A cognitive assistant system, computer program product, and computer-implemented method configured to improve the accuracy of a statement. In one example, the system receives from a user an original statement that includes statement entities and generates an original confidence estimate (CE) for a correctness of the original statement. The system generates a replacement statement by selecting a suspect statement entity, selecting a replacement entity for the suspect statement entity, and replacing the suspect statement entity with the replacement entity in the original statement. The system generates a replacement CE for a correctness of the replacement statement. If the replacement CE exceeds the original CE by a tuning factor, the system sends the replacement statement to the user. If not, the system repeats generating the replacement statement and generating the replacement CE.