Discussions
Back to Discussions

Paraphrasing 'yours to do'

Fast_Revolution_8874
I wonder if my paraphrasing conveys the same meaning. Original text: The property was yours to sell or not, as you wished. And after selling it, it was yours to decide how much to give. My version: It was up to you to sell the property or not, as you wished. And after selling it, it was up to you to decide how much to give.

7 comments

Connect_Light9184
Yes, but the paraphrased words are very similar to the original. Typically, paraphrases will take the most relevant information and condense it as concisely as possible. For example: “You had the choice whether to sell the property and the amount to give.”
amazzan
I like your version better. it's more concise (& yes, has the same meaning). personally, I'd remove "as you wished" because I don't think it adds anything. you could also replace "up to you" with "your decision" or "your choice" or "your call."
casualstrawberry
"Up to you" and "as you wished" convey the same information. Consider: "It was up to you sell the property or not, and after selling it, to decide how much to give."
jasonpettus
Yes, you're getting your paraphrasing exactly right.
Money_Canary_1086
Yes it’s right. The scenario seems weird, though. “How much to give?” Are we talking charity? Money for a non-owner occupant? Commission?
Phaeomolis
I think there's a slight connotation difference.  "Yours to sell" implies the property is owned by you. "Up to you" doesn't imply ownership and emphasizes the decision and responsibility. This is a small difference, and both texts are entirely understandable. Just nuance that may or may not be pertinent to the scenario. 
MisterBun
Your paraphrasing is the same meaning. I'd even say yours is more commonly used in the United States. Extra info that I hope isn't just more confusing: If we're being really subtle, the idioms "the ball's in your court" or "your move" have a similar meanings to "it's up to you," but not \*quite\* the same as saying something is "yours to do with" (which involves a bit more possession). "It's up to you to sell the property or not. After that, the ball's in your court."