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Writing tool

Paraphrasing & synonym swaps

Examiners want the question rephrased in your own words. Copying the prompt costs Task Response marks. Use these four moves to paraphrase safely.

IELTSTOEFL

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  1. 1

    Synonym swap (some words, not all).

  2. 2

    Change voice (active ↔ passive).

  3. 3

    Change sentence structure (combine 2 sentences into 1, or split 1 into 2).

  4. 4

    Change word form (noun ↔ verb): "the importance of education" ↔ "how important education is".

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Reference library

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Use the full reference below when an answer in the practice lab feels uncertain.

Four paraphrasing moves

  1. Synonym swap (some words, not all).
  2. Change word form (noun ↔ verb): "the importance of education" ↔ "how important education is".
  3. Change voice (active ↔ passive).
  4. Change sentence structure (combine 2 sentences into 1, or split 1 into 2).

Tired words → high-band swaps

TiredBetter
importantcrucial, vital, essential, significant, pivotal
goodbeneficial, effective, advantageous, valuable
baddetrimental, harmful, problematic, adverse
a lot ofa significant number of, a substantial proportion of, numerous
thinkargue, maintain, contend, hold the view that
nowadaysin recent years, in the current era, today
peopleindividuals, citizens, the general public, society
childrenminors, young people, the younger generation
joboccupation, profession, role, position
countrynation, state
problemissue, challenge, drawback, obstacle
solveaddress, tackle, resolve, mitigate

Full sentence paraphrases

Some people think that university education is important.

Many individuals maintain that a degree from higher education plays a vital role.

The number of cars is increasing in big cities.

Major urban centres have seen a steady rise in vehicle ownership.

Rules to protect meaning

  • Never swap a word you only half-understand — check it.
  • Keep proper nouns, dates, and numbers exactly as the prompt gives them.
  • Do not change the question type (a how question stays a how question).

Editorial details and primary sources

By FluentMock Editorial Team · Published 2026-06-13 · Updated 2026-06-28 · Official sources checked

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