Important Synonyms List for 9 Band in IELTS Writing

Synonyms are essential in IELTS writing if you want to paraphrase successfully, avoid repetition and improve your band score in Lexical resource. In this guide, we will look at some important synonyms that you can use in the writing section of your IELTS Academic test.

1. Synonyms for IELTS writing Task 1

In IELTS writing task 1, you have 20 minutes to write a formal report that summarises the key features of a given chart, graph, table, flowchart, process diagram or map.

We’ve put together a collection of useful synonyms that you can use in any writing task 1 and adapt for your given figure/ diagram

1.1 Introduction synonyms

Using synonyms can help you to paraphrase the given statement that will always follow a similar pattern. Take the example below:

IELTS Statement:

Your introduction should paraphrase the given statement. Here are some different ways you could rephrase the underlined part of the statement:

1.2 Writing about time

You will often be given data with a time-frame ranging over a period of time, as shown in this example:

IELTS Statement:

In your report, instead of repeating the structure ‘between ___ and ___’ you could use the following:

Here are some more ways to introduce time in your report:

1.3 Phrases to start paragraphs

You always need to make your overview paragraph easy to find. To do this, you can begin your overview with one of the following:

Here are some useful phrases to continue your overview paragraph:

And phrases to start your main body paragraph:

1.4 Synonyms to describe trends

It is important to learn a range of languages to describe upward, downward, or any other trends that appear in the data. We’ve put together a list of synonyms you could use in your report.

Upward trend:

Downward trend:

Constant:

Fluctuation:

1.5 Transition words

To create cohesion throughout your report, as well as avoid repetition, you should use a range of transition words/ cohesive devices. Here’s a list of appropriate transitions to use in IELTS writing task 1:

1.6 Synonyms for estimates

It is likely that you will not be able to precisely read the figures on a given chart, especially if you are given a bar chart. In this case, you need to use language to estimate the data. Here are some synonyms you can use to describe figures above or below and exact number:

1.7 Making predictions

Occasionally, you may be given a graph/chart where predictions are made about what may happen in the future. Since it is not certain that these predictions will happen, you should avoid using grammatical structures that express certainty such as ‘will’. You could instead use:

2. Synonyms for IELTS Writing Task 2

2.1 Giving your opinion

2.2 General introduction statements

2.3 Synonyms for body paragraphs

Topic sentence starters:

Supporting sentences starters:

2.4 Cohesive devices/transition words

Summary:

Sequencing/listing:

Contrast:

Giving examples/ restating:

Reasons/results:

Addition:

2.5 Common synonyms for words in Questions