rewrite
rewrite — verb
1. to write a piece of text again, changing and improving it by correcting mistakes
to write a piece of text again, changing and improving it by correcting mistakes, adding new information, or making the language flow better.
Yael had to rewrite the opening chapter of her novel three times before she was happy with it.
rewrite + chapter / scene / essay
After the editor sent back her notes, Kenji rewrote the entire report over the weekend.
The teacher asked the class to rewrite their essays, focusing on clearer sentence structure.
Greta rewrote the speech three times, trying to find the right tone for the audience.
- keep
to leave a text unchanged
文法句型
rewrite + noun phrase
用法筆記
Commonly used with objects like essay, chapter, script, report, or letter. The emphasis is on making noticeable improvements, not just fixing small spelling errors.
常見錯誤
2. to present a situation, event, or set of rules in a different light, altering ho
to present a situation, event, or set of rules in a different light, altering how people understand or think about it.
The new documentary rewrites the story of the space race, showing the Russian side of events.
rewrite + history / story / narrative
Hamza wanted to rewrite the rules of the club so that younger members could join the board.
Some politicians try to rewrite the past to make their own party look better.
The young runner's victory rewrote the record books for long-distance racing in her country.
- reshape
focuses on changing the form rather than the story
- reinterpret
suggests a new way of understanding rather than actively changing
- reframe
implies presenting the same facts in a different light
- preserve
to keep the original understanding unchanged
文法句型
rewrite + abstract noun phrase
用法筆記
Usually metaphorical — the direct object is not a physical text but an abstract concept such as history, rules, records, or how people think. Common in news and politics.
常見錯誤
rewrite — noun
1. the process of writing a piece of text again to make it better, fix problems, or
the process of writing a piece of text again to make it better, fix problems, or add new material.
The first rewrite of the script took the screenwriter over a month to finish.
[ordinal] rewrite of [text]
Chidi's essay was full of weak arguments, so he gave it a complete rewrite before the deadline.
A careful rewrite can turn a confusing article into something readers enjoy.
The publisher told Nadia that her novel needed a major rewrite before it could be accepted.
- revision
slightly more formal; can imply smaller changes
- redrafting
emphasises the act of writing a new version from scratch
文法句型
[adjective] rewrite
needs a rewrite
give something a rewrite
用法筆記
Often used in fixed patterns like 'needs a rewrite' or 'give it a rewrite'. Usually uncountable when referring to the general process, but countable when referring to a specific instance ('the third rewrite').
2. the improved version of a document produced by writing it again with changes and
the improved version of a document produced by writing it again with changes and corrections.
The editor compared the original article with the rewrite and noticed many improvements.
original vs rewrite
Rafael handed in his rewrite of the report, hoping it would meet the manager's expectations.
Stephanie's rewrite of the company rules was much clearer than the old version.
The students were asked to bring both their first draft and the rewrite to class.
- revision
a revised version of a document
- second draft
more specific; implies exactly one previous version
- original
the first version before any rewriting
文法句型
the rewrite of [text]
[possessive] rewrite
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: this sense points to the document itself (a specific rewrite), while sense 1 points to the activity (the act of rewriting).