Can I use synonyms instead of words from the passage in the IELTS Reading test?

5 Views | Posted 4 days ago

1 Answer

Answered by

6 days ago

The short answer is NO, you must use the exact words from the passage for most question types. However, synonyms can help in understanding the text and finding the correct answers.

When You MUST Use the Exact Words from the Passage

For the following question types, you must copy words exactly as they appear in the passage:

Sentence Completion
Summary Completion
Table Completion
Diagram Label Completion
Short Answer Questions

Example:
Passage:
"The Amazon rainforest is home to thousands of unique species."

Question:
The ______ is home to thousands of unique species.

? Incorrect: "Jungle" (Even though "jungle" is a synonym for "rainforest", it is not

...more

The short answer is NO, you must use the exact words from the passage for most question types. However, synonyms can help in understanding the text and finding the correct answers.<h3>When You MUST Use the Exact Words from the Passage</h3>For the following question types, you must copy words exactly as they appear in the passage:<ol><li>Sentence Completion</li><li>Summary Completion</li><li>Table Completion</li><li>Diagram Label Completion</li><li>Short Answer Questions</li></ol>Example: Passage: "The Amazon rainforest is home to thousands of unique species."Question: The ______ is home to thousands of unique species.? Incorrect: "Jungle" (Even though "jungle" is a synonym for "rainforest", it is not the word used in the passage.) ? Correct: "Amazon rainforest" (Must be copied exactly from the passage.)<h3>When Synonyms CAN Be Used</h3>In some question types, synonyms can help you understand the passage, but your final answer must still match the given options.? Matching Headings? The passage might use "increase," but the heading option could say "growth." ? True/False/Not Given & Yes/No/Not Given? Synonyms often appear in the question to test comprehension.? Example: Passage: "The company experienced a rapid increase in revenue last year."Question: The company's earnings grew quickly last year. ? Answer: TRUE (Since "earnings" = "revenue" and "grew quickly" = "rapid increase")<h3>Common Mistakes to Avoid</h3>? Using synonyms instead of exact words in fill-in-the-blank questions. ? Adding extra words—If the answer must be "solar energy," don't write "the solar energy." ? Ignoring word limits—If the instruction says "NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS," stick to it.<h3>Final Tip</h3><ul><li>Use synonyms to locate the right section in the passage but write the exact word (s) from the passage as the answer.</li><li>Always check the instructions carefully to avoid unnecessary mistakes.</li></ul>