A synonym is plainly a word that means the same as the given word. It is derived from the Greek “syn” and “onym,” which means “together” and “name,” respectively. When speaking or writing, one of the finest methods to expand your vocabulary and to avoid writing the same words repeatedly is to use a thesaurus to get synonyms (similar meaning words).
A thesaurus is a general phrase that describes a kind of dictionary that gives a list of words that have the same or similar meaning as the word reference. For instance, if you were to look up the word “pretty,” you might get a listing of close to 30 words that have similar meanings. There are several forms of a thesaurus available that may come in handy if you are someone who mainly does creative writing says, Ms Goel.
Ms Sonu Goel Founder and Director of Cafe Converse Delhi’s top institute for learning creative English writing shares tips on using synonyms effectively.
Why is it essential to use synonyms in your speech and writing?
It is essential because synonyms can assist you to enhance the quality of your writing by giving your readers a crisp and unique outlook of your text. Further, it can also enhance both your oral skills and writing skills.
What are some of the benefits of using synonyms in writing?
There are several benefits that are given below:
- It makes text a lot more captivating.
- Assists to avoid dull text.
- Enhances communication between you and others.
- Assist in presenting an image in the mind of the reader.
- Assists to avoid boring and repetitive text.
For instance, instead of using the word “pretty” multiple times in your text, you may use synonyms like “beautiful,” “gorgeous,” or “ravishing” to better present a picture of your description. Using just one word repeatedly will make sure that you will lose the attention of your audience merely out of boredom.
Avoiding plagiarism while using paraphrasing with synonyms
Plagiarism is a serious concern for writers and editors and is regarded as copyright infringement. It is specifically serious for academic researchers, since, plagiarizing someone else’s work in a research document could diminish or even destroy their professional credibility. Any works that you refer to while using in your writings that are not your original concept or ideas must be correctly cited and referenced. You should always use direct quotations? Not mandatorily, but any part of the original text that you mention in your paraphrased text needs to be in quotation marks.
Paraphrasing lets you shorten a very lengthy quotation by using fewer words to convey the same message, and it can assist avoid the temptation to use multiple quotations. This is where synonyms are helpful, but you should be mindful of what words to use.
Ways to paraphrase without plagiarizing
While paraphrasing, be certain of the following points:
- The words you select to replace the original concept are true synonyms. For instance, the original phrase, “It was a dull day,” could mean more than just one thing. It might mean that the day was gloomy or that the person’s mood was depressed or sad.
- Be certain that you grasp the original concept and use words that will convey the exact meaning.
There are several websites that provide thesaurus for synonyms. The more you use them, you will get to know more words. This way you will be able to expand your vocabulary as well.
Ms Sonu Goel is a professionally acclaimed certified ESL trainer from the British Council having 15 years of strong background for teaching the English language in both online and physical classes. She is dedicated to teaching of English in an interactive and practical way, whereby learners feel enriched with knowledge and experience the language hands-on. She uses creative ideas and aids to let the learning happen as organically and efficiently as possible. Ms Goel has travelled to various European countries and experienced an array of cultures and linguistic skills for the English language.
To learn more about Sonu Goel please visit : https://cafeconverse.com/best-english-tutor-coach-teacher-sonu-goel.html
