TOEFL IBT reading tip
In the TOEFL, you will also be tested on your ability to paraphrase parts of the
text. This means you must know how to rewrite sentences by using other words
and phrases without changing the original meaning. The TOEFL tests your ability
in this area because when you do research in college, you are not allowed to copy
and paste scholars’ works directly. Instead, you should paraphrase and integrate
the scholars’ works with your own.
Common Mistake 1:
Here is an example of poor paraphrasing that can result in you being penalized
for academic dishonesty:
The key drivers for the food and beverage industry’s rise in the United
States are growing household income, which increased by more than 10%
every year for the past decade, and shifting consumer preferences towards
The important drivers for the food and beverage industry’s rise in the
United States are increasing household income, which grew by more than
10% every year for the past decade, and changing consumer preferences
towards eating out.
The paraphrased version is different from the original, but as you can see,
only a few words were changed. This means the paraphrased version is nearly
the same as the original, which is a sign of poor paraphrasing.
Common Mistake 2:
Here’s another example of how students often get it wrong:
The American food and beverage industry was fuelled by growing household
income and changes in consumer preferences.
The problem with the above paraphrasing is that while it has varied sentence
structure and also used different vocabulary, the original meaning is lost. Refer
to the original version and you will see that more information is given, such as
the 10 percent increase in household income and how consumers are moving
towards eating out.
The TOEFL will test you more on your ability to avoid Common Mistake 2.
Since the questions are multiple choice, you will not be tested on your ability to
paraphrase in writing. Rather, you will be asked to select the answer option that
best paraphrases a certain portion of the passage.
In order to answer paraphrasing questions correctly, put these simple steps into
1. List down essential information in the original sentence point by point.
2. List down essential information in each answer option point by point.
3. Eliminate answer options that do not possess all essential information.
Then, analyze the remaining options and select the best choice.
Topic: TOEFL IBT reading tip
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