Linda Wendler's Shakespeare Made Easy edition of The Merchant of Venice pairs the original text with a modern English version on the facing page. For struggling readers this format is a genuine help, because they can follow the plot without getting lost in unfamiliar syntax. It also creates a new grading challenge: students may quote the easier version and present it as Shakespeare's own words.

Teachers usually notice the problem when an essay quotes a line that sounds oddly contemporary. The student has read the right passage, but the analysis is built on a paraphrase rather than on the language the class is supposed to study. Catching this consistently across a large stack of papers is tedious, which is why it often slips through.

The solution is not to discourage the modern version, which serves a real purpose. Instead, teach students to use it as a bridge, then require them to return to the original lines when they build an argument. A short rubric criterion about accurate quotation makes the expectation visible.

Teaching students to use both columns well

A helpful routine is to have students annotate a passage in three steps. First they read the original and mark words they find difficult, then they check the facing page for meaning, and finally they write a sentence about what the original wording does that the paraphrase does not. This last step is where literary analysis begins.

• Quote from the original verse when analyzing word choice or imagery
• Use the modern English to confirm meaning, not as evidence of style
• Note where the paraphrase loses rhythm, wordplay, or ambiguity
• Cite act, scene, and line so readers can find the passage
• Explain why a particular phrase matters to the argument

Rubric language that catches the issue

Add a descriptor under evidence that states the expectation plainly. A top score might require that quotations come from the original text and are accurately cited, while a lower score notes that quotations rely on the paraphrase or lack citation. Students take criteria seriously when they can see how the score changes.

Make sure the rubric also rewards students who compare the two versions thoughtfully. An essay that observes how the modern English flattens a metaphor in one of Portia's speeches shows real insight, and it deserves credit beyond the basics.

Feedback that builds the habit

When you spot a paraphrase used as a quotation, respond with a specific instruction. Ask the student to find the matching line in the original, substitute it, and add a sentence about a word or phrase that shapes the meaning. This turns a correction into a small lesson on close reading.

Over several assignments, students internalize the process and the comments become shorter. Early in the unit, however, precise notes make a real difference, and they are the kind of repetitive feedback that benefits from tools that draft them for you.

Grading at scale without missing the details

AI grading can be configured to look for quotations that read like modern paraphrase and to flag missing citations, which supports the rubric criterion. The teacher confirms the flags, adjusts scores, and adds notes on interpretation. This reduces the chance that an important detail is missed at the end of a long grading session.

The broader benefit is consistency. Every student receives the same level of attention to quotation accuracy, whether their paper was the first or the hundredth in the pile, and the standard they are held to matches the one you taught.