Châu Quỳnh Giang
Bài 13 : CÁCH BIẾN ĐỔI CÂU
(TRANSFORMATION)
Cách biến đổi câu là cách ta viết lại câu theo một cấu trúc mới (thường được cho trước) mà
không thay đổi nghóa của câu ban đầu.
* Ví dụ 1 : Hãy viết lại câu sau đây :
- He didn’t go to school yesterday because he was ill.
Because of……
Theo ví dụ trên, ta viết lại câu bằng “Because of…” , có nghóa là ta biến mệnh đề “ he was
ill” thành một cụm từ, vì sau “because of” ta phải dùng một cụm từ. Như vậy, câu viết lại có
thể là :
Because of his illness, he didn’t go to school yesterday.
Hoặc Because of being ill, he didn’t go to school yesterday.
Hoặc
Because of his being ill, he didn’t go to school yesterday.
* Ví dụ 2 : Hãy viết lại câu sau đây :
- They built that house a century ago.
That house……
Theo ví dụ trên, câu viết lại bắt đầu bằng “That house” – một túc từ – có nghóa là ta viết lại
câu này ở dạng bò động (passive voice). Như vậy, câu viết lại như sau :
That house was built a century ago.
* Ví dụ 3 : Hãy viết lại câu sau đây :
- He didn’t go out because he didn’t have time.
If……
Theo ví dụ trên, câu viết lại bắt đầu bằng “If”, có nghóa là ta viết lại câu này thành câu điều
kiện không có thật ở quá khứ (loại 3) vì thì của động từ ở quá khứ. Câu viết lại như sau :
If he had had time, he would have gone out.
* Ví dụ 4 : Hãy viết lại câu sau đây :
- The last time I saw her was five years ago.
I haven’t…………
Theo ví dụ trên, câu viết lại sẽ ở thì hiện tại hoàn thành vì câu bắt đầu bằng “I haven’t……”
I haven’t seen her for five years.
(ago không được dùng ở thì hiện tại hoàn thành, nên ta dùng for để thay thế.)
* Ví dụ 5 : Hãy viết lại câu sau đây :
- His house is bigger than mine.
My house isn’t………
Theo ví dụ trên, câu viết lại sẽ chuyển thành dạng so sánh bằng ở thể phủ đònh.
My house isn’t as big as his.
1
Châu Quỳnh Giang
Hay My house isn’t so big as his (house).
EXERCISE I: Rewrite the following sentences without changing their meanings:
1/ His father is taller than his mother.
- His mother is not _______________________________________
2/ Tom didn’t come to the party. Ann didn’t come to the party, either.
- Neither Tom _______________________________________
3/ Although the traffic was bad, I arrived on time.
- In spite of _________________________________________
4/ If you have a car, you are able to travel around more easily.
- Having a car enables __________________________________
5/ The sudden noise caused me to jump.
- The sudden noise made _________________________________
6/ My father said I could use his car.
- My father allowed ______________________________________
7/ She wouldn’t allow me to read the letter.
- She wouldn’t let _______________________________________
8/ Tom is ill. He became ill three days ago.
- Tom has _____________________________________________
9/ I can’t give up smoking, but I’d like to.
- I wish________________________________________________
10/ She often writes to him and he often writes to her.
- They ________________________________________________
11/ If you don’t hurry, you’ll be late.
- Unless _______________________________________________
12/ Jane is a better cook than Mary.
- Mary can’t ____________________________________________
13/ Jack is too young to get married.
- Jack is not _____________________________________________
14/ I don’t really want to go to the museum.
- I’d rather ______________________________________________
2
Châu Quỳnh Giang
15/ Despite taking a taxi, Bill arrived late for the concert.
- Although ______________________________________________
16/ She made herself ill because she worked very hard.
- She worked so __________________________________________
17/ The book was so good that I couldn’t put it down.
- It was such _____________________________________________
18/ Nobody can solve this problem.
- This problem ___________________________________________
19/ The man injured in the accident was taken to the hospital.
- The man who ___________________________________________
20/ That girl is very beautiful.
- What __________________________________________________
21/ Bill is not old enough to drive a car.
- Bill is too _______________________________________________
22/ His house is not as comfortable as hers.
- Her house is _____________________________________________
23/ It is said that he is 108 years old.
- He is said ________________________________________________
24/ Tom said : “I’m feeling ill.”
- Tom said that _____________________________________________
25/ I got all the information I need from Tom.
- Tom provided _____________________________________________
26/ Ann said to Bill : “Don’t forget to have your appoinment with Mr.Brown.”
- Ann reminded _____________________________________________
27/ They don’t understand him because he doesn’t speak clearly.
- If _______________________________________________________
28/ She didn’t buy the coat because she didn’t have enough money.
- If _______________________________________________________
29/ She was very stupid when she went out in the rain.
- It was ____________________________________________________
3
Châu Quỳnh Giang
30/ I am always nervous when I travel by air.
- Travelling by air _____________________________________________
31/ The last time I saw her was in 1985.
- I haven’t ___________________________________________________
32/ That meal was excellent.
- How ______________________________________________________
33/ That factory is producing more and more pollution.
- More and more pollution ______________________________________
34/ We must leave now or we’ll miss the train.
- If _________________________________________________________
35/ She is a faster and more careless driver than I am.
- She drives __________________________________________________
36/ How old do you think this building is ?
- When do you think ___________________________________________
37/ He is sorry now that he didn’t invite Jane to his party.
- He wishes __________________________________________________
38/ This furniture is so old that it is not worth keeping.
- This is _____________________________________________________
39/ We spent five hours getting to London.
- It _________________________________________________________
40/ When I arrived in London, I wrote a letter home.
- On ________________________________________________________
41/ I hope to see you at Christmas.
- I’m looking forward ___________________________________________
42/ I’ve never seen such a mess in my life.
- Never in my life ______________________________________________
43/ Don’t try to escape. It’s no use.
- It’s no use __________________________________________________
44/ It won’t be difficult to get a ticket for the concert.
- You won’t have any __________________________________________
4
Châu Quỳnh Giang
45/ Whose is this handbag ?
- Who _______________________________________________________
EXERCISE II : Rewrite these sentences as directed :
1. The number of discontented young men is increasing considerably. The reason for
situation is that they haven’t been given vocational guidance at home or in the school.
(Combine these two sentences, using “The reason why... ”)
2. He doesn’t speak much English. Only _________ words.
(Use an adjective of quantity).
3. Adolescents haven’t been give vocational guidance at home or in the school.
(change to the Active voice).
4. Most school leavers are badly prepared for employment. They know very little about their
future work.
(Use “so ..... that” to combine them).
5. Seldom did people travel far from home years ago.
(Use the ordinary word order).
6. My brother is a factory worker. He talked with you yesterday.
(Combine into one sentence).
7. That scientific discovery was so important that it has affected every man’s way of life ever
since.
(Use “such” instead of “so”).
8. She asked him, “Do you like your job ?”.
(Write in the Reported speech).
9. The students have suggested that they should be given more employment guidance.
(Use Gerund as Object).
10. He was given a gift. So were you.
(Join into one sentence, using “as well as”).
11. My sister has already got married. So has my brother.
(Join into one sentence, using “both ... and”).
12. I don’t have any interesting book. I can’t lend you any.
(Reduce into one sentence, using an infinitive instead of a clause).
13. They desire to have good jobs.
(Use a noun instead of verb “desire”).
14. What you (do) if you had attended the meeting ?
(Supply the correct verb form).
15. Mr. Nam is an experienced doctor. He saved my brother from death.
(Combine into one sentence, using Relative pronoun).
EXERCISE III: Rewrite these sentences as directed :
1. Because of his love for teaching, David would continue his teaching career.
(Use “because” instead of “because of”)
2. Upon completion of his apprenticeship at the construction company, he worked for a small
garage to get more experience.
5