Introductions 1: Paraphrasing the Question

There are many ways to write an introduction paragraph but a simple and tested technique is the following:

• Paraphrase the question (use synonyms/ different parts of speech/ different word order etc.)

• Give your opinion

• Outline your 2 main ideas (which will be in body paragraphs 1 & 2)

Let’s begin by looking at how to paraphrase the IELTS question in your introduction.

Paraphrase the IELTS Question

a. Use the passive:

One of the best ways to begin is to change the active “some people believe” to the passive, “it is believed by some people” or vice-versa.

b. Use a similar, but different verb:

Verbs such as “argue”, “believe”, or “think” are interchangeable in this context. So, if the question says, “Some people believe”, you can write “It is argued by some people”, or just, “It is often argued”.

c. Use synonyms

In the rest of the sentence, look for synonyms which can replace words in the question. For example, “fixed” becomes “determined”, “develop” becomes “forms”, “personality” becomes “character”, and “because” becomes “due to”.

d. Change parts of speech or word order

You can also change parts of speech, word order or grammatical structure. For example, we develop our personality… becomes the development of our personality…

For more information on writing IELTS Writing Task 2 introductions go here.

Exercise:

Look at the underlined words/ phrases in the following IELTS Writing Task 2 questions. Think of at least one synonym/ parallel phrase for each. (Remember that the synonym needs to fit the context of the question).

Activity:

Paraphrase the whole IELTS Writing Task 2 questions. Try to use synonyms, change word order, use the passive and use different parts of speech.

Example:

Some people prefer to eat at restaurants, whereas others prefer to eat home-made food.

Which do you prefer?

Paraphrase: While some people have a preference for eating out, others would rather prepare food and eat at home.