Video Summary - Vocabulary for IELTS: Paraphrasing Tips

Main ideas and lessons

Paraphrasing for IELTS writing is crucial: In both Writing Task 1 and Writing Task 2, you must show you can paraphrase effectively.
Synonyms must be used “safely”: Even if words have the same meaning, they often can’t replace each other in every context. Using incorrect synonyms increases mistakes and can lower your band score.
The key skill behind correct paraphrasing is understanding usage, not just meaning:
- Collocations (which nouns commonly go with which verbs)
- Topic appropriateness (whether the replacement fits the meaning and context of the sentence)
- Grammar and sentence structure (sometimes you must rewrite the sentence to use a synonym correctly)

Examples and what goes wrong (by IELTS task)

Writing Task 1: “consume” → “use” / “used” (with collocations)

Good (works correctly with the right noun):

“the amount of fuel consumed” → “the amount of fuel used”
Meaning: “use” works with fuel/energy in this context because those collocations are natural.

Problem (synonym replacement fails when the noun changes):

“the amount of meat consumed” cannot be replaced with “the amount of meat used.”
Reason: “use” doesn’t collocate with food in the same way; “use” doesn’t mean “eat.”

Correct paraphrase:

“the amount of meat consumed” → “the amount of meat eaten”

Writing Task 2: “people” → “humans” (topic-based suitability)

The speaker gives two sentences where students replace people with humans.

When “humans” is acceptable (environment/species distinction context):

Example topic: deforestation and fossil fuel use affecting the environment.
“Human activities…” is fine because the context differentiates humans vs animals and fits environmental impact on an ecosystem.

When “humans” is NOT acceptable (urban transport context):

Example topic: traffic congestion; public transport in urban areas.
“Humans should make an effort…” is wrong here because the topic doesn’t require the animal-vs-human distinction.
In transportation contexts, the replacement should be “people,” not “humans.”

Core rule conveyed:

IELTS paraphrasing isn’t about replacing every word—the examiner rewards correct paraphrasing and understanding, including knowing when a synonym is inappropriate.

Writing Task 2: “teenagers” → “adolescent” / “youth” (grammar/structure)

The speaker claims:

Adolescent can work as a direct replacement in some sentence positions.
Youth may have the same general meaning but can be grammatically/structurally incorrect in certain contexts.

Examples given:

“the growth in teenage crime” → “the growth in adolescent crime” ✅
“the growth in youth crime” ❌ (described as completely wrong)

Fix (rewrite the sentence structure):

“The number of youths committing crime has grown.” ✅
“The number of adolescents committing crime has grown.” ✅

Core rule conveyed:

Sometimes synonym substitution works directly; other times you must change the sentence structure to use the word correctly.

Method / checklist for safe paraphrasing (as instructed)

Don’t rely on meaning alone.
- Check whether the synonym works in the same situation, not just in the dictionary.
Check collocations (noun + verb combinations).
- Learn which nouns can be “consumed” / “used” / “eaten” with specific verbs.
Confirm topic fit and implied meaning.
- Ask whether the synonym changes the reader’s understanding (e.g., “humans” vs “people” depending on whether animals are being contrasted).
Verify grammar and sentence structure.
- If a synonym doesn’t fit, rewrite the sentence rather than forcing a replacement (e.g., restructure with “number of youths…”).
Use dictionaries the right way.
- Don’t use a dictionary that only translates meaning.
- Use an English-English dictionary with:
  - meaning
  - and example sentences to see correct usage.

Speakers / sources featured

Liz (the main speaker; introduced as “hello my name’s Liz”)

Vocabulary for IELTS: Paraphrasing Tips

Key takeaways