Paraphrasing for IELTS/CELPIP Reading
Ever get stuck in IELTS or CELPIP Reading because the passage doesn’t use the same words as the question? You’re not alone. This is where synonyms and paraphrasing come into play.
Students need to spot these shifts in wording to find the correct answers, since almost nothing matches exactly. At first, it can feel overwhelming — English has a huge vocabulary! …but the good news is that test makers use a fairly predictable set of paraphrasing techniques.
In today’s blog, we’ll break down the most common paraphrasing techniques so you’ll know exactly what to watch for.
1. Synonym or Lexical Substitution
Technique: Replace a word or phrase with another that means the same or nearly the same.
| Original | Paraphrased |
| The price of fuel has increased. | The cost of petrol has gone up. |
| Many people believe that… | It is widely thought that… |
2. Change of Word Form
Technique: Use the same root word in a different grammatical form.
| Original | Paraphrased |
| Pollution affects many cities. | Many cities are polluted. |
| He decided to move abroad. | His decision was to move abroad. |
Tip: Great for showing how reading items often change verbs to nouns or adjectives to verbs.
3. Active ↔ Passive Voice
Technique: Change the sentence structure while keeping meaning.
| Original | Paraphrased |
| Scientists discovered a new species. | A new species was discovered by scientists. |
| The company produces electric cars. | Electric cars are produced by the company. |
Listening strategy: Be careful. Students often miss answers when passives are used.
4. Positive ↔ Negative Structures
Technique: Use negation to express the same idea differently.
| Original | Paraphrased |
| It’s forbidden to enter. | You must not enter. |
| The results were not satisfactory. | The results were disappointing. |
Tip: Notice “not + adjective” patterns — they’re frequently used in IELTS Reading.
5. Nominalization (Verb/Clause → Noun Phrase)
Technique: Turn an action or clause into a noun phrase.
| Original | Paraphrased |
| People argue that the law is unfair. | There is an argument that the law is unfair. |
| Many people migrate for work. | Migration for work is common. |
In Reading: Academic passages often use this structure — helps students match “concepts” rather than sentences.
6. Change of Subject or Perspective
Technique: Express the same meaning from a different grammatical or logical viewpoint.
| Original | Paraphrased |
| The teacher helped the student. | The student received help from the teacher |
| The museum attracts tourists. | Tourists are attracted to the museum. |
7. Change of Time Expression or Number
Technique: Use equivalent expressions for time, frequency, or quantity.
| Original | Paraphrased |
| The meeting is held every two weeks. | The meeting is held fortnightly. |
| The population doubled. | The population became twice as large. |
8. Reordering / Restructuring
Technique: Change the order of ideas without changing the meaning.
| Original | Paraphrased |
| After the rain stopped, the children went outside. | The children went outside when the rain stopped. |
Listening note: This technique is often used in Part 3 and 4 when the speaker reorders information.
9. Generalization or Specification
Technique: Use a more general or more specific expression.
| Original | Paraphrased |
| The Toyota Corolla is popular. | This car model is popular. |
| People eat fruit and vegetables daily. | People eat fresh produce daily. |
Tip: Try to notice when an item is expressed more broadly or narrowly in the text.
10. Cause and Effect Substitution
Technique: Express the same idea using cause or result language.
| Original | Paraphrased |
| He missed the bus, so he was late. | Because he missed the bus, he was late. |
| The storm caused widespread damage. | Widespread damage resulted from the storm. |
11. Metaphorical or Idiomatic Paraphrase
Technique: Replace literal expressions with idiomatic or figurative ones (more in Listening).
| Original | Paraphrased |
| The company is doing well. | The company is thriving. |
| She gave up her job. | She resigned from her position.
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If you would like expert help in understanding how to use these techniques in real exam conditions, contact us and our exam preparation tutor will give you customized guidance.
In my next blog, I will show how IELTS and CELPIP test makers combine the above techniques into more complex paraphrases.
Written by Larry Fedorowick
Paraphrasing for IELTS/CELPIP Reading
