1. A method comprising: receiving a word problem comprising a question and contextual phrases providing context for said question; identifying said question and said contextual phrases in said word problem using a parsing function; identifying first types for each phrase of said contextual phrases; identifying a referring phrase in said question; identifying a second type for said referring phrase; determining if any of said first types matches said second type; creating a replacement phrase if any of said first types matches said second type, said replacement phrase comprising each phrase of said contextual phrases having a type matching said second type; producing a reformulated question by replacing said referring phrase in said question with said replacement phrase; inputting said reformulated question to a question-answering (QA) system; and receiving answers to said reformulated question from said QA system.