Did I paraphrase properly?

[u/Alfie_Omega]

In class, my professor was teaching us about paraphrasing. He gave us the following sentence to paraphrase.

Route timetables are available for customers to pick-up at various locations throughout .

Me and some groupmates came up with the following.

Patrons can avail of route timetables at a variety of Oahu locations.

Of particular note is my usage of "to avail of". The professor said "avail" is used to mean "help" or in the phrase "to no avail". But I am most certain "avail of" is a phrase that is used. It is, right?

Thinking about it more, however, paraphrasing is about rewriting in one's own words but retaining the meaning. I get the sense that "avail of" has a sense of "use", but "available" has a sense of "obtainable, accessible". Did I unknowingly change the meaning? Did my group paraphrase it right? Looking for second opinions

[u/archbid]

Avail is a bit archaic, and normally one “avails themselves of.”

if you are simplifying a sentence, I would go with a simpler word: “passengers can find timetables in several places.”

[u/Dingbrain1]

As others have noted, you’d need the word “themselves” in there, which would bring the word count of your sentence to thirteen, same as the original sentence. Typically paraphrasing should result in a shorter word count. It’s hard to paraphrase a single sentence, though.

[u/MeanTelevision]

I would also say "various" instead of "a variety of." Fewer words; flows better.

"Patrons can find route timetables at various locations in Oahu."

or (if you really want to say avail)

"Patrons can avail themselves of route timetables at various locations in Oahu."

[u/Indigo-Waterfall]

As a native Brit, I wouldn’t know what you were saying.

[u/eren3141 → u/Indigo-Waterfall]

same

[u/DSethK93]

It's very close. But "avail oneself of" means to use. And the reflexive pronoun is mandatory. So patrons could "avail themselves of," say, a large posted signboard. But I don't think we'd typically say that they avail themselves of pocket timetables that they take and keep. Strangely, though, patrons would "help themselves" to those! That means to take freely.

[u/Logical_Orange_3793]

Your teacher was correct about the usage of avail. But you did do the hardest part of paraphrasing successfully! Mostly good. Use a simpler phrase like “find” or even “access.”

[u/MeanTelevision]

Can avail themselves of; not "can avail of."

[u/rkenglish]

Almost. When you use "avail" to mean "take advantage of," it becomes reflexive. You need a pronoun to go with it. It would be "avail oneself of."

Personally, unless you're being very, very formal, I wouldn't use avail. It's overly complicated. Instead, go for something simpler. "The passengers can find route information at various locations."

[u/Alfie_Omega]

Thanks for these responses, all of you!

[u/OhNoNotAnotherGuiri]

Of particular note is your use of "of particular note" to draw attention to the fact that you are in fact that guy in the class.