paraphrasing exercises ielts

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How to Paraphrase in IELTS Writing +Exercises

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        Paraphrasing is an essential skill for IELTS writing for task 1 and task 2. Many students often paraphrase inappropriately, over paraphrase , or do not realise some other paraphrasing options available to them. We hope this guide and practice exercises will help you to feel more confident paraphrasing  in your IELTS essays. 

What is paraphrasing and how can we use it well in an IELTS essay?

Paraphrasing is when we restate someone else’s ideas (text or speech) using our own words, while keeping the same meaning. In IELTS essays we need to practice paraphrasing to show flexibility and avoid repeating ourselves.   

We can paraphrase in our IELTS essays by:

✅  Changing the word order

✅  Using synonyms

✅ Changing the word form

Let’s have a look at a task 2 writing question, and look at the different options we have to paraphrase in your introduction using the methods above.

In many countries, schools have major problems with student behaviour. What do you think the causes of this are? What solutions would you suggest?

✅Changing the word order example

Paraphrased = The behaviour of students is a major problem for schools in many countries.

In this example, we have kept exactly the same words, but we have simply changed the word order. This is an effective use of paraphrasing especially if you cannot think of any accurate synonyms or different word forms. 

✅ An example using accurate synonyms

Paraphrased = In a number of nations , schools have  significant difficulties  with student behaviour.

In this example we have kept a similar structure to the question, but we have paraphrased accurately using the synonyms below:

A number of = Many Nations = Countries  Significant = Major  Difficulties = Problems  

✅ Changing the word form example

In many countries, student behaviour can be problematic for schools.

In this example we have changed the word form ‘problem’ (noun) to ‘problematic’ (adjective).

All of these examples show how we can effectivily paraphrase a background statement for the IELTS writing task 2. Of course you can combine these techniques:

Paraphrased = The behaviour of students is often challenging for a number of schools around the world.

The simplist solution is often to change the word order, and then if you feel confident try to use synonyms only if you feel are are accurate . Students we teach often think they need to paraphrase every word, which leads to many mistakes and a reduction in score .

Here is an example of inaccurate paraphrasing:

Of course, this example is exagerrated. However, it illustrates the inaccuarate use of synonyms we commonly see.

Let’s analyse why.

Republics/Countries = Some countries are republics such as ‘The People’s Republic of China’, or ‘The Republic of Ireland’. However, not all countries are republics.

Educational institutions/Schools = ‘An educational institution’ This a very open and broad term which would include universities and colleges. Sometimes we do use the word ‘school’ with universities like ‘The London School of Economics’. However, the word school used alone, nearly always refers to children and not adults.

Crucial/Major = The word ‘major’ shows the degree of something with its opposite being ‘minor’. However, ‘crucial’ has a different meaning and is very similar to the word ‘important’.

Drawbacks/Problems = The word ‘drawback’ is similar to the word ‘disadvantage’, and therefore is not an accuate synonym for the word ‘problem.

Scholars/Students = ‘Scholars’ are specialists within a field of study whereas ‘students’ is a wide term which can include children.

Manners/Behaviour = ‘Manners’ relates to  how  someone’s behaviour is acted out and this is usually in social situations:

‘He has bad table manners’

Behaviour is the general action of an individual.

‘He has a very irresponsible behaviour towards investing’

Paraphrasing Exercises for IELTS Writing

Have a look at these background statements which are taken from task 2 questions:

Exercise 1.1

There are lots of different styles of music in the world today.

How could you finish the sentence below to get the same meaning?

The world today______________________

The world today has lots of different styles of music.

Exercise 1.2

The world today has ____________ different styles of music.

Which two quantifiers below could replace ‘lots of’?

✅ a large number of      ✅ many

Quantifiers are quite easy to paraphrase. Please try our exercises on quantifiers in the main menu to become familiar with different options.

Exercise 1.3

The world today has a large number of __________ styles of music.

Which word could replace ‘ different’?

✅ diverse   

‘Diverse’ could be used. However, be aware that it is not an exact synonym for ‘different’

These two colours are ‘different’  🔵 🟡    . They are not ‘diverse’.

This picture has a lot of diverse colour:

We use diverse when there is a lot of variety.

• “She likes diverse music” • “Italy has a lot of diverse food”

Unless you are 100% certain that the synonym is correct and suitable, do not use them, otherwise it you will lose marks.

Exercise 1.4

There isn’t an exact synonym for the word ‘music’, but how could we change these words?

‘styles of music’

Try to change the form of the word ‘music’ into an adjective. Then, how could you say ‘styles of music’ differently?

✅ ‘musical styles’

These are just a few other options. There are plenty more variations.

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IELTS Reading: Paraphrasing Practice

Virtually every IELTS Reading question involves some form of paraphrased language; if the questions used the exact same language as the passage and involved a simple word hunt, there would essentially be no test at all!

To answer Reading questions quickly and confidently, you must be able to match the rephrased language that appears in the questions to its original counterpart in the passages. The following exercises are designed to help you practice this skill.

(Answers are at the bottom of the page.) 

Match the numbered phrases with their rewritten versions below. Each answer is used only once.  

Aviation is a (1) stubbornly difficult strand of transport to decarbonise. Aircraft burn huge amounts of fossil fuel, for business travel, leisure activities and tourism that used to be (2) prohibitively expensive but in recent decades have become accessible to large populations as fossil fuels became cheaper (3) in real terms .

Demand management aside – and that too is on the table, of course, alongside that Swedish phrase flygskam, or ‘flight shame’ – very few (4) industry observers truly think that batteries will make the sort of gains in energy density to ever be capable of displacing liquid fuels for (5) aviation applications . Hence, the question arises whether sustainable replacements for fossil liquid fuels can be developed and then made in (6) sufficient quantities .

(Source: https://www.alumni.ox.ac.uk/article/towards-sustainable-aviation-fuel )

A. In the absolute sense

B. Use in the field of aviation

C. Persistently challenging

D. Too costly to be possible

E. Large-enough amounts

F. People who follow the aviation business

What did the Romans ever do for us? It seems they added an inch to the average height of their British subjects — they came, they saw, we prospered. And after taking a plunge during the Anglo-Saxon era, the height of the average inhabitant rose again in the wake of the Norman Conquest. These are just two of the findings of new research using data from skeletal remains to calculate how the average height of men rose or fell over 2,000 years of history in what is now England. The result is (1) a startling picture of changes in health and wellbeing.

Using data of skeletal remains of men aged between 21 and 49 years from a range of archaeological excavations across England, they deduced (2) individuals’ full heights from their femur length. Lead author Dr Gregori Galofré-Vila, from the Department of Sociology at the University of Oxford, said: ‘We believe our results shed new light on the development of health in England over the very long run.’

He and his team worked on the basis that height, linked with childhood nutrition, is (3) a good measure of  wellbeing and can be estimated accurately from the length of a full grown man’s femur. Biologists and epidemiologists have long recognised that although (4) the main causes of variation in individual height may be genetic, changes in the economic, social and environmental circumstances are reflected in the mean heights of different groups of people at any given time.

The working paper reveals that men in this area of Britain became taller when it was under Roman occupation (200–410AD), with average height rising from 167cm (5ft 6in) to 170cm (5ft 7in). The researchers suggest this rise in average height (5) coincided with the Romans’ improved water supply and sanitation systems and a more varied diet. Heights did not decline immediately after the Romans left Britain in 410, but fell from 600AD. The paper (6) highlights previous research suggesting that health (7) may have deteriorated when populations moved out of the towns and cities set up by the Romans, abandoning the more hygienic water supplies and waste-disposal systems. Plague and pestilence then became common and infectious diseases were on the increase, with archaeological evidence also suggesting that (8) diets were inadequate , notes the paper.

(Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20190514234756/http://www.oxfordtoday.ox.ac.uk/news/2017-04-28-tall-and-short-it-how-average-english-height-has-changed-over-2000-years )

A. Food did not provide sufficient nutrients

B. Might have become worse

C. Occurred at the same time as

D. A surprising image

E. The primary reasons for differences

F. Calls attention to earlier studies

G. How tall people grew to be

H. A reliable assessment 

Scroll down for the answers

Answers: Passage 1

Answers: Passage 2

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Task 1 & 2: Paraphrasing

Learn how to paraphrase for IELTS and improve your writing score with simple techniques like synonyms and sentence combining. Start practising now!

Content Tags

Paraphrasing is essential in the IELTS test. It's a great skill to have for speaking and it's especially important for the writing section. This skill shows that you not only understand the question but that you can discuss it fully. If you write the original statement in your tasks, it may not be counted and it could hurt your word count.

What is paraphrasing?

Paraphrasing is writing the same information using different vocabulary, phrases, and structures.

How do I paraphrase?

Paraphrasing can be a daunting task. Here are some simple techniques that can help you paraphrase well in your writing:

Use synonyms

Synonyms are words that have the same meaning. Using synonyms is an easy way to create a new sentence that has the same meaning.

Some people think that parents should teach their children how to be good members of society.

Some individuals believe that parents should teach their children how to be a positive part of their community.

Make sure that the synonyms you are using have the same meaning, and not similar, as this could change the meaning of the sentence.

Some people believe that car emissions have a massive impact on the environment.

Incorrect: Some people believe that car emissions have a large impact on the environment.

Correct: Some people believe that car emissions have an enormous impact on the environment.

Be careful because some synonyms can be used in some situations but not in others.

The amount of fish consumed in the world has increased dramatically.

Incorrect: The amount of fish used in the world has increased dramatically.

The amount of fuel consumed when driving largely depends on the vehicle.

Correct: The amount of fuel used when driving largely depends on the vehicle. 

Also, grammar is important when using synonyms.

Wealth does not necessarily guarantee happiness.

Having money does not necessarily ensure satisfaction.

2. Change word order

Putting words and phrases in different places within the sentence is another simple way to paraphrase.

The percentage of stressed children in western society has increased by 15% in the last ten years.

In the last ten years, the percentage of stressed children in western society has increased by 15%.

Again, the meaning of the sentence may change when changing the word order.

Successful sports professionals earn more money than people in other important professions.

Incorrect: People in other important professions earn more money than successful sports professionals.

Correct: People in other important professions earn less money than successful sports professionals.

3. Change word form

Along with word order, you can change word form. This involves changing vocabulary from nouns to verbs, adjectives to adverbs, and so on.

Nowadays, crimes are becoming more violent.

Nowadays, crimes are being committed more violently.

Once again, grammar is important when changing word form.

The level of crime has increased noticeably in different ways.

Incorrect: There was an increase noticeably in the level of crime in different ways.  

Correct: The increase in the level of crime has been noticeable in different ways.

4. Active to Passive

Changing your sentences from active to passive voice can be more difficult than the other techniques; however, it shows a variety in your grammar structures.

Active: Technological advances have replaced people in the workforce.

Passive: People in the workforce have been replaced by technological advances.

Make sure you know how to change the structure of a sentence before trying to use the passive voice.

Children today play very violent video games.

Incorrect: Children today are played by very violent video games.

Correct: Very violent video games are played by children today.

5. Combine sentences

The ability to combine sentences gives you more opportunity to change word order as well as shows off more variety in your writing.

Some people believe that animals should have the same rights as humans. Other people believe that animals should be used for various needs such as food and research.

Some people believe that animals should have the same rights as humans, while others believe they should be used for various needs such as food and research.

When combining sentences, make sure that the transitions you are using are correct.

Some people believe that logging is a serious problem. They believe that it may lead to the extinction of animal life.

Incorrect: Some people believe that logging is a serious problem, while others believe that it may lead to the extinction of animal life.

Correct: Some people believe that logging is a serious problem and it may lead to the extinction of animal life.

Practice using these techniques in your writing to become more comfortable with paraphrasing. Paraphrasing can lead to better writing, which in turn, can lead to a better writing score.

By Ashlee Hunter

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Paraphrasing Activity for IELTS Reading

Paraphrasing is a common skill, but how, I hear you ask, is it useful for achieving the score you need for the reading tests?

Well, we can use paraphrasing in order to get a better understanding of the question, which then allows us to find the answers more easily.

What is Paraphrasing in IELTS Reading?

As you probably already know, the answer in the text is unlikely to be worded the same way as the question.

For instance if you get this True/False/Not Given Statement:

• It is difficult for small cities to win an Olympic bid.

The text might have the word ' hard ' instead of ' difficult ' and ' be successful ', not ' win '.

So paraphrasing the questions in IELTS reading helps you to draw the meaning of the question from the words used and therefore makes it easier to identify the right answer.

It's something that you probably already do subconsciously whenever you read a question - you reword it in your head in a way that makes it more understandable to you.

But like anything else, the only way to improve this is to practice. By practicing consciously paraphrasing questions you will improve the accuracy of your subconcious interpretation so that in the exam you can quickly find the right meaning and answer. This can mean the difference between a 6.5 and a 7.

Paraphrasing is therefore a useful technique for a range of different question types in the reading part of the test including multiple choice, matching, sentence completion and also true false not given.

To practice this skill, this we simply have to reword the question in our own words.

For example:

• Original Question: What type of organism forms the majority of the Great Barrier Reef's structure?
• Paraphrased Question: What living creature is the primary building block of the Great Barrier Reef?

This paraphrased question can then help you to identify the correct passage in the text.

Practice Paraphrasing

Look at the following IELTS  Short answer reading questions.

Paraphrase number one in your head then try to find the answer in the text. Then go on to number two. The first has a suggestion.

• How many different varieties of hard coral are found within the reef? ( Paraphrase: How many types of hard coral are in the reef?)
• Besides fish, name two other categories of marine life that inhabit the Great Barrier Reef.
• Which environmental factor poses the most significant risk to the reef's survival?
• Name two specific ways climate change harms the Great Barrier Reef.

The Great Barrier Reef, located off the coast of Queensland, Australia, is the world's largest coral reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,300 kilometers (1,400 miles). The reef is home to a wide diversity of marine life, including over 1,500 species of fish, 411 types of hard coral, one-third of the world's soft corals, 134 species of sharks and rays, six of the world's seven species of threatened marine turtles, and more than 30 species of marine mammals. This rich biodiversity makes it a significant natural wonder and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. However, the Great Barrier Reef faces numerous threats, primarily due to climate change, which has led to coral bleaching, ocean acidification, and an increased frequency of extreme weather events.

Show / hide answers

• 411                                                                            
• Climate Change                                                                    
• Turtles and Mammals
• Coral Bleaching, Ocean acidification

The above exercise is for a short answer question. Let’s try it with a multiple choice question.

When you are dealing with multiple choice it is a little more difficult. You may have to paraphrase the answer options too. This increases the time taken but has a huge effect on accuracy.

Paraphrase question one then scroll down to try and find the answer in the text. Then move on to question two, etc.

1.    The Amazon rainforest is primarily known for:

(a) Its vast size and geographical location.

(b) Its unique weather patterns and rainfall.

(c) Its exceptional biological diversity and ecological importance.

(d) Its economic value through timber and mineral resources.

2.    The Amazon rainforest's ability to absorb carbon dioxide is crucial for:

(a) Maintaining the region's unique climate.

(b) Preventing soil erosion and flooding.

(c) Regulating the global climate system.

(d) Supporting the growth of diverse plant species.

3.    Which of the following is NOT a major contributor to deforestation in the Amazon:

(a) The expansion of agriculture.

(b) The extraction of timber.

(c) Mining operations.

(d) Ecotourism.

4.    Deforestation in the Amazon rainforest has negative consequences such as:

(a) Increasing the region's biodiversity.

(b) Improving air and water quality.

(c) Enhancing carbon sequestration.

(d) Accelerating climate change and the loss of living organisms.

Now, find the answers to the questions in the following IELTS text extract.

The Amazon rainforest, often referred to as the "lungs of the Earth," is a vast tropical rainforest in South America, encompassing an area of approximately 5.5 million square kilometers (2.1 million square miles). It is the most biodiverse terrestrial ecosystem on the planet, housing an estimated 10% of the world's known species. The Amazon plays a crucial role in regulating the global climate by absorbing vast amounts of carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. It is also a vital source of freshwater, providing 20% of the world's river discharge. However, the Amazon is under increasing threat from deforestation, mainly due to agricultural expansion, logging, and mining activities. This deforestation not only contributes to climate change but also leads to habitat loss, species extinction, and soil erosion.

IELTS Reading Lessons:

IELTS True False Not Given Reading Questions

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Tips for IELTS Short Answer Questions

Practice IELTS short answer questions in this sample reading. There are also True, False, Not Given questions and tips.

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Develop your IELTS reading strategies with this lesson which helps you to skim and scan so you can find the answers faster.

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In this IELTS Reading Gap Fill you will learn strategies to complete a gapped summary from a reading to prepare you for the IELTS test.

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Learn how to do IELTS Sentence Completion exercises for the reading module of the IELTS Test.

IELTS True False Not Given Reading Lesson

Learn how to answer IELTS true false not given questions for the reading test with tips on how to answer this type of question.

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Guessing meaning from context is an important skill for vocabulary you don't know in the IELTS test.

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Referencing in IELTS Reading

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How To Paraphrase in IELTS Writing

May 30, 2020

What is paraphrasing in IELTS?

The use of paraphrasing in IELTS is what allows you to show that you have a sufficient range of vocabulary to cope with the task, whether it is in speaking or writing.

Paraphrasing in IELTS is the skill of being able to read or hear one or more sentences, and then write or say a sentence back that means the same thing only by using mostly different words and different grammatical constructions. The IELTS examiners love it!

This paraphrasing skill is used extensively in writing IELTS introductions in particular. One part of paraphrasing is using similar meaning words, these are known as synonyms, different words with the same meaning.

If you’re aiming for an IELTS band seven, then the IELTS band marking critieria state that you need to show a ‘ sufficient range of vocabulary ’. If you’re aiming for a band eight, then this changes to a ‘ wide range of vocabulary’ .

I am going to show you exactly how to paraphrase in IELTS writing and speaking so you can show a wide range of vocabulary to the examiner and increase your band score. 

You can either watch the video below or read the article, the information is the same:

You can get my full video course covering every part of the test here!

How Do You Paraphrase For IELTS?

(how to paraphrase the question in ielts writing), method 1: the simple synonym sauce.

The first and most obvious way we can show that we have a good range of vocabulary in the IELTS writing tasks is to use synonyms for the words that we are given in the question.

The words we substitute in are simply words that have a similar or the same meaning as the word they are replacing. We do this particularly when we are writing introductions to our IELTS essays in IELTS writing task 2.

You can practice using synonyms by using an online thesaurus. When you are doing practice essays, you can simply look up a word and see what other words have a similar or same meaning. Many of my students then like to keep their own written record of the synonyms they are using as IELTS topics often repeat themselves.

Let’s just have a quick look at synonyms for the word environment, which often occurs in essay questions, as provided by synonym.com and it gave me these words: ecology, habitat, geographical area settings, surrounding situation, circumstances and background.

The words ‘ ecology, habitats and geographical area ’ are more suitable to be used when we’re replacing the word environment, when it’s being used to talk in relation to animals .

Other words, such as ‘ setting, surrounding situations, circumstances and background ’ are talking about general conditions that are not related to animals and so would not fit into our essay well.

So, we have to be quite careful that we don’t use synonyms in the wrong context, nevertheless it is the easiest way to paraphrase successfully.

  Method 2: Paraphrase to Perfection!

Using synonyms all the time can look a bit unnatural, but if we change the order in which we use them, then it can make it look more natural. 

Here’s another example question: 

Some people believe that getting a degree from university is the best way to guarantee getting a job. Others believe it would be best to go straight into work and get experience. Discuss both sides and give your opinion. 

So, if you were writing the introduction to this essay, normally you would first paraphrase the question. So you could write:

Certain people think that graduating from higher education is the optimum way to assure getting a top job. 

‘some people’ = ‘certain people’ 

‘graduating from higher education’ = ‘getting a degree from a university’ 

‘best way to guarantee getting a job’ = ‘optimum way to assure getting a top job.’

  That is how you can use synonyms, the examiner will see that and it’s very obvious to them. However, we could also switch the order of the sentence around as well. So it reads like this. 

The optimum way to assure getting a top job is by graduating from higher education, according to certain people.  

This shows that we can be flexible with how we write and shows that we have a good command and control of grammar. In my full course, we will cover more aspects of grammar such as complex sentences, common mistakes, and tenses – take a look .

Method 3: Fun with formations!

This next way of paraphrasing is to change the word formations that are used, you might read the question and one word might stand out to you that you think you could use a different formation for of that word. 

In this question here, for example:

Many small shops are closing as they are unable to compete with large supermarkets in the area here.

The word competes might stand out to you and you immediately perhaps think of the word competition so we could simply try to use that form of the word along with the synonyms as well. 

So, next you might come up with the sentence. 

A large number of less well-known outlets are shutting due to competition from established superstores in the locality. 

Now we’ve got synonyms and we’ve got ‘competition’ in there as a change in word formation. 

We could also go one step further and change the order of the sentence as well. It could read:

Competition from established superstores in the locality is forcing a large number of less well-known outlets to shut down. 

As you can see, what we’re starting to do is mix together different ways to paraphrase , which is really a very powerful way to impress the examiner. You’ll find more like this in my full course here . 

Method 4: Antonym Soup!

One more thing we can do is to use antonyms. An antonym is basically a word that has the opposite meaning to another word.

So, synonyms mean similar or the same antonyms mean the opposite. So again, for the same question, we might have the same sentence. 

But we might choose to use antonyms. Instead of using a large number, we might simply say fewer. 

So ‘fewer, less well-known outlets can remain open. 

Obviously, ‘remain open’ is an antonym for shutting. So, by using antonyms, we can keep the meaning the same, but once more show off different vocabulary that we are able to use.

Method 5: The Native Speaker Way of Paraphrasing 

Now, the final way to paraphrase, and I would call this the native speaker way, because it’s what I would do and what other native speakers would probably do. This is what band 8 and 9 candidates should be aiming to do because it’s just a very natural technique. 

Firstly, imagine if you were paraphrasing in your own language, just think how easy it would be. You would just look at a sentence and just say it in different words.

You wouldn’t even be thinking about how you were going to break it down or what grammar you were going to use, or even what words you were going to say! 

You would just come out with a sentence that made perfect sense and have the same meaning. And that is the native speaker way to paraphrase. 

Now, have a go at paraphrasing this question below using the native speaker method:

So, there’s lots of natural language in there, some collocations, some synonyms from, but they’re not really deliberate. It’s just what naturally came out of my mouth as a native speaker. And when you get to this level, you might be able to do something similar. It’s what you can aim for. 

Check Out My Complete Guide To IELTS Course Here

Final Words of Advice for IELTS Paraphrasing

And finally, just a few words of advice. Now, remember, we are looking at synonyms and paraphrasing because we want to show the examiner that we have a sufficient range of vocabulary to answer the question.

It is important that we do this, but remember, your essay is marked on many different things and not just on the vocabulary. So, don’t get fixated on this.

Don’t spend too long thinking about the synonyms or paraphrases that you’re trying to use, you still need to write good, solid body paragraphs. You still need a good conclusion and you need time to be checking that as well. So, yes, pay attention to paraphrasing, but don’t focus on it so much that it disrupts the rest of your essay.

And the best way to develop your paraphrasing skills reading. Reading over the medium to long term. Exposing yourself to different word sets in different contexts gives you the experience to be able to know how words fit together and replace other words. 

So keep reading my friends! That’s the main thing you need to do.

Final, final IELTS Paraphrasing Tips!

Don’t go over the top, it is very difficult to find a synonym for some words and you won’t always be able to do so. Instead, you could try a group of words, so, rather than saying ‘adult’, you might say ‘grown up’.

However, if you can’t think of a paraphrase of synonym then don’t be afraid to use the words in the question. It is more important to be accurate with your word choice then to try lots of different synonyms. Always c hoose the words that you know to be 100% correct , in that way you will reduce your mistakes and increase your band score.

How can I improve my paraphrasing? With IELTS paraphrasing exercises of course! Here we go…

IELTS Paraphrasing Exercise 1

To practice this technique, ideally you will need a partner. All you need to do is to select a text related to any of the 14 main topic areas that often come up in IELTS.

This could be from a newspaper, journal or book. Next, print out the text and then with a black marker pen or using tip-ex remove random key words from a text. The article can be as short or as long as you like.

You might end up with something like this article from the BBC web-site:

For Your Partner To Complete:

A new study reveals how crocodiles’ eyes are fine-tuned for lurking at the water __________ to watch for prey.

The “fovea”, a patch of tightly packed receptors that _________ sharp vision, forms a horizontal streak instead of the usual circular spot.

This allows the animal to scan the ___________ without moving its head, according to Australian researchers.

They also found differences in the cone cells, which ____________ colours, between saltwater and freshwater crocs.

Swap articles with your partner and try and complete the missing words. Ask yourself what type of word is missing ; is it an adjective, noun, verb or adverb? Once you have identified this, have a guess at what word might fit.

Following this, view the completed text and see if you have selected the same word, or a word that is a synonym (a word with the same meaning).

The more synonyms and correct guesses you manage to get the better. Doing this increases your synonym power which will have a positive impact on virtually all parts of the IELTS test.

The missing words in this case are: surface (noun), delivers (verb), shoreline (noun), senses (verb).

IELTS Paraphrasing Exercise 2

Select an article you have read recently that you have found difficult. Ideally this will be on a typical IELTS related topic.

Now, write or type out 20 words that you found difficult on to pieces of small card. Place the cards face down in the middle of the table in a pile.

Turn over the first card and try to make a sentence using a synonym for that word, or if you can’t use a synonym by using a group of words (paraphrase) instead.

Immediately check your answers online with a synonym generator or with your teacher or a study partner.

If you get a particular word wrong then put the card to the bottom of the pile and come back to it again later . If you are correct place it in a new pile.

You can alternate ‘goes’ with a partner’ and score points in this manner.

Alternatively, with all of the cards face up, candidates could say a synonym or paraphrase for one of the words and a partner guesses which word it is, again with a competitive element.

Advanced students could then spread the cards face down in front of them and then summarise the entire text verbally being careful to use synonyms or paraphrases of the words only.

This could then be written up from memory as a summary task to consolidate the new vocabulary.

IELTS Paraphrasing in the Reading Test

Once you get good at synonyms and paraphrasing you may start to realise how IELTS reading papers are actually written.

Basically, an article is selected and the questions that test your understanding of the text are written.

However, examiners cannot just use the same words in the text, as that would make it too easy. So, instead they ask the questions using different words, synonyms or paraphrases.

Once you have spotted this pattern and practised a great deal as above, you will find the IELTS test gets a lot easier.

Use The 3 R’s For IELTS Synonym and Paraphrasing Success

As you are doing exercises such as those above, you need to:

Record – Make  note of all the new words you are learning. Include a definition, example sentences, synonyms and a personalised picture to help make it memorable.

Review – Set aside a specific time each day when you can remind your self of the new words. Ten minutes a day is better than 70 minutes once a week. Regular practice is key.

Re-test – Test yourself to see how well you are doing and identify areas of weakness. Why not have a competition with a study partner for added motivation.

You could use a software service such as Quizlet to help you do this.

Doing this will give you the maximum chance of remembering all your synonyms and paraphrases and ultimately improve your IELTS band score!

 OK, that’s enough about IELTS synonyms and paraphrasing. I hope we got a lot out of this article. And please remember where you’re going. You’re on this journey of working out how to do the IELTS test so that you can transform your life into a better future, use that as motivation to keep going! Drop any questions below

You might also like to read about complex sentences here .

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3 Best Paraphrasing Tips for IELTS Writing Task 2

What is paraphrasing.

Paraphrasing is when you take an original idea and re-write it to express the same meaning but in a different way. This might be by changing words, word forms, sentence structure, or using synonyms. If you think this is just for writing academic papers, think again. We actually paraphrase all the time!

When you read a book, article, or watch a movie and tell your friends about it, you are paraphrasing. When you tell your friend or colleague about a conversation you had with your boss, you are paraphrasing. You are not repeating the original conversation word for word. You are giving them the main idea of the conversation using your own words.

IELTS Writing Task 2: Why do you need to paraphrase?

Paraphrasing is important to the IELTS writing task 2 because your introduction paragraph is basically a paraphrase of the essay prompt. You will need to re-write the essay prompt in your own words to introduce your essay.

Watch Jay break down the IELTS writing task 2 introduction right here:

Three ways how do paraphrasing for IELTS writing task 2

Before you attempt to paraphrase, you need to make sure that you understand the gist , or meaning of the paragraph. Paraphrasing is more than just changing words. Your paraphrase needs to make sense and still convey the original message. So, you should read the original text a couple of times to make sure you understand the message it conveys. Then turn the ideas over in your mind. Think of how you would express the same ideas to a friend.

Below are three techniques to paraphrase. Rather than exclusively using one of them, a good paraphrase includes all methods. 

• Use synonyms

Synonyms are different words that express the same or similar meaning.

For example: Interesting, fascinating, curious and amusing are all synonyms.

But! Some synonyms can have a slightly different meaning. For example, fascinating has a stronger meaning than interesting . So be careful when using synonyms. We need to make sure that the words we are using convey the same level of meaning as the original.

Original: Many people think that cars should not be allowed in city centres.

Paraphrase: Many people believe that motor vehicles should be banned in urban areas.

think –> believe

cars –> motor vehicles

should not be allowed –> should be banned

city centres –> urban areas

• Change the word forms

Another way to paraphrase is to change word forms. For example, changing a noun into a verb, a verb into a noun or an adjective into a noun or vice versa.

Original: Many people find watching tennis interesting (interesting = adjective).

Paraphrase: Many people have an interest in watching tennis (interest = noun).

Original: Some people think Facebook is an invasion of privacy (invasion = noun).

Paraphrase: Some people think Facebook has invaded our privacy (has invaded = verb).

• Change the sentence structure

A third way to paraphrase is to change sentence structure. This could be by changing the sentence from passive to active or vice versa, or changing the order of the clauses. Let’s have a look.

Active to Passive

Original: The hurricane destroyed the city.

Paraphrase: The city was destroyed by the hurricane.

In the sentence above, the subject (the hurricane) became the object, and the object (the city) became the subject.

To be passive, we also changed the verb destroyed into past perfect (was/were + past participle).

Passive to Active

Original: The public transport system was developed by the city council.

Paraphrase: The city council developed the public transport system.

In the sentence above the subject (the public transport system) became the object, and the object (the city council) became the subject.

  Order of clauses

A clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb. Some sentences can be a single clause. Some sentences can be made up of two or more clauses.

For example: It is difficult to say whether the economy will improve.

The two clauses are: It is difficult to say / whether the economy will improve.

  One way to paraphrase is by changing the order of the clauses.

For example: Whether the economy will improve, it is difficult to say.

Let’s look at another example:

Original: During the summer, many people visit the temple.

Paraphrase: Many people visit the temple during the summer.

Paraphrasing an essay prompt to write your introduction

In IELTS Writing Task 2, you write your introduction by paraphrasing the essay prompt. In order to do this, you will need to unpack or break the essay prompt into parts. Usually, an essay prompt consists of three parts:

A general statement that introduces the topic

A specific statement that gives you the specific idea about the topic

Finally, your instructions/question

Let’s look at an example:

Nowadays, more and more foreign students are going to English-speaking countries to learn the international language – English. It is undoubtedly true that studying English in an English-speaking country is the best way, but it is not the only way to learn it. Do you agree or disagree with the above statement?

To unpack this prompt, the first sentence is the general statement. Nowadays, more and more foreign students are going to English-speaking countries to learn the international language – English . This tells us what the essay topic is.

The second sentence is the specific statement. It is undoubtedly true that studying English in an English-speaking country is the best way, but it is not the only way to learn it . It gives an opinion about the topic.

The third sentence is the question. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the above statement? This means you have to express your opinion on the second sentence.

So! In order to write your introduction, you need to paraphrase the three parts of this essay prompt.

Let’s look at an example of a paraphrase of each:

Sentence 1: Nowadays, more and more foreign students are going to English-speaking countries to learn the international language – English

Paraphrase: In recent times, a growing number of international students are learning English in English-speaking countries.

Sentence 2: It is undoubtedly true that studying English in an English-speaking country is the best way, but it is not the only way to learn it.

Paraphrase: Although it is beneficial to learn English in a country where it is natively spoken, there are other effective ways to learn it.

Sentence 3: To what extent do you agree or disagree with the above statement?

Paraphrase: I agree with this statement to a large degree.

Putting it all together:

Original (essay prompt): Nowadays, more and more foreign students are going to English-Speaking countries to learn the “international language – English”. It is undoubtedly true that studying English in an English-speaking country is the best way, but it is not the only way to learn it. Do you agree or disagree with the above statement?  

Paraphrase (introduction): In recent times, a growing number of international students are learning English in English-speaking countries. Although it is most beneficial to learn English in a country where it is natively spoken, there are other effective ways to learn it. I agree with this statement to a large degree.

Using a combination of the above techniques (synonyms, word forms, sentence structure), write an introduction to the following essay by paraphrasing the prompt below.

The overuse of natural resources ultimately exhausts them. This causes huge harm to the environment. Therefore, the government should discourage people from overusing such resources. To what extent do you support or oppose this idea?

  There are three possible correct answers:

Click here to show/hide answer 1

Click here to show/hide answer 2, click here to show/hide answer 3.

So, more than one paraphrase can be correct. There are many ways to say the same thing. There is also more than one way to paraphrase. The best way to paraphrase for IELTS Writing Task 2 is to use a combination of these techniques (synonyms, sentence structure and clause order).

Practice makes perfect!

Our  E2Language  IELTS experts can help you learn the rest of the method for IELTS Writing Task 2!

Jamal Abilmona is an expert IELTS teacher, curriculum designer and language buff. She has taught English for general and academic purposes in classrooms around the world and currently writes e-learning material for E2Language.com , providing online IELTS preparation for students all around the world.

Naseem says:

Need tips about listening and reading and writing ilets general.

bhawana says:

need tips about writting speaking ilets in genral

olivia says:

We can help with that!

IELTS General Writing TASK 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4y_u4o5kp_w

IELTS Speaking SUPER METHODS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXPSgMo0C1w

Find all kinds of other helpful Video Lessons on our E2 IELTS YouTube Channel! Olivia & The E2 Team

Yogeshbhai Chalodiya says:

Environmental resources run out by over-utilization at the end. Which results in a great level of damage to the environment. It is undoubtedly true that the government should demotivate their citizens from over-utilizing such. Which, I am in great support of this initiative.

Fathima Hafsa says:

Exploitation of natural resources eventually deplete them. As a result, a major damage is caused to the environment. Hence, people should be urged by the government not to waste natural resources.

Motaz shehata says:

The excessive usage of natural sources undoubtedly causing at the end be depleted at all, consequently to harmful the planet. So, the government has to encourage people to acknowledge the actual value of our limited supply of natural resources. Therefore, I completely agree to keep our usage of our sources to a minimal level.

Divyanshu Mishra says:

Excess of anything is bad and the same is true for natural resources which are continuously being depleted by humans and soon will be exhausted. Burning fossil fuels cause a high degree of harm to the environment therefore it is only logical that the governments should discourage their use and provide other sustainable options. I completely agree with the statement.

Is this appropriate or too wordy?

Naomi says:

Natural resources are vital to the nation, and exploiting them would be harmful to the ecosystem. Therefore,the Authorities should pose strict measures on their use. I agree with this statement to a large degree.

Ernestina says:

Natural resources are very vital to a nation, and therefore, exploiting it will cause serious harm to us. Hence, I think the governments should pose strict measures on their uses. I strongly agree with this statement.

Siobhan MacDonald says:

Ho Ernestina, thank you for your feedback!

TETTEH says:

Misusing of natural resources causes serious harm to the environment. Thus the government should put measures in place to discourage people from misusing such resources. I strongly agree with this statement.

Thank you for your feedback and valuable opinion!

Hi! Thank you for your feedback :)

Jayeshkumar says:

It was indeed a great guidance to learn nuances of paraphrasing.

We are happy you enjoyed it!

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Academic IELTS Writing Task 1

Paraphrasing exercises.

Have a look at the following Academic IELTS Writing Task 1 Questions and  try to paraphrase  the question.

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Paraphrasing for IELTS Writing Task 1

Posted by David S. Wills | May 20, 2017 | IELTS Tips , Writing | 0

Paraphrasing is an essential skill for IELTS, and it is particularly important for IELTS Writing Task 1. In this exam, you are required to paraphrase the question in order to write your first sentence. If you cannot do this, it becomes very difficult to pass the exam. If you copy the question, you will be deducted marks and it may cost you a high band score. Fortunately, learning to paraphrase is not difficult. In this PPT, I will show you how to paraphrase an IELTS Writing Task 1 question.

Paraphrasing Skills for IELTS

You can learn about how to structure an IELTS writing task 1 essay here .

About The Author

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David S. Wills is the author of Scientologist! William S. Burroughs and the 'Weird Cult' and the founder/editor of Beatdom literary journal. He lives and works in rural Cambodia and loves to travel. He has worked as an IELTS tutor since 2010, has completed both TEFL and CELTA courses, and has a certificate from Cambridge for Teaching Writing. David has worked in many different countries, and for several years designed a writing course for the University of Worcester. In 2018, he wrote the popular IELTS handbook, Grammar for IELTS Writing and he has since written two other books about IELTS. His other IELTS website is called IELTS Teaching.

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IELTS reading paraphrasing exercise

Paraphrasing and synonyms in ielts reading, synonyms and paraphrasing exercise for ielts reading..

Updated: September 2023

A key skill for a high score is your ability to understand paraphrasing in IELTS reading. Paraphrasing is also a crucial skill for the writing section as you need to change the wording of the task question. It is also very useful in speaking and it shows up in the reading and listening sections.

Paraphrasing is when the wording changes but the same meaning is retained. It can be done with synonyms, changing the grammatical structure and the use of set phrases.

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Paraphrasing Exercise 2 Answers

Find answers to paraphrasing exercise number 2 about coal miners. Make sure you finish the lesson before looking at the answers: paraphrasing exercise 2

I hope you found the lesson useful for spotting synonyms.

Click below to reveal the answers.

• preferred = favoured
• gradually stop using = phase out
• substitute = replace
• employed since way back = long-serving
• existence = presence
• portable = hand-held
• bird (canary) = yellow feathered friend
• ultimately = in the long run

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got 8/8 , this will not be the part of the IELTS exam but , the practice will make me a pro 🙂

Hi. Got lost in ultimately. I sored 7 out of 8. Thanks.

What a simple and not bushing around there with you Liz.

Glad you find it all useful 🙂

Got 7 out of 8 thanks for these wonderful lessons. Also i saw that you are not doing good with your health Mam, hope you make the fastest recovery possible, stay safe.

I got only 6/8 . I was trapped in ” employed since way back ” and ” ultimately” . But I enjoyed it a lot . Thanks for your work , Liz .

You’re welcome 🙂

Got everything .I am now enjoying paraphrasing. Thank you Liz

Got everything. I think paraphrasing is my jam. Thanks liz

The answers have to be exactly same as per the words mentioned in the passage or can be changed as per the grammar. As in the answers you have mentioned phase out whereas actual word in the passage was “phased out”. I understand the same passage will not come, but just want to understand : if we need to use exact words as in the passage. Pls reply

This is not an IELTS reading passage. This is a skills lesson only. The instructions in IELTS will always tell you what to do clearly.

Nice exercise, got 7/8 and failed the ultimately. Thanks for the lesson

Thanks Liz This was brain cracking for me. I got 7/8. I was thinking on the ultimately…., but could not. Thanks.

People think paraphrasing has to be exact. It doesn’t. It just has a similar meaning – that’s all. And it is important that context is taken into account.

Hi Liz, For the second answer of this passage I wrote “phased out” but the answer you have given is “phase out”. My doubt is, “Will I loose the mark if I wrote “phased out” instead of “phase out” in the exam?”

As explained on the page, these is a practice lessons for skills – these questions do not appear in the test. This lesson is to help you with paraphrasing and synonyms.

Thanks for this blog. It’s making IELTS simple to me now. I hope the exams would be similar to all these lessons? Thank you once more.

Glad my lessons are helping. But you still need to do real tests at home. Get the IELTS Cambridge test books which are real tests published by IELTS.

Thanks. It’s helpful for me.

Got 7/8 Thanks for an effective help to the IELTS test

You made it so simple and easy to understand liz thank you!!! When i answer your questions i can get almost perfect score but when i use my review materials i can hardly find the answers 🙁 but il keep trying thanks again Liz!!

My lessons are designed to be used to develop skills. You still need to practise with authentic test materials.

7/8 Ultimately

Thanks liz.love your lessons.

Reading,paraphrasing tips exercises provided are very useful ,earlier i felt tough much worried ,hard to understand,since you presented it simple helps me ,easy to understand, really i feel very happy of knowing about your blog ,its very helpful to regain my confidence,staying far away doing great job ,your help to students like me is matchless ,god bless you Liz,

Usefull Blog..Very Helpful. Keep it up Liz 🙂 Make this website Secure

What do you mean? Isn’t it secure now?

Liz, Thank you !! for each and every lesson in all aspects.

Liz, when you open URL ieltsliz.com in browser ex: google chrome or any – check on left side URL ( View site information) stating not secure.Please use HTTPS url instead HTTP.

According to google

Not Secure : Proceed with caution. Something is severely wrong with the privacy of this site’s connection. You might see a “Login not secure” or “Payment not secure” message.

Don’t worry. I’m trying to get that sorted at the moment. Hopefully it’ll be sorted in the next couple of weeks.

Hi Liz, Can we just write “feathered friend”, instead of “yellow feathered friend” Also if i write “phased out”, instead of “phase out”, will it make my answer incorrect?

Regards Inderjeet

This is not an IELTS test – it is just a practice lessons and IELTS rules do not apply.

Thanks Liz for creating such a knowledgeable blog. But sadly I got only a week to prepare for my ielts but, definitely your I am gonna make much of your tips n ur practice lesson boost my confidant. Thank u.

Good luck!! One week is a long time and you can learn a lot 🙂

all are right, except the one Ultimate, need to be more focussed as the exam is due in 3 weeks frow now.

Thanks liz for such a nice blog, will review all the tips and topics.

3 weeks is plenty of time to learn all the necessary skills for IELTS. Good luck!! 🙂

Thank you lizz,for urs special tips in ielts prparations.

Hello Madame, would you like to send me the answers please i can’t see them.thanks a lot.

Click on the word “answers” and the answers will be shown.

Thanks Mam for the valuables lessons

In which way I can improve speaking, could have any suggestion to speak live .

See this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-speaking-free-lessons-essential-tips/

than you madam.. its of immense help to learn new words and their synonyms

Thanks Mam.

3 wrong .needs to be more focussed

Mam, All my answers are correct, unfortunately it took extra 5 minutes to finish. Thanks.

Favoured Phased out Replaced Long Serving Present Carry Yellow Feathered Friend Alter.

Thank you Liz

Thanks so much

All my answers were correct. Thanks!

Well done 🙂

Hi Liz, there is a spelling mistake…It is “phase out” not “phrase out” in your answers

Dear Liz, Thank you for your continuous coaching. My reading section is poor I am not getting desire score. Can you help me?

See my main reading page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-reading-lessons-information-and-tips/

mine are all right 😍

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