TRANSFORMATIONS 2
MARIJA KRZNARIĆ
COMPLETE THE SECOND SENTENCE SO THAT IT HAS A SIMILAR MEANING TO THE FIRST
SENTENCE, USING THE WORD GIVEN. DO NOT CHANGE THE WORD GIVEN. YOU MUST USE
MORE THAN TWO WORDS, INCLUDING THE WORD GIVEN.
1. I forgot her number so I couldn’t ring her.
remember
If HAD REMEMBERED HER NUMBER, I COULD HAVE RUNG HER UP.
2. By pressing the button you lock all the doors.
All the doors WILL LOCK IF YOU PRESS THIS BUTTON.
press
3. I didn’t wake up on time because I didn’t hear the alarm clock.
woken
If I’D HEARD THE ALARM CLOCK, I WOULD HAVE WOKEN UP ON TIME.
4. The reason the dog bit him was that he was in our garden.
bitten
The dog WOULDN’T HAVE BITTEN HIM IF HE HADN’T BEEN IN OUR GARDEN.
5. She wrote very fast and as a result made a lot of mistakes.
slowly
If she HAD WRITTEN MORE SLOWLY, SHE WOULDN’T HAVE MADE SO MANY
MISTAKES.
6. Owing to technical difficulties the plane was not able to take off.
able
If there HADN’T BEEN TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES, THE PLANE WOULD HAVE
BEEN ABLE TO TAKE OFF.
2
7. He hasn’t got enough money now because he didn’t save when he was working.
would
If HE HAD SAVED WHEN HE WAS WORKING, HE WOULD HAVE MONEY now.
8. It’s just as well you told me or I might have married him.
If YOU HADN’T TOLD ME I MIGHT HAVE MARRIED HIM.
you
9. We couldn’t play tennis yesterday because of the rain.
rain
If IT HADN’T RAINED WE WOULD’VE BEEN ABLE TO PLAY TENNIS YESTERDAY.
10. You can eat sweets but you must always brush your teeth afterwards.
provided
You can eat sweets PROVIDED YOU BRUSH YOUR TEETH AFTERWARDS.
11. If you don’t get dressed right away we’ll go without you.
Unless YOU PUT ON YOUR CLOTHES, WE’LL GO WITHOUT YOU.
put
12. We only eat there because the prices are so low.
charge
If they DIDN’T CHARGE (US) SUCH LOW PRICES WE WOULDN’T EAT THERE.
13. I won’t eat any more cake because I’m full.
If I WEREN’T FULL, I WOULD EAT SOME MORE CAKE.
14. If that noise doesn’t stop soon I won’t feel like eating.
That noise will PUT ME OFF EATING unless IT STOPS SOON.
full
put off
3
15. I’ll only leave the waiter some money if he’s quick.
I won’t TIP THE WAITER UNLESS he’s quick.
tip
16. Take my advice and don’t drink so much whisky!
I’d drink LESS IF I WERE you.
if
17. Is that the place where you lived before?
Did you USE TO LIVE IN THAT place?
use
18. Before I moved in I had no one to talk to.
Before I moved in THERE WASN’T anyone to talk to.
there
19. She doesn’t live there any more, I believe.
She USED TO LIVE THERE , I believe.
used
20. Whenever I told her that story she always laughed a lot.
I used to tell her that story and SHE WOULD ALWAYS LAUGH a lot.
21. I couldn’t warn you because I didn’t know about it myself.
I COULD HAVE WARNED YOU if I HAD KNOWN ABOUT IT MYSELF.
22. The reason she found out about it was that he told his sister.
She WOULDN’T HAVE FOUND OUT ABOUT IT if he HADN’T TOLD his sister.
would
warned
if
4
23. Not realizing how unhappy she was, he spent very little time with her.
would
He WOULD HAVE SPENT MORE TIME with her if he HAD KNOWN how unhappy she was.
24. I lost her phone number so I never saw her again.
I would HAVE SEEN HER AGAIN IF I hadn’t lost her phone number.
have
25. We’re not living together any more because she went away to university.
still
We WOULD STILL BE LIVING TOGETHER if she HADN’T GONE AWAY to university.
26. She didn’t take the trouble to find out why so she doesn’t understand.
She WOULD UNDERSTAND IF SHE HAD taken the trouble to find out why.
had
27. Without the provision of spare parts for the machine, the project would have failed. if
IF THE SPARE PARTS FOR THE MACHINE HAD NOT BEEN PROVIDED, the project would
have failed.
28. A more gradual introduction of technology would eliminate many problems. introduce
IF TECHNOLOGY WERE INTRODUCED MORE GRADUALLY, many problems WOULD BE
ELIMINATED.
29. Mary rarely watches TV. However, sometimes she watches a documentary or the news.
If ever SHE WATCHES TV, IT’S a documentary or the news.
if ever
5
Transform the sentences but keep the same meaning:
1) The last time I saw him was three years ago.
I HAVEN’T SEEN HIM
for three years.
2) They have been married for 25 years.
They GOT MARRIED 25 years ago.
3) Mary did the shopping despite the heavy rain.
Mary did the shopping even THOUGH IT WAS RAINING heavily.
4) Why don't you take the 10.15 train to London?.
How ABOUT TAKING THE 10.15 train to London?.
5) Although, she was wealthy she lived in poverty.
Despite BEING WEALTHY SHE LIVED in poverty.
6) The carpenter is building a new bookcase for us.
We are HAVING A NEW BOOKCASE built.
7) I haven’t typed the report yet.
The report HASN’T BEEN TYPED yet.
9) There had to be someone who knew the answer.
Someone MUST HAVE KNOWN the answer.
10) It’s about a four hour drive from Valencia to Madrid.
The drive from Valencia to Madrid TAKES ABOUT four hours.
6
11) Sam felt happy after having a hard work out with her tennis instructor.
mood
Sam WAS/FELT IN A GOOD MOOD after having a good work out with
her tennis instructor.
12) Writing all of the sentence isn’t necessary in this exercise.
need
There’s NO NEED TO WRITE all of the sentence in this exercise.
13) Nobody, apart from Robert’s mother, thought he would pass the FCE
exam.
person
Robert’s mother WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO thought he would pass the
FCE exam.
14) The secretary connected me to the managing director.
put
The secretary PUT ME THROUGH TO the managing director.
15) Samantha would have gone to dinner with Leo if she hadn’t been so
tired.
tired
Samantha was TOO TIRED TO GO to dinner with Leo.
16) The Indian restaurant was practically empty.
hardly
There WAS HARDLY ANYONE IN the Indian restaurant.
7
17) Robert couldn’t solve the problem.
solution
Robert was unable TO FIND THE/A SOLUTION TO the problem.
18) I can’t believe this is the best Chinese restaurant in Madrid!
better
There must
BE A BETTER CHINESE RESTAURANT in Madrid!
19) It’s a waste of time for you to ask Samantha for her phone number.
point
There’s NO POINT (IN) ASKING
Samantha for her phone number.
20) Robert has a full time job and looks after his sick mother too.
well
Robert has a full time job AS WELL AS LOOKING AFTER his sick mother.
21) “Whose is this Gameboy?” the teacher asked the students.
to
“Who DOES THIS GAMEBOY BELONG TO ?” the teacher asked the
students.
22) They aren’t selling tickets for the U2 concert until next week.
being
Tickets for the U2 concert AREN’T BEING/WON’T BE SOLD until next week.
23) It is a nurse’s responsibility to take care of the patients.
responsible
A nurse IS RESPONSIBLE FOR LOOKING AFTER THE patients.
8
24) Mary couldn’t eat the curry because it was too spicy.
too
The curry WAS TOO SPICY FOR Mary to eat.
25) I’m sorry I didn’t kiss her when I had the chance.
wish
I WISH I HAD KISSED her when I had the chance.
26) Danny wrote his best poetry while he was staying in Tel Aviv.
was
Danny’s best poetry WAS WRITTEN DURING HIS stay in Tel Aviv.
27) ‘We will send the disk only if you pay us first,’ said Luis.
not
‘We will NOT SEND THE DISK UNLESS you pay us first,’ said Luis.
28) Football doesn’t interest Craig.
interested
Craig ISN’T INTERESTED IN football.
29) You may have to sleep outside so take a sleeping bag.
case
Take a sleeping bag IN CASE YOU HAVE TO sleep outside.
30) I’ve had enough of the noise from next door.
put
I refuse TO PUT UP WITH the noise from next door any more.
31) The council are going to demolish that old block of flats.
pulled
That old block of flats IS GOING TO BE PULLED
down.
9
32) I haven’t seen this film before.
time
It’s the first TIME I HAVE SEEN this film.
33) How long was your journey from Barcelona to Valencia?
take
How long DID IT TAKE YOU TO
travel from Barcelona to Valencia?
34) After a long session with her gym instructor Sam was so tired that she
couldn’t eat much.
too
After a long session with her gym instructor Sam was TOO TIRED TO EAT .
35) Doing sentence transformations is not as much fun as listening to native
speakers.
than
Listening to native speakers IS MORE FUN THAN DOING sentence
transformations.
36) Craig began to learn Spanish five years ago.
learning
Craig HAS BEEN LEARNING SPANISH FOR five years.
37) Robert has not had a job for three years.
out
Robert HAS BEEN OUT OF WORK/A JOB for three years.
10
38) ‘Have you read any poems by Pablo Neruda, Craig?’ asked Angela.
read
Angela asked Craig IF/HE HAD READ any poems by Pablo Neruda.
39) The last time I got drunk was eight months ago.
for
I HAVEN’T BEEN DRUNK FOR eight months.
40) Harry is not usually late.
like
It is NOT LIKE HARRY TO BE late.
41) “Why don’t you do some exercise?” said Angela.
doing
Angela SUGGESTED DOING SOME exercise.
42) If you don’t lose weight, you’ll get depressed.
lose
Unless YOU LOSE WEIGHT YOU’LL get depressed.
43) I haven’t tried skiing before.
first
This is THE FIRST TIME I HAVE
tried skiing.
44) The bank has rejected my application for a loan.
turned
My application for a loan HAS BEEN TURNED DOWN BY
the bank.
11
45) The company chairman said that his accountant had stolen the money.
accused
The company chairman ACCUSED HIS ACCOUNTANT OF STEALING the
money.
46) They are too young to be smoking marijuana.
enough
They ARE NOT OLD ENOUGH to be smoking marijuana.
47) Teachers have refused to work for three weeks.
strike
Teachers HAVE BEEN ON STRIKE FOR three weeks.
48) It was wrong of you to offer him money.
Have
You SHOULD NOT HAVE OFFERED him money.
49) I don’t want to spend the weekend with your sister and her two horrible
kids.
rather
I WOULD RATHER NOT SPEND the weekend with your sister and her two
horrible kids.
50) That’s the nicest compliment I’ve ever been given.
such
I’ve NEVER BEEN GIVEN SUCH A nice compliment.
12
INVERSION
Sentence transformations
Finish each sentence so that it is as similar in meaning as possible to the one printed
before it.
1. The minute she left, the meeting broke up.
No sooner ...
No sooner had she left than the meeting broke up.
2. Immediately after solving one problem, I was faced with another.
Hardly …
Hardly had I solved one problem when I was faced with another.
3. The colour of that jacket suits you, and it fits you perfectly.
Not only …
Not only does the colour of that jacket suit you, but it also fits you
perfectly.
4. The minute he set eyes on her, he fell in love.
No sooner ...
No sooner had he/did he set eyes on her than he fell in love.
5. You must remember to pay that bill, whatever you do.
On no account ...
On no account must/should you forget to pay that bill.
13
6. He did not start to feel ill until after the meal.
Only when ...
Only when he had finished the meal/the meal had ended did he start to
feel ill.
7. People are not free from the influence of TV anywhere in the world. Nowhere ...
Nowhere in the world are people free from the influence of TV.
8. There has not been an invention which so radically affected society since the printing
press.
Not since ...
Not since the printing press has there been an invention which so
radically affected society.
9. You rarely find a family without a television set nowadays.
Rarely ...
Rarely do you find a family without a television set these days.
10. Busy parents can seldom resist the temptation to use the TV as a childminder.
Seldom ...
Seldom can busy parents resist the temptation to use the TV as a
childminder.
11. Some claim that TV discourages conversation and also encourages anti-social
behaviour.
Not only ...
Not only does TV discourage conversation, but it also encourages anti14
social behaviour.
12. Researchers have not found a single case of violence that could be directly
linked to a TV programme.
Not a ...
Not a single case of violence have researchers found that could be
directly linked to a TV.
Transform the sentences but keep the same meaning:
1. What he did next really surprised us. taken
We were taken aback by what he did next.
2. We will never forget that experience. an
That was an unforgettable experience.
3. Terry is the shortest member of the team. than
No-one in the team is shorter than Terry.
4. This is the first time anyone has done that. before
Never before has anyone done that.
5. I really wish that I had studied harder. more
If only I had studied more .
6.You will get everything you have ever wanted. come
All your wishes will come true.
7. Everybody thinks that Frank stole the money. of
Everybody suspects Frank of stealing the money.
15
8. Did she say who the dog belonged to? dog
Did she say whose dog it was?
9. They are going to get married next June.
planned
Their marriage is planned for next June.
10. I haven't eaten fish since last Wednesday.
time
The last time I ate fish was last Wednesday.
Rewrite the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first. Use
no more than 5 words.
1 You must never take your helmet off while you are riding a motorcycle.
all
Helmets must be worn at all times when riding a motorcycle.
2 They wanted to apologize for their behavior: that's why they paid for dinner.
order
They paid for dinner in order to apologize for their behavior.
3 It isn't necessary to bring skis as they are included in the package.
have
You don’t have to bring skis as they are included in the package.
16
4 I thought parking was allowed here.
under the impression
I was under the impression that parking was allowed here.
5 Tom said, "I will be playing tennis when you arrive."
he
Tom said he would be playing tennis when I arrived.
6 When I was a child, we would go to the local park every Saturday afternoon.
used
When I was a child, we used to go to the park every Saturday.
7 His daughter continued to cry until he could not be seen any longer.
sight
She continued to cry until he was out of sight.
8 I'm afraid that car is just too expensive.
means
I’m afraid that car is beyond my means.
9 They moved to this suburb in 1997.
lived
They have lived in this suburb since 1997.
17
10 One other thing before I forget - Jack is coming to visit next weekend.
by
By the way , Jack is coming to visit next weekend.
11 They managed to finish the project in time for the presentation.
succeeded
They succeded in finishing the project in time for the presentation.
12 Maurice didn't come to the meeting yesterday. Perhaps he was ill.
might
Maurice might have been ill yesterday.
13 Jane allows her children to stay up to midnight on Saturday evenings.
let
Jane lets her children stay up late on Saturdays.
14 Luckily, Peter wasn't charged with an offense when the police caught him stealing
the first time.
off
Peter was very lucky because he was let off .
15 Can I accompany you to the party?
mind
Do you mind my accompanying you to the party?
18
16 I wish you didn't drive so fast.
only
If only you didn’t drive so fast.
17 I think Tom needs to see a doctor. His cough is terrible.
ought
With that terrible cough, Tom ought to see a doctor.
18 You should feel horrible! Why did you say that to Jack?
shame
Shame on you ! Why did you say that to Jack?
19 The authorities said she wasn't responsible for the accident.
fault
The accident wasn’t her fault.
20 "Why don't you take a holiday?", said Peter.
suggested
Peter suggested I take a holiday.
21 I haven't seen Tom for ages.
since
It's been a long time since I last saw Tom.
19
22 They were still playing tennis after three hours.
been
They had been playing for three hours.
23 He didn't want to join in the celebrations.
take
He didn't want to take part in the celebrations.
24 What a shame he wasn't able to come.
wish
I wish he had been able to come.
25 I took a sweater but it wasn't necessary.
taken
I needn’t have taken a sweater.
26 If you don't know how to spell the word, why don't you check in the dictionary?
up
Why don't you look the word up in the dictionary?
27 Somebody should tell him.
told
He needs to be told by someone.
20
28 The concert was horrible.
time
The concert was a complete waste of time .
29 He couldn't find me at the exhibition.
find
He wasn't able to find me at the exhibition.
30 She let her son go to New York for the weekend.
allowed
She allowed her son to go to New York.
31 I haven't seen her for ages.
time
The last time I saw her was 15 years ago.
32 I didn't understand what he was saying because I hadn't read his book.
would
If I had read his book I would have understood what he was saying.
33 As the class representative I would like to welcome you.
behalf
I'd like to welcome you on behalf of the class.
21
34 They believe the students were educated in Canada.
believed
The students are believed to have been educated in Canada.
35 He escaped using a disguise.
means
He escaped by means of a disguise.
36 Remind me to call Jack.
forget
Don't let me to forget to call Jack.
37 This pasta is a new experience for me.
time
It is the first time I have tried this pasta.
38 She has probably found a new job.
likely
It is likely she has found a new job.
39 I don't agree with prohibiting smoking in bars.
favour
I'm not in favour of prohibiting smoking in bars.
22
40 It doesn't need to be finished this afternoon.
finish
It isn’t necessary to finish this afternoon.
41 Pittsburgh is less exciting than New York.
as
Pittsburgh isn’t as exciting as New York.
42 He couldn't read the inscription because it was too high.
low
The inscription wasn't low enough for him to reach.
43 She didn't accept his marriage proposal.
down
She turned his marriage proposal down.
44 We were told to wait here by the director.
who
It was the director who told us to wait here.
45 Can you look after the kids this afternoon?
of
Can you take care of the kids this afternoon?
23
46 "Why don't you take a day off?" asked Jim.
should
Jim suggested I should take a day off.
47 He acts like a poor man even if he has a lot of money.
fact
Even though he acts like a poor man, he in fact has a lot of money.
48 I didn't mean to break that vase.
on
I didn't break that vase on purpose.
49 Jack says Jenny is responsible.
according
It's Jenny's responsibility according to Jack.
50 I was so bored by his lecture that I left.
boring
His lecture was so boring that I left.
51 I am afraid I'm still having problems with understanding life in New York.
used
I am not used to living in New York.
24
51 I think we need to get a new car.
in
We need to get a new car in my opinion.
52 I'd prefer it if you didn't smoke in here.
mind
Would you mind not smoking in here?
53 Many people were delayed because of the traffic jam.
number
A number of people were delayed by the traffic jam.
54 It was such an interesting novel I stayed up all night to finish it.
so
The novel was so interesting I stayed up all night to finish it.
55 Although he was able to do the job, he wasn't given the position.
despite
Despite his ability to do the job, he wasn't given the position.
56 You should take the train instead of the bus.
were
If I were you , I'd take the train instead of the bus.
25
57 Can you describe him to me?
like
What is he like ?
58 It isn't necessary to buy a first class ticket.
have
You don’t have to buy a first class ticket.
59 I'm sure he was at home last night.
must
He must have been at home last night.
Why the above transformations at all?
The ability to rewrite sentences so that they have the same meaning as the original
is often required for many English ESL EFL Exams such as Cambridge's First
Certificate, CAE and Proficiency. This skill can also help you prepare for the TOEFL
examination (Test of English as a Foreign Language). It is also an important skill
which can help you improve your understanding of similar English expressions and
vocabulary.
26
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!