Lexical Resource in Speaking: Why Paraphrase Is a Scored Skill

Paraphrase is marked at every band from 4 to 8 in Speaking source: ielts.org.

Paraphrase means saying something another way when the word you want does not come. A list of new words to learn does not practise it.

Lexical resource is "the range of vocabulary at the test taker's disposal". It affects the topics you can discuss, and "the precision with which meanings are expressed and attitudes conveyed" source: ielts.org.

So range matters, but it is not the only thing marked.

This guide is part of our series on the four Speaking criteria. The hub is How IELTS Speaking Is Marked, and the previous part covered fluency and coherence.

What lexical resource measures

The criterion looks at the variety of words you use. It also checks that your words are adequate and appropriate for four uses. They are naming things and ideas correctly, style (formal or informal), collocation, and showing your attitude to what you say source: ielts.org.

A collocation is a pair of words that naturally go together, such as "heavy rain". Showing your attitude takes more than "good" or "bad". Saying an idea is "fair", "overdue" or "risky" shows a clear position.

The last indicator is paraphrase: "getting round a vocabulary gap by using other words", with or without noticeable hesitation source: ielts.org.

Paraphrase at each band

At band 4, a speaker "rarely attempts paraphrase". At band 5, they attempt it, "but not always with success". At band 6, they are "generally able to paraphrase successfully". At bands 7 and 8, there is "effective use of paraphrase as required" source: ielts.org.

The descriptors do not expect you to know every word. They describe what you do when a word is missing.

Paraphrase also protects your fluency. A pause to search for a word counts against you in fluency and coherence. Describing the thing keeps you talking.

For example, if you cannot remember "windowsill", say "the flat part under the window". That answer is clear, and it is better than silence.

The ladder from band 5 to band 9

source: ielts.org

What changes from band 6 to band 7

At band 6, "vocabulary use may be inappropriate but meaning is clear". At band 7, "an awareness of style and collocation is evident though inappropriacies occur" source: ielts.org.

At band 7 you still make some wrong choices. What changes is that you choose words that go together, and words that suit the situation.

Band 7 also adds "some ability to use less common and idiomatic items" source: ielts.org.

An idiom used in the wrong place counts against you, not for you. Use idioms you have heard others use, in situations like the ones where you heard them.

Band 7 is given only when all of its positive features are there. Your rating is your average across all parts of the test source: ielts.org.

Here is one answer given two ways, written for this page. The question was about a park near the speaker's home.

The park is very good. It is a good place^{note 1}, and it is near my house. I go there to make exercise^{note 2} at the weekend.

The park is a real asset to the area^{note 3}, and it is near my house. I go there to get some exercise^{note 4} at the weekend.

1. Band 5 describes vocabulary with "limited flexibility" source: ielts.org. Here "good" is used twice, so the listener learns little about what the speaker thinks of the park.
2. At band 6, "vocabulary use may be inappropriate but meaning is clear" source: ielts.org. "Make exercise" is a collocation error, because English says "do exercise" or "get exercise". The meaning is still clear.
3. The criterion includes "indicating the speaker's attitude to content" source: ielts.org. "A real asset" shows a clear, positive opinion in three words.
4. At band 7, "an awareness of style and collocation is evident" source: ielts.org. "Get some exercise" is the pair a listener expects.

How to improve lexical resource for IELTS Speaking

Practise describing what you cannot name

When a word will not come, describe the thing. Say what it looks like, what it does, or where you find it. Practise this on purpose with objects around you, so that it is a habit before the test.

Learn words in pairs

Learn verbs with the nouns they go with, and adjectives with their nouns. A notebook of pairs builds control of collocation. A list of single words builds range without that control.

Learn words for giving opinions

Part 3 tests your ability "to explain your opinions and to analyse, discuss and speculate about issues" source: ielts.org.

Build a few precise words for judging an idea, such as "fair", "risky", "overdue" or "short-sighted". They show your attitude, which is part of this criterion. Our Part 3 guide explains how the discussion works.

Do you need idioms in IELTS Speaking? and IELTS paraphrasing cover two parts of this criterion.

How much it counts

The four Speaking criteria carry equal weight, and their average gives your Speaking score source: ielts.org.

So lexical resource is a quarter of your Speaking score. The band score calculator shows how your Speaking band moves your overall score.

Writing has a criterion with the same name, lexical resource in Writing. In Writing, you can check your words before you hand in your answer. In Speaking, you choose them as you talk.

Next in the series: grammatical range and accuracy, and how errors are counted. For a plan across all four criteria, see our Speaking improvement plan.

The criterion's definition and indicators come from the Speaking key assessment criteria, and the band-level wording from the public Speaking band descriptors, both on ielts.org. Neither document carries a revision date. What Part 3 tests comes from the Speaking format page, and the equal weighting from IELTS scoring in detail. Last checked on 28 September 2026. The example answer was written for this page and is not from any test.