Paraphrase Checker
Copying question wording in your introduction is one of the most penalised Lexical Resource mistakes. Paste your question and intro — we'll highlight every copied phrase and show you how to rewrite it.
Why it matters: IELTS examiners are trained to spot copied question wording. Even strong vocabulary elsewhere can't compensate — copying signals poor Lexical Resource and can drop your LR score by half a band or more.
Why paraphrasing matters for your band score
Lexical Resource — your range and accuracy of vocabulary — is worth 25% of your IELTS Writing band score. When examiners mark introductions, they specifically look for whether you have paraphrased the question or copied it. Copied phrases are identified and noted, and they lower your LR score regardless of how strong the rest of your essay is.
This tool highlights every phrase in your introduction that appears in the question, so you can see exactly what needs to be rewritten before you submit.
Frequently asked questions
Why does copying the question hurt my IELTS score?
Copied question wording is penalised under Lexical Resource (LR), which is worth 25% of your Writing band. Examiners are trained to spot lifted phrases. When they see copied text, it signals you cannot generate your own vocabulary — exactly what LR measures. Even partially copied phrases can lower your score.
What counts as copying?
Any three or more consecutive words taken directly from the question counts as copying. This includes keywords, topic phrases, and proper nouns. Changing one word in a phrase — 'government should' → 'governments should' — does not constitute paraphrasing.
How should I paraphrase the IELTS question?
Effective paraphrasing combines synonyms, changed word forms, restructured sentence order, and different grammar patterns. Change the vocabulary, the grammar structure, and the sentence order — not just one element. Swapping one synonym while keeping everything else identical is still considered copying.
Are there words I can copy from the question?
Yes. Proper nouns and technical terms with no natural synonym can be used as-is — 'nuclear energy', 'artificial intelligence', 'IELTS' do not need replacing. The key is to paraphrase the surrounding language, not force synonyms onto words that genuinely don't have them.
Does paraphrasing only matter in the introduction?
The introduction is where it matters most, as it directly restates the prompt. But good Lexical Resource across the whole essay means avoiding repeated question vocabulary throughout. Use synonyms, pronoun references, and varied phrasing whenever you refer back to the topic.