라져도 means “even if the wording differs.” 표현 is “expression” or “wording,” and 이 marks it as the subject of the clause. 달라져도 comes from 달라지다, “to differ” or “to become different,” followed by -어도, which forms an “even if/even though” condition. For example, 방법이 달라도 괜찮아요 means “It is fine even if the method is different.” 주장 means “claim” or “assertion.” In this sentence, 주장에는 combines the noun with -에는; the full combination sets claims as the topic or domain to which the following requirement applies. 주장 itself is the noun, while 주장하다 is the related verb “to claim.” 출처 means “source,” especially the source of information or a claim. With the object marker in 출처를, it becomes the object of the following action. A useful Korean pattern is 출처를 밝히다, “to identify or disclose the source”; in an academic or informational context, this naturally means “to cite the source.” 밝혀야 해요 is based on 밝히다, “to make clear, disclose, or identify.” The form -아/어야 하다 expresses necessity or obligation, so 밝혀야 해요 means “must identify it” or, in the fixed translation's perspective, “should cite it.” 해요 is the polite present form of 하다 in this construction. For example, 이름을 밝혀야 해요 means “You should state the name.” Together, 주장에는 출처를 밝혀야 해요 says that claims require their sources to be identified or cited. The opening 표현이 달라져도 makes this requirement hold even when the wording is different. Thus the whole utterance means, “I should also cite claims even when the wording differs.” The translation's “also” connects this requirement with the surrounding attribution point, rather than corresponding to a separate word in the Korean sentence.

8. 아이디어에도 출처를 밝혀야 하기 때문에 그것은 꼭 필요해요.

   That is essential, because ideas require attribution too.

   아이디어에도

   ideas too

   출처를

   the source

   밝혀야

   must identify or cite

   하기 때문에

   because of doing

   그것은

   that

   꼭

   definitely; necessarily

   필요해요

   is necessary

   More detail

   아이디어에도: 아이디어 means “idea.” The particle 도 adds “also/too,” so this says that ideas are included in the attribution requirement. 에 marks the thing to which the action applies; here 아이디어에 is “to/for ideas.” The exact referent of “ideas” is supplied by the sentence, while 도 connects it with another comparable case. 출처를: 출처 means “source,” and 를 marks it as the object of the following action. Korean commonly uses 출처를 밝히다 for “identify, disclose, or cite the source.” Example: 자료의 출처를 밝혀요. — “I identify the source of the material.” 밝혀야: This is the -아/어야 form of 밝히다 (“to identify/disclose”), expressing that the action is required. The useful pattern is V-아/어야 하다: “must do V” or “it is necessary to do V.” Here, 밝혀야 is not simply a present-tense form; it carries the obligation that is completed by 하기 때문에. 하기 때문에: 하다 means “to do,” and -기 때문에 means “because” or “because of doing.” In this sentence, 밝혀야 하기 때문에 means “because it is necessary to identify or cite [the source].” The 하기 belongs to the obligation expression 밝혀야 하다, so the whole clause, rather than just 하다, supplies the reason. 그것은: 그것 means “that,” and 은 marks it as the topic. Here the fixed translation presents “that” as what is essential; the sentence itself does not specify a more concrete noun for this pronoun. The topic marker frames that referent as the thing being evaluated in the rest of the sentence. 꼭: 꼭 intensifies the necessity, giving “definitely,” “certainly,” or “essentially” in this context. It commonly appears with a required or important action or state, as in 꼭 해야 해요 — “You must definitely do it.” 필요해요: This is the polite present form of 필요하다, “to be necessary” or “to be needed.” 필요하다 describes necessity, while 필요해요 is the polite conversational form. For example, 시간이 필요해요. means “Time is needed” or “I need time.” Together, 아이디어에도 출처를 밝혀야 하기 때문에 means “because sources must also be identified for ideas,” and 그것은 꼭 필요해요 means “that is definitely necessary.” The complete utterance therefore means: “That is essential, because ideas require attribution too.” The 해요 ending gives the statement a polite, everyday tone.