SENTENCE TRANSFORMATION

SENTENCE TRANSFORMATION

Exercise 1: Finish each of the following sentences in such a way that it means the same
as the sentence printed before it. Write your answers on your answer sheet.
1. He can speak four languages but he can’t even find a job.
 Despite _____________________________
2. I was astonished by her confidence.
 What ___________________________________
3. Someone told me my flight was cancelled when I got to the airport.
 Arriving ____________________________
4. Whoever did that must have been a very brave person.
 Only
5. I’m sure you were driving too fast.
 You must_______________________________
6. It was overeating that caused his heart attack.
 It was_______________________________
 If _____________________________________
7. The storm completely wiped out all my crops.
 I had __________________________________
8. The fire led to the setting up of a public enquiry.
 As a___________________________________
9. Vitamin intake and intelligence are not connected.
 There _______________________________
10. The journalists only heard about the changes to the wedding plans when they arrived at the

venue.
 Only __________________________________________
 Not until________________________________________
Exercise 2: Finish each of the following sentences in such a way that it means the same
as the sentence printed before it. Write your answers on your answer sheet.
1. My boyfriend is very short-tempered.

 My boy friend _______________________________________________
2. “It’s your fault the cat died, George,” said Lucy.
 Lucy blamed _______________________________________________
3. The designers have made a dress for Candy’s party.
 Candy _______________________________________________
4. Fares will be very likely to go up again.
 It looks _______________________________________________
5. Do you think Sally will be able to come to us for Christmas?
 Is there_______________________________________________
6. Those questions can’t be answered satisfactorily.


 There _______________________________________________
7. I haven’t been able to see them for over a year.
 It is _______________________________________________
 The last time _______________________________________________
8. “Why don’t you buy them this picture as a wedding present, Sarah?” asked Robin.
 Robin suggested _______________________________________________
9. The secretary didn’t reply me for 10 days.
 No rely _______________________________________________
10. My protests were ignored by everybody.
 Nobody _______________________________________________

Exercise 3: Finish each of the following sentences in such a way that it means the same
as the sentence printed before it. Write your answers on your answer sheet.
1. Kate is the only real friend that Dilly has.
 Except _______________________________________________
2. Rita doesn’t realize how serious her husband’s operation is going to be.
 Little _______________________________________________
3. He decided to repair the thing himself and not to take it back to the shop.

 Rather _______________________________________________
4. Offering her more money wouldn’t make any difference.
 Even if _______________________________________________
5. Driving at that speed is dangerous, whether you’re an experienced driver or not.
 However _______________________________________________
6. It’s such a wonderful opportunity that we mustn’t miss it.
 The opportunity was _______________________________________________
 So _____________________________________________________
 It was too _______________________________________________
 The opportunity wasn’t _______________________________________________
 If __________________________________________________________
7. I couldn’t understand him even though I listened very carefully.
 Despite _________________________________________________
 No matter _______________________________________________
 However _______________________________________________
8. Doris thought the woman in front of her was her sister-in-law.
 Doris took_______________________________________________
9. There’s no point in asking George to help.
 It isn’t _______________________________________________
10. I’m sure it wasn’t Miss Elton you saw because she was in Bristol.
 It can’t _______________________________________________

Exercise 4: Finish each of the following sentences in such a way that it means the same
as the sentence printed before it. Write your answers on your answer sheet.
1. Their chances of success are small.
 It isn’t very _______________________________________________


2. We left quietly so that we couldn’t disturb her.
 So as _______________________________________________

3. If the work is finished by lunchtime, you can do home.
 Get _____________________________________________
4. I didn’t realize who he was until later.
 Only after____________________________________________
5. The fate of the two climbers is unknown.
 It’s a mystery what_____________________________________________
6. It was such a pity that I didn’t go to the party.
 I’d like _____________________________________________
7. The workers only called off the strike after a new pay offer.
 Only after_____________________________________________
8. Everyone started complaining the moment the announcement was made.
 No sooner _____________________________________________
9. As he rose to speak, the crowd began cheering.
 The cheering _____________________________________________
10. Although her leg was hurt, Mary finished the marathon race.
 In _____________________________________________

Exercise 5: Finish each of the following sentences in such a way that it means the
same as the sentence printed before it. Write your answers on your answer sheet.
1. The salesman told me that my new bicycle would be delivered next Wednesday.
 According _____________________________________________
2. We couldn’t manage without my father’s money.
 If it _____________________________________________
3. Keeping calm is the secret of passing your driving test.
 As long as_____________________________________________
4. If you missed the program, you can’t really judge.
 Unless_____________________________________________
5. While I strongly disapprove of your behavior, I will help you this time.
 Despite _____________________________________________
6. Is it essential to meet your aunt at the station?

 Does your aunt_____________________________________________
7. It won’t make any difference if it rains because we’ll still go.
 We will still go _____________________________________________
8. Don’t you wish you could get out more in the evening?
 Don’t you get fed_____________________________________________
9. It’s nobody’s fault that the meeting was cancelled.
 Nobody _____________________________________________
10. I’m sure it wasn’t Mary’s fault.
 It can’t _____________________________________________

Exercise 6: Finish each of the following sentences in such a way that it means the
same as the sentence printed before it. Write your answers on your answer sheet.


1. I’ve never met a more dependable person than Tom.
 Tom is _____________________________________________
2. People say that he has been all over the world.
 He is _____________________________________________
3. I’m sorry that I didn’t finish my homework last night.
 I now wish _____________________________________________
4. You needn’t make an appointment to see the bank manager.
 There is _____________________________________________
5. It is years since we decorated this room.
 We haven’t_____________________________________________
 The last time _____________________________________________
6. He couldn’t afford to buy the car.
 The car_____________________________________________
7. Carol finds it easy to make friends.
 Carol has no_____________________________________________
 It’s ____________________________________________________

8. How long have Catherine and Henry been engaged?
 When _____________________________________________
9. I didn’t let him know what I was thinking.
 He _____________________________________________
10. I thought that Martin’s last novel was more interesting.
 Martin’s last novel_____________________________________________
 It’s _____________________________________________

Exercise 7: Finish each of the following sentences in such a way that it means the
same as the sentence printed before it. Write your answers on your answer sheet.
1. The weather is probably not going to change.
 _____________________________________________

2. When he returned from abroad recently, he was quite surprised by the fact that his home
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3.
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4.
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5.
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6.
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city had changed a lot.
On _____________________________________________
Michael laughed when I told him the joke.

The joke _____________________________________________
There were more people out of work in that country than ever before.
Never _____________________________________________
“If Brian doesn’t train harder, I won’t select him for the team,” said the manager.
The manager threatened _____________________________________________
John and Mary moved to London twenty years ago.
It is _____________________________________________
For further information, please send a self-addressed envelope to the above address.
Further information can _____________________________________________
The students regretted that they had missed the lecture.


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9.
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10.
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The students regretted not___________________________________________
It was only when I left home that I realized how much my father meant to me.
Not until ___________________________________________
We must think about ways of improving the transport system.
Thought must___________________________________________

Exercise 8: Finish each of the following sentences in such a way that it means the
same as the sentence printed before it. Write your answers on your answer sheet.
1.
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2.
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3.
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4.
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5.
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10.
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I know this reporter’s background well and he is absolutely honest.
This reporter, ___________________________________________
The management didn’t act soon enough to prevent the strike.
The management acted too___________________________________________
Had the management__________________________________________
So __________________________________________________
We were very impressed by the new cinema but found it rather expensive.
Impressed as ___________________________________________
No matter ___________________________________________

It’s more than a fortnight since anyone saw Julian.
Julian ___________________________________________
He delayed writing the book until he had done a lot of research.
It wasn’t until___________________________________________
Not until___________________________________________
She listens more sympathetically than anyone else I know.
She is a ___________________________________________
I can’t believe that the rates are going to remain at the same level this year.
I find it ___________________________________________
The only reason the party was a success was that a famous film star attended.
Had it not _______________________________________________
I had had no experience of skiing but I quickly picked it up.
Despite ______________________________________________
They recommended opening new factories in the depressed area.
They recommended that

Exercise 9: Finish each of the following sentences in such a way that it means the
same as the sentence printed before it. Write your answers on your answer sheet.
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Because there was late for frost, much of the fruit crop was spoiled.
A frost which___________________________________________

It was two years ago at the end of this week that I started working here.
At the end _________________________________________________
He knows nearly everything about whales.
There is ___________________________________________
If I don’t believe in it, you’ll never be able to do it.
Believe ___________________________________________
The Pacific Ocean is on average deeper than the Atlantic.


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6.
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7.
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8.
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9.
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10.
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The average ___________________________________________
It was pure chance that a policeman was passing as I was attacked.
Only by ______________________________________________
Melissa’s father was very busy, but he still played with her.
Although __________________________________________
No matter ___________________________________________
Busy ___________________________________________

When is the council going to do about the city’s traffic problem?
It’s high time something ___________________________________________
Apart from Philip, everyone else at the meeting was a party member.
With the exception ___________________________________________
The students regretted that they had missed the lecture.
The students regretted not_______________________________________

Exercise 10: Finish each of the following sentences in such a way that it means the
same as the sentence printed before it. Write your answers on your answer sheet.
1.
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2.
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3.
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4.
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5.
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6.
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9.
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10.
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Alan worked too hard at the office, and this led to his illness.
Alan worked_______________________________________
Alan’s illness_______________________________________
The northwest of Britain has more rain each year than the southwest.
The annual rainfall_______________________________________
The passengers don’t realize how lucky they have been.
Little _______________________________________
Our hotel booking hasn’t been confirmed.
We haven’t received _______________________________________
You’re asking these questions because you didn’t listen to what I told you earlier.
If you ____________________________________________
Had _______________________________________
I think you should buy a new pair of shoes and get rid of those trainers.
It’s time for _______________________________________
It’s high time _______________________________________
The only way you can become a good athlete is by training hard every day.
Only by_______________________________________
Attendance at the exhibition has been down this year.
The exhibition_______________________________________
You didn’t attend yesterday’s class so you can’t do this exercise now.
Had you_____________________________________________
I’d do anything to be able to travel to the United States.
There’s ___________________________________________________

Exercise 11: Finish each of the following sentences in such a way that it means the
same as the sentence printed before it. Write your answers on your answer sheet.
1. Experts think that all dogs evolved from wolves.

 All dogs___________________________________________


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2.
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It ___________________________________________
There weren’t nearly as many people there as I had expected.
There were far________________________________________
Physics explains why water freezes and how the sun produces heat.
Not only ________________________________________
If it hadn’t been for the storm, we would have arrived much earlier.
Had ________________________________________
But for________________________________________
Because of ________________________________________
The university didn’t prepare to consider his application due to his lack of right
qualification.
Because ________________________________________
Had ______________________________________________
Since she couldn’t get through to the police, she ran next door for help.
Not being ________________________________________
Had ____________________________________________
You aren’t allowed to leave until you finished your work.
Not until________________________________________
You can ________________________________________
Without this treatment, the patient would have died.
If the patient________________________________________
Had ________________________________________
The noise next door didn’t stop until after midnight.
It was not until________________________________________
Not until________________________________________
It’s a pity my sister didn’t insure her car.
My sister________________________________________

Exercise 12: Finish each of the following sentences in such a way that it means the
same as the sentence printed before it. Write your answers on your answer sheet.

1.
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2.
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3.
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4.
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5.
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6.
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7.

Because he has behaved badly, he must be punished.
Because of ________________________________________
Having ________________________________________
If ________________________________________
I think that the president will arrive soon.
The president ________________________________________
It is reported that many passengers died in the crash.
Many passengers ________________________________________
It is expected that the prices will rise again this month.
The prices________________________________________
You can leave only when I tell you.
Until ________________________________________
I went to the zoo last year and that is where I saw a real tiger for the first time.
Before ________________________________________

The controller never looked away from the screen.



8.
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9.
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10.
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At no time________________________________________
In my opinion, he is the best pianist in the whole company.
In my opinion, there is________________________________________
You have little realization of how much I have done for you.
Little ________________________________________
If I don’t want to save your eyesight, we must operate immediately.
Only by________________________________________

Exercise 13: Finish each of the following sentences in such a way that it means the
same as the sentence printed before it. Write your answers on your answer sheet.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

10.

It seems as if there is a slight deterioration in his physical condition.
I would love to be rich and famous.
I won’t agree until Tom has apologized.
We regret to inform you that your application hasn’t been successful.
Sally is much disorganized so she has no chance of getting that secretarial job.
It seems that no one predicted the correct result.
Mrs. Wilson says she is sorry she didn’t attend the meeting yesterday morning.
Unless she’s really hungry, she never eats snacks between meals.
I can’t believe that she was the winner.
He must pass his English examination, which is obligatory.

Exercise 14: Finish each of the following sentences in such a way that it means the
same as the sentence printed before it. Write your answers on your answer sheet.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Not until the child was found did the police believe her.
She never seems to succeed even though she studies much.
My French friend finds driving on the left difficult.
Betty is very happy to look after handicapped people.

Wining the football pools meant we could buy a new car.
John is devoted to his work
Nobody at all came to the meeting.
“How long have you worked here”, he asked.
“Why don’t you get your hair cut, Gavin”, said Alan.
The film star wore dark glasses so that nobody would recognize him.