Paraphrasing: Say the Same Thing in Different Words

The key idea

Say the same thing with new words AND a new shape, and keep every fact.

What is it?

To paraphrase is to say the same thing in different words. The meaning stays the same. The words change, and so does the shape of the sentence.

For example: Tom works to live. → Tom lives to work.
Wait… no. That was a joke! Same words, new order, but now Tom is a completely different man. Poor Tom.

A paraphrase must keep the meaning. Here is a real one: Correct:
Tom works to live. → Tom has a job so that he can pay his bills.

See it first

Many students find it difficult to learn a new language. → Learning a new language is not easy for lots of students.
Prices rose quickly last year. → There was a rapid rise in prices last year.
The graph shows the number of visitors to a museum from 2010 to 2020. → The line graph illustrates how many people visited a museum between 2010 and 2020.

Same ideas. Look at the first pair: only "new language" stayed. Everything else changed.

Why does it matter?

In exams (IELTS, Cambridge, TOEFL), you cannot copy the question. If you copy it, those words do not count. You must say it again in your own words.
In speaking, you often forget a word. A paraphrase saves you: "the machine that keeps food cold" instead of "fridge".
Your English looks richer when you can say one idea in two or three ways.

What is the problem for learners?

Most learners change one word and think they are finished: difficult → hard. That is not enough. The sentence has the same shape, and the exam sees it as copied.

The second problem: words that look similar are often NOT the same. "Stressful" and "overwhelming" are not equal, and an examiner will notice.

The 3 steps

Find the key words and keep them.

Read the sentence until you understand it. Underline the words you cannot easily replace: names, places, numbers, dates and technical words. Do not change these.

Replace what you can.

Use the toolbox below. But don't replace EVERYTHING:

Original: I eat chocolate every day.
I ingest cocoa-based confectionery on a daily basis. (Nobody talks like this. Please stop. )
Chocolate is part of my daily routine.

Change the shape.

Start the sentence in a different place. Change the type of word (verb → noun). Do not just swap words one by one.

The toolbox

Tool	Original	Paraphrase
Synonym	The town is very small.	The town is tiny.
Opposite + not	The tickets were cheap.	The tickets were not expensive.
Word family (change the type of word)	The company decided to close the shop. → The company made a decision to close the shop. Prices rose quickly. → There was a rapid rise in prices.
Phrasal verb	Police discovered the truth.	Police found out the truth.
Active ↔ passive	Doctors recommend regular exercise.	Regular exercise is recommended by doctors.

Careful! Similar is not the same

Original word	Do NOT use	Why
stressful	overwhelming	stronger (your boss will know )
young people	teenagers	narrower
change	improve	"improve" is always positive
say	claim	"claim" suggests you doubt it
can help	cures	much stronger
most	many	different amount

All 3 steps together

Step	Result
Original	Many students find it stressful to complete large amounts of homework.
1. Key words	students, homework (keep)
2. Replace	many → a large number of · stressful → stressed (word family) · complete → finish · large amounts of → a great deal of
3. Change the shape	Start with the homework: Finishing a great deal of homework makes a large number of students feel stressed.

In the exam: the question

Original (IELTS Task 2): Some people believe that university education should be free for everyone.
Paraphrase: A number of people think that students should not have to pay to go to university.

Key word kept: university. Believe → think, free → not have to pay.

Paragraph level

Original

Many schools have introduced rules to limit the use of mobile phones in classrooms. Research shows that when phones are banned, students pay more attention and achieve better results. However, some teachers believe that devices can support learning if used correctly.

Paraphrase

Studies show that students concentrate better and get better results when phones are not allowed in class. Many schools have therefore set limits on their use. Even so, some teachers think that phones can help students learn, as long as they are used properly.

Check

Key words kept (schools, students, teachers, phones)? Same ideas, in a different order? Nothing new added?

Common mistakes

Original: Technology changes how we learn. → Digital tools alter how we study.

(same shape, only words swapped)

Because of technology, the way people learn is changing.

Original: Young people use phones a lot. → Teenagers use phones a lot.

(the meaning is narrower)

Young people spend a lot of time on their phones.

Original: Sales rose by 20% in 2019. → Sales rose by 12% in 2019.

(a number changed)

In 2019, sales went up by 20%.

Original: Working more than 20 hours a week lowers students' grades. → Work affects students.

(information is missing)

Students who work over 20 hours a week get lower grades.

Original: Exercise can help people sleep. → Exercise cures sleep problems.

(too strong)

Physical activity can make it easier to sleep.

Original: The teacher gave me an A. → The instructor handed me a letter.

(technically true, but that is not what I meant )

I got the top grade from my teacher.

Quick check

Is the meaning exactly the same?
Are the numbers, names and dates the same?
Did the shape of the sentence change?

If any answer is no, fix it.

Level up: Replace basic words (good, very, nice) with stronger ones. See our A2 to B2 upgrades page.

Practice

EXERCISE:

Choose the better paraphrase

Choose the best paraphrase. It must keep the meaning and change the shape of the sentence.

1.The cost of living has risen sharply in recent years.

The first option only swaps words (same shape). The third option has the opposite meaning.

2.Most teenagers spend more than three hours a day online.

Most → many changes the amount. The third option is missing details.

3.It is not easy to find a job without experience.

The first option has the same shape. The second option is stronger.

4.Heavy traffic causes air pollution in big cities.

The first option only changes big → large. The third option reverses cause and effect.

5.The film was so boring that many people left early.

The second option has the same shape. The third option has the opposite meaning.

Now write

Your task

Paraphrase the following fictional text in 40-55 words. Keep its meaning and every fact. Do not copy whole sentences or more than three words in a row. Compare your version with the original before finishing.

Source text, 46 words:
A regular sleep routine helps the body recover after a busy day. Enough sleep can support memory, attention, and clear thinking. People who sleep too little may find daily tasks harder. A quiet bedroom and a steady bedtime can make restful sleep easier. Sleep needs can differ from person to person.

Target: One paraphrase of 40-55 words, with the same main ideas and a different sentence shape.

Word bank

sleep routinerecoversupport memoryattentionclear thinkingdaily tasksquiet bedroomsteady bedtimerestful sleepsleep needsmay helpcan supportdifferget enough sleepdaily routine

Sentence starters

A good sleep routine ...
Getting enough sleep may ...
People who do not sleep enough ...
It is easier to sleep well when ...
Everyone needs a different amount of ...

Use made-up details only. Do not include private information about yourself or other people.

Instant feedback on your own text is part of Premium.

Check your writing

Have I kept the key words (names, places, numbers, dates)?
Is the meaning exactly the same?
Did I change the shape of the sentence, not only some words?
Did I avoid adding or removing information?
Did I check that my synonyms really mean the same?

← Summarise and Combine Information Paraphrasing vs Rephrasing: Say It Another Way →

Paraphrasing: Say the Same Thing in Different Words

🤔 What is it?

👀 See it first

🎯 Why does it matter?

🚧 What is the problem for learners?

👣 The 3 steps

1️⃣ Find the key words and keep them.

2️⃣ Replace what you can.

3️⃣ Change the shape.

🧰 The toolbox

⚠️ Careful! Similar is not the same

🧩 All 3 steps together

📝 In the exam: the question

📚 Paragraph level

🙈 Common mistakes

✅ Quick check