How do paraphrases and synonyms affect Reading and Listening?
IELTS questions often express the same idea differently from the passage or recording. A question might say “a rise in costs” while the source refers to “higher prices”. Practise recognising equivalent meanings in context, but do not assume every apparent synonym is interchangeable.
Context may change the meaning, and some answer options repeat source words while making an incorrect claim. After practice, collect a few genuine paraphrases from the material and write down how the wording changed. This develops vocabulary and improves your ability to locate correct answers.