Paraphrasing is the process of restating information or ideas in your own words while maintaining the original meaning. It is an important skill for effective communication, academic writing, and avoiding repeating the same question words.

Paraphrasing strategies

There are several strategies for paraphrasing, including:

• Changing the sentence structure

This involves rearranging the words and sentence structure of the original sentence while maintaining the original meaning. For example, “The cat chased the mouse” could be paraphrased as “In pursuit of the mouse, the cat gave chase.”

• Using synonyms:

This involves replacing some of the words in the original sentence with synonyms. For example, “The car was traveling fast” could be paraphrased as “The vehicle was moving quickly.”

• Changing the order of ideas

This involves presenting the ideas in a different order than they appear in the original sentence. For example, “I woke up, ate breakfast, and went to work” could be paraphrased as “After waking up, I ate breakfast and then headed to work.”

Here are some examples of paraphrasing using the strategies above:

Original sentence: The concert was sold out.

Paraphrase 1: All the tickets for the performance were purchased.

Paraphrase 2: The event was at full capacity and no more tickets were available.

Original sentence: The dog chased the cat.

Paraphrase 1: The cat was pursued by the dog.

Paraphrase 2: In an attempt to catch the cat, the dog gave chase.

Original sentence: He cooked dinner and then watched TV.

Paraphrase 1: After preparing the meal, he relaxed in front of the television.

Paraphrase 2: He first cooked dinner, and then he sat down to watch TV.

The importance of paraphrasing in IELTS Writing Task 2

Paraphrasing is an essential skill for IELTS Writing Task 2 as it demonstrates your ability to understand and rephrase the question prompt and other sources of information in your own words. Paraphrasing is crucial because it shows the examiner that you have a good command of the English language and can express yourself using a range of vocabulary and sentence structures.

In IELTS Writing Task 2, you will be asked to write an essay on a given topic. You must answer the question prompt directly and provide supporting evidence to back up your arguments. Paraphrasing the question prompt in your introduction is essential to show the examiner that you understand the topic and can express your understanding in your own words.

Moreover, paraphrasing can also help you avoid repetition, which is one of the key criteria for IELTS Writing Task 2. If you use the same words and phrases repeatedly, it may indicate to the examiner that you have a limited vocabulary, and this can negatively impact your overall score.

Here are five sentences from IELTS Writing Task 2  essays about education, and three paraphrased versions of each sentence using different strategies:

1.         Original: Education is crucial for personal and societal development.

Paraphrase 1: The development of individuals and society depends heavily on education.

Paraphrase 2: Personal and societal growth cannot be achieved without education.

Paraphrase 3: Education plays a critical role in the development of both individuals and society.

2.         Original: Educators must prioritize student engagement and active learning in the classroom.

Paraphrase 1: In the classroom, educators must make engaging students and facilitating active learning their top priority.

Paraphrase 2: Student engagement and active learning are essential elements that educators must prioritize in the classroom.

Paraphrase 3: Prioritizing student engagement and active learning is a crucial responsibility of educators in the classroom.

3.         Original: Access to quality education is a fundamental right for all individuals.

Paraphrase 1: The right to quality education is a fundamental entitlement that should be granted to all individuals.

Paraphrase 2: All individuals have a fundamental right to access quality education.

Paraphrase 3: The entitlement to quality education is a basic right that every individual should have.

4.         Original: Technology has had a significant impact on the way education is delivered and received.

Paraphrase 1: The delivery and reception of education have been greatly affected by technology.

Paraphrase 2: Technology has had a profound impact on how education is delivered and received.

Paraphrase 3: Education delivery and reception have been significantly transformed by technology.

5.         Original: A diverse and inclusive curriculum is essential for creating a more equitable education system.

Paraphrase 1: To create a more equitable education system, it is essential to have a curriculum that is diverse and inclusive.

Paraphrase 2: An equitable education system requires a curriculum that is both diverse and inclusive.

Paraphrase 3: Creating a more equitable education system necessitates a curriculum that is diverse and inclusive.