Hey everyone, welcome to IELTS on Fire – your daily five-minute boost. I’m Teacher Phil, and today we’re diving into one of the simplest ways to stand out in Writing Task 1: paraphrasing the question, without copying it word for word.

If you want to boost your score fast, this one’s for you. Paraphrasing shows the examiner you can use English flexibly – and it’s usually the very first thing you write in your answer. So, let’s set your English on fire with some practical tips.

IELTS Writing Task 1 Prompt:

Let’s take a classic IELTS Writing Task 1 question.

'The chart shows the number of users in five countries.'

That’s the kind of sentence you’ll see at the top of a Task 1 prompt. Your job? Restate it in your own words, showing off your vocabulary and grammar. But don’t just swap one or two words – really make it your own.

So, what does that mean for you? Well, the examiner wants to see you can use synonyms and change the sentence structure. Let me show you how.

Model Paraphrase

Here’s my Band 8-style paraphrase:

'The diagram illustrates how many people used the service across five different nations.'

Let’s break that down.

• I swapped 'chart' for 'diagram.'
• 'Shows' became 'illustrates.'
• 'Number of users' turned into 'how many people used the service.'
• And 'in five countries' is now 'across five different nations.'

Notice: I didn’t just change one word. I changed the order, used some nice collocations, and made it sound natural.

Let me break it down even more.

Structure:

• I started with 'The diagram illustrates…' instead of 'The chart shows…'
• Rearranged the sentence to sound less mechanical.

Key phrases you can use:

• 'illustrates' (instead of 'shows')
• 'the number of...' or 'how many people...'
• 'across five different nations'

What works:

• I used synonyms and changed the sentence order.
• I added a little extra detail with 'the service' for clarity.
• Using phrases like 'across different nations' or 'over a period of time' is a great way to boost your range.

So, next time you’re faced with a chart, graph, or table, try to change at least three parts of the question:

• The subject (chart → diagram/graph/table)
• The verb (shows → illustrates/compares/presents)
• The object (number of users → how many people used / user figures)
• The location/time (in five countries → across five nations / between 2000 and 2010, if you see dates)

The best part? These tricks work for almost every Task 1 you’ll see."

Quick Practice Challenge

"Now it’s your turn. Here’s a sentence to paraphrase:

'The chart shows the number of users in five countries.'

Pause the podcast, grab a pen, and try to write your own version.

Aim to change at least three parts, just like I did. Take one minute.

If you get stuck, remember: swap the noun, change the verb, and try a new phrase for location or time.

This is how you build real fluency.

Alright, ready? Give it a try now. Your fluency isn’t born – it’s built. Let’s build it together."

"That’s all for today’s IELTS on Fire. Keep practicing those paraphrases, and you’ll start every Writing Task 1 with confidence. Join me tomorrow for another high-impact tip. Until then – let’s set your English on fire."