Restatement Practice
Read this guide before you start the practice sets. It will help you understand what to look for — and what traps to avoid.
What is a restatement question?
In a restatement question, you read one sentence and choose the option that means exactly the same thing. The correct option does not add new information, and it does not remove any important ideas. It simply uses different words and grammar to say the same thing.
Three of the four options contain a mistake. Your job is not to find the option that sounds the most similar — it is to find the option that is completely accurate.
Three steps to the right answer
1
Find the main idea
Read the sentence carefully. What is it saying? Look for: the main point, any cause or reason, any contrast, and any condition (e.g. unless, only if, as long as).
2
Notice the connecting words
Words like although, since, unless, despite, as long as show the logical relationship between ideas. If an option changes a contrast into a cause — or removes a condition — it is wrong, even if the rest looks correct.
3
Test each option
For each option, ask yourself: Does this say exactly the same thing as the original? Eliminate any option that:
- says something stronger or weaker than the original
- adds information the original does not include
- leaves out an important part of the original
Six types of wrong answer
Wrong options in restatement questions are not random — they follow patterns. Learning these patterns will help you eliminate wrong options faster.
1
Overclaiming
The option makes the statement stronger or more absolute than the original.
- The original uses: may, might, could, suggests, is possible
- The wrong option changes these to: has proven, always, never, definitely, in all cases
- ⚠ Also watch for positive ↔ negative flips: not always and always are opposites, not paraphrases
Example
Original sentence:
Research suggests that excessive use of social media may contribute to feelings of loneliness.
Wrong option:
Studies have proven that social media always makes its users feel lonely.
💡 Ask yourself: Is the original this strong? Or is it just a possibility?
2
Cause-Effect Reversal
The option swaps the cause and the result.
- The original says: A causes B
- The wrong option says: B causes A
Example
Original sentence:
Scientists warn that rising temperatures will cause more extreme weather events.
Wrong option:
Scientists warn that extreme weather events have caused global temperatures to rise.
💡 Ask yourself: Which thing causes the other in the original?
3
Scope Drop
The option removes a key condition or limit, making the claim broader than the original.
- The original includes a limiting word or phrase: only when, unless, those who, excessive
- The wrong option drops it, turning a specific claim into a general one
Example
Original sentence:
Social media may lead to loneliness when used too much.
Wrong option:
Social media leads to loneliness among its users.
💡 Ask yourself: Does the original apply to everyone, or only in certain situations?
4
Missing One Point
The option covers part of the meaning correctly, but leaves out one important idea.
- These options feel almost right — they are the most dangerous type
- Always check that both parts of the original are covered
Example
Original sentence:
While technology has made our lives more comfortable, it has also caused many people to become less physically active.
Wrong option:
Technology has made our lives more comfortable, though this has come at a cost.
💡 Ask yourself: Does this option cover ALL the key points in the original?
5
Not Mentioned
The option introduces new information that is not in the original sentence at all.
- This information may sound related or logical, but it simply is not there
- Be careful: a true statement is not always a correct option
Example
Original sentence:
Social media may lead to greater feelings of loneliness and isolation.
Wrong option:
Social media does not always succeed in making people feel less lonely.
💡 Ask yourself: Does the original actually say this, or am I reading something into it?
6
Partial Match
The option gets one part right but changes or distorts another part.
- The first half often sounds completely correct — read all the way to the end
- Check every part of the option, not just the beginning
Example
Original sentence:
Although wolves were once common across Europe, they disappeared from most countries due to hunting and loss of habitat.
Wrong option:
The disappearance of wolves from most European countries was mainly caused by the destruction of their natural habitat.
💡 Ask yourself: Is every part of this option accurate, or just the beginning?
Before you choose — a quick check
Before confirming your answer, ask yourself these four questions:
- Does the option cover all the key points in the original?
- Does it keep the same logical relationship (contrast / cause / condition)?
- Does it avoid adding anything the original does not say?
- Is the strength of the claim the same — not stronger, not weaker?
Paraphrase Equivalences
The table below shows words and phrases that are commonly used to replace each other in correct answers. Use it as a reference when you are not sure whether two expressions mean the same thing.
Connecting Words
| Original | Paraphrase |
|---|---|
| although / even though | despite / in spite of |
| although | yet / while / whereas |
| however | but / on the other hand / while |
| unlike | while the other / whereas |
| apart from / except for | all … except |
| because / as | since |
| because of | due to |
| has led to | since / resulted in |
| unless | if … not / without |
| as long as | only if / provided that |
| if … had not (done something) | because … did (do it) |
| not only … but also | as well as / in addition to |
| although many people think / despite what most people believe | contrary to popular belief / contrary to what many people expect |
| so (result clause: "A, so B") | because (cause clause, reversed order: "B because A") — the meaning is the same but the sentence is flipped |
Verbs
| Original | Paraphrase |
|---|---|
| lead to / result in / cause | contribute to / bring about |
| affect | influence / have an impact on |
| improve | be good for / benefit |
| reduce / cut | decrease / lower |
| urge / call for | recommend / encourage |
| tackle / deal with | address / handle |
| raise (concerns) | create / produce |
| struggle to | find it difficult to / find it hard to |
| warn | caution / advise |
| argue / claim | believe / say |
| allow / enable | give … the chance to |
| invest in | put money into / spend money on |
| choose / opt for | prefer / decide to |
| show / point to | suggest / indicate |
| react / respond | act in response to / deal with immediately |
| motivate | push / inspire / drive |
| attract | bring in / draw in |
| communicate | interact / talk to |
| happen more often | become more frequent / increase in frequency |
| dropped / fallen | decreased / gone down |
| make good decisions | think clearly / judge well |
| look for | search for / try to find |
| make it part of their routine | do it regularly / do it every day |
Words & Phrases
| Original | Paraphrase |
|---|---|
| many / a lot of | a large number of |
| most | the majority of |
| a growing number of / more and more | an increasing number of |
| more than half | over 50% / the majority |
| a great deal of | a large amount of / a lot of |
| widely | by many people / in many places |
| may / might / could | is possible / is likely |
| is known to / has been shown to | has been proven to / research confirms |
| is estimated that | according to estimates |
| research suggests | according to research / studies show |
| significant / considerable | major / dramatic / notable |
| significantly / considerably | greatly / by a large amount |
| common / widespread | prevalent / found in many places |
| essential / necessary | important / needed |
| serious / severe | major / significant |
| rapid / fast | quick / sudden |
| excessive | too much / more than necessary |
| affordable | low-cost / within budget |
| impact / effect | influence / consequence / outcome |
| concern / worry | problem / issue |
| demand | need / pressure |
| well-being / welfare | health and happiness |
| attitudes | the way people think / feel about |
| restrictions / controls | rules / limits |
| alternatives | other options / different choices |
| doctors / medical professionals | health experts / specialists |
| scientists / researchers | experts / academics |
| the elderly / older people | people who are older / senior citizens |
| employees / workers | people who work / staff |
| young people | teenagers / the younger generation |
| people who live in cities | urban residents / city dwellers |
| active voice (e.g. doctors recommend) | passive voice (e.g. it is recommended by doctors) |
| verb phrase (e.g. exercising regularly) | noun phrase (e.g. regular exercise) |
| different word forms of the same root (e.g. destroy, destroying) | destruction / destructive — e.g. recommend → recommendation; reduce → reduction; grow → growth |