Study · Academic reading skillsLesson 09

Recognising Paraphrases and Synonyms

Level B1–B2

Recognising Paraphrases and Synonyms

Level B1–B2

Learning goals

In this lesson, you will learn to recognise paraphrases and synonyms in academic reading. You will compare meaning rather than matching identical words, locate related ideas in the passage, and reject options that change an important detail.

Step 1 — Read and discover

Read the passage once. Notice how ideas could be expressed in different words.

Repair Cafés and Everyday Skills

Repair cafés invite people to bring damaged household items to a community space, where volunteers help them try to fix the problem. The events are usually free, although visitors may need to buy replacement parts. They are not intended to replace professional repair services for every type of product.

Organisers say the events can reduce waste by keeping usable objects out of rubbish bins. They also give visitors a chance to learn practical skills. Someone who watches a volunteer repair a lamp, for example, may feel more confident about dealing with a similar problem later.

Running these events takes planning. Organisers need suitable tools, safe work areas, and volunteers with different skills. Attendance can vary, so some groups work with schools or neighbourhood organisations to reach more people.

1. Which phrase is the closest paraphrase of “reduce waste”?Try again

A. Create less rubbishB. Buy more household objectsC. Store every damaged item permanentlyD. Replace all products with new ones

1. Which phrase is the closest paraphrase of “reduce waste”?

✓

2. Which sentence best paraphrases “keeping usable objects out of rubbish bins”?Try again

A. Preventing items that can still be used from being thrown awayB. Putting every damaged item into storageC. Replacing all household products with new onesD. Buying more objects than necessary

2. Which sentence best paraphrases “keeping usable objects out of rubbish bins”?

✓

3. Repair cafés provide every replacement part for free.Try again

A. True according to the passageB. False according to the passageC. The passage does not mention replacement parts

3. Repair cafés provide every replacement part for free.

✓

Step 2 — Paraphrase and synonym

What is a paraphrase?

A paraphrase expresses the same idea using different words or grammar. Reading questions often paraphrase the passage, so matching one repeated word is not enough: you must compare the meaning.

A practical strategy

1. Underline the key idea in the question.

2. Predict likely synonyms or a different way to express the idea.

3. Locate the related part of the passage.

4. Check that the meaning is equivalent and that no important detail has changed.

Strategy guide

Paraphrase

Match questions to equivalent meanings in the passage.

Underline the key idea in the question.
Predict synonyms or reworded expressions.
Locate the related sentence in the passage.
Check that no important detail has changed.

Example: Reduce waste ≈ create less rubbish.

Common mistake: Selecting an option because one word matches, without checking full meaning.

Synonym

Recognise different words for the same idea.

Think of likely alternative wording.
Compare ideas, not spelling.
Read the surrounding context before deciding.

Example: Feel more confident ≈ feel more able to do something.

Common mistake: Assuming different words must refer to different ideas.

Limiting words

Notice when a paraphrase changes may, some, or usually to always or every.

Compare modal verbs and quantifiers.
Reject options that strengthen or weaken the claim incorrectly.
Return to the exact sentence in the passage.

Example: May need to buy parts ≠ every part is free.

Common mistake: Accepting absolute words when the passage is cautious.

Step 3 — Same meaning or different?

Choose the best answer, then check your choices.

1. “Feel more confident” is closest in meaning to:Try again

A. Feel more able to do somethingB. Feel unable to try anythingC. Feel angry about volunteersD. Feel required to buy new products

1. “Feel more confident” is closest in meaning to:

✓

2. “Reach more people” is closest in meaning to:Try again

A. Contact or serve a larger audienceB. Reduce the number of visitorsC. Cancel all community eventsD. Hide events from schools

2. “Reach more people” is closest in meaning to:

✓

3. “Attendance can vary” is closest in meaning to:Try again

A. The number of visitors can changeB. Every event has exactly the same number of visitorsC. Volunteers never attendD. Tools are always identical

3. “Attendance can vary” is closest in meaning to:

✓

4. A good paraphrase should:Try again

A. Keep the same meaning without adding or removing key detailsB. Change the meaning to something more interestingC. Use only words that appear in the questionD. Ignore the passage completely

4. A good paraphrase should:

✓

5. If a question uses “cost” and the passage uses “fee”, you should:Try again

A. Compare meanings in context rather than match spellingB. Assume the ideas are unrelatedC. Choose the longest option automaticallyD. Stop reading after the first sentence

5. If a question uses “cost” and the passage uses “fee”, you should:

✓

6. Which option changes the meaning of “may need to buy replacement parts”?Try again

A. Visitors must pay for every part without exceptionB. Visitors might need to buy some partsC. Parts are sometimes requiredD. Free events can still involve some costs for visitors

6. Which option changes the meaning of “may need to buy replacement parts”?

✓

Step 4 — Practise with the repair café passage

Read the text below and answer the questions.

Repair Cafés and Everyday Skills

1. Repair cafés are intended to:Try again

A. Help people try to fix items with volunteer supportB. Replace professional repair services for every productC. Prevent anyone from learning practical skillsD. Charge high fees for every visit

1. Repair cafés are intended to:

✓

2. One benefit of watching a volunteer repair an item is that a visitor may:Try again

A. Learn skills and feel more able to handle a similar problem laterB. Be required to throw the item away immediatelyC. Lose confidence about all future repairsD. Replace every household product the same day

2. One benefit of watching a volunteer repair an item is that a visitor may:

✓

3. Organisers need planning because they require:Try again

A. Suitable tools, safe work areas, and volunteers with different skillsB. No volunteers and no toolsC. Only one type of damaged productD. Permanent closure of schools

3. Organisers need planning because they require:

✓

4. Some groups work with schools or neighbourhood organisations mainly to:Try again

A. Reach more people when attendance variesB. Stop residents from attendingC. Eliminate all waste immediatelyD. Replace cafés with professional shops

4. Some groups work with schools or neighbourhood organisations mainly to:

✓

5. Which title best paraphrases the main idea of the passage?Try again

A. Community repair events can reduce waste and build practical skillsB. All professional repair services should close immediatelyC. Household items can never be fixedD. Volunteers refuse to help visitors

5. Which title best paraphrases the main idea of the passage?

✓

Step 5 — Choose the best summary

Read each paragraph quickly, then choose the best summary.

1. Repair cafés offer free community sessions where volunteers help people fix damaged items. The events can reduce waste and help visitors learn skills, although organisers must plan tools, safety, and volunteer support carefully.Try again

A. Paraphrase questions reward careful comparison of meaning, not word matching alone.B. Questions always repeat the exact wording of the passage.C. Synonyms never appear in academic texts.D. Visitors never learn anything at repair events.

✓

2. When two phrases look different but express the same idea, such as “reduce waste” and “create less rubbish”, the best approach is to:Try again

A. Check equivalence of meaning in contextB. Choose the option with the most capital lettersC. Assume different words always mean different ideasD. Ignore the surrounding sentences

2. When two phrases look different but express the same idea, such as “reduce waste” and “create less rubbish”, the best approach is to:

✓

3. A statement that adds “every” or “always” when the passage uses “may” or “some” is usually:Try again

A. A poor paraphrase because it changes the limit of the claimB. Always the correct answerC. Unrelated to exam reading skillsD. Better than a careful paraphrase

3. A statement that adds “every” or “always” when the passage uses “may” or “some” is usually:

✓

Step 6 — Quick review

Choose the best answer for each question.

1. A paraphrase:Try again

A. Expresses the same idea in different wordsB. Must copy the passage exactlyC. Always uses longer words than the originalD. Changes the main meaning for style

1. A paraphrase:

✓

2. Synonyms in reading tasks:Try again

A. Help you recognise equivalent meanings across question and passageB. Prove that word-for-word matching is always requiredC. Show that grammar never mattersD. Mean the question and passage cannot refer to the same idea

2. Synonyms in reading tasks:

✓

3. “Visitors may need to buy replacement parts” means:Try again

A. Some parts might not be freeB. All parts are always freeC. Replacement parts are forbiddenD. The passage does not discuss parts

3. “Visitors may need to buy replacement parts” means:

✓

4. Which step comes first in a strong paraphrase strategy?Try again

A. Underline the key idea in the questionB. Choose the first option that shares one word with the passageC. Skip the passage and guessD. Read only the title

4. Which step comes first in a strong paraphrase strategy?

✓

5. A question asks about “creating less rubbish”. You should search the passage for:Try again

A. An idea equivalent to reducing wasteB. The exact phrase creating less rubbish onlyC. A completely unrelated topicD. The longest paragraph regardless of meaning

5. A question asks about “creating less rubbish”. You should search the passage for:

✓

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