IELTS Paraphrasing and Synonyms

Where paraphrase is marked

In Writing, the lexical resource criterion assesses the range of general words you use. Its example is the use of synonyms to avoid repetition source: ielts.org. A synonym is a word that means nearly the same as another.

In Speaking, the criterion assesses your "ability to use paraphrase" to get round a vocabulary gap, with or without noticeable hesitation source: ielts.org. The band wording runs from "Rarely attempts paraphrase" at band 4 to "Effective use of paraphrase as required" at bands 7 and 8 source: ielts.org. Lexical resource in Speaking shows each band in full.

Academic Task 1: rewrite the first sentence

Start Academic Task 1 with your own version of the sentence that says what the chart shows. Do not copy it. Three sources support this.

At band 1, "any copied rubric must be discounted" source: ielts.org. The rubric is the task instructions. At band 4, there may be inappropriate use of lexical chunks, such as memorised phrases, formulaic language or language from the input material source: ielts.org.

In a 2021 post on ielts.org for teachers, an ESL instructor gives two reasons to paraphrase. Text copied from the prompt does not count toward the 150 words. Paraphrasing also helps the lexical resource score, because it shows a range of vocabulary source: ielts.org. The post is about Academic Task 1.

None of these gives a limit on how many words you may copy. Write the sentence in your own words anyway.

Here is one prompt sentence and one rewrite, written for this page and not from any test.

Prompt: The chart shows how many people used public transport in one city between 2010 and 2020.

Rewrite: The chart illustrates^{note 1} the number of public transport users^{note 2} in one city from 2010 to 2020^{note 3}.

1. The criterion assesses "the precision of word choice and expression" source: ielts.org. "Illustrates" keeps the meaning of "shows", and "chart" stays because it has no good synonym.
2. The criterion also assesses errors in word formation source: ielts.org. "How many people used" became "the number of ... users". The word is formed correctly, and the count of people is still the measure.
3. Task Achievement assesses "reporting the information, figures and trends accurately" source: ielts.org. "Between 2010 and 2020" became "from 2010 to 2020", so the dates stay.

Keep every fact from the prompt. Change the words, not the data.

What to avoid

Do not change a word when you are not sure it means the same. A wrong synonym changes your message and can lower your score. If you cannot paraphrase a word safely, keep it. A technical word, such as "chart" or "percentage", often has no good synonym.

Do not paraphrase every word. The goal is a natural sentence.

Other places the idea appears

In Task 2, the introduction has the same job: see how to structure Task 2. In Reading, statements can reword the passage: see True, False, Not Given. For a plan across the four Writing criteria, see the Writing improvement plan. The Writing marking criteria hub links a guide for each criterion, including lexical resource. The Task 1 guide shows how a whole answer fits together.

The Writing criterion wording comes from ielts.org's Writing key assessment criteria and the Writing band descriptors (the descriptors were updated in May 2023, and the criteria carry no date). The Speaking wording comes from its Speaking key assessment criteria and Speaking band descriptors, which carry no date. The advice on the Task 1 opening comes from the ielts.org post Preparing learners for Task 1, dated 12 April 2021. All were last checked on 14 October 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Do copied words count toward the word minimum?

For Academic Task 1, text copied from the prompt does not count toward the 150 words source: ielts.org. That is a teacher's advice in a 2021 post, not a published marking rule, so do not count on it. The word "copied" appears in the band descriptors only once, in the band 1 line on a copied rubric.