First Certificate Examination of English

Key Word Sentence Transformations

Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first. Do not
change the key word. You must use between two and five words.

1) He didn't make any mistakes in the exam.

AVOIDED
He __________________________________________ mistakes in the exam.
2) We haven't been to my parents for a long time.
WENT
It's been a long time _________________________________________ my parents.
3) Your jacket is like mine.
SIMILAR
Your jacket _________________________________________________ mine.
4) I advise you to see a doctor immediately.
BETTER
You ___________________________________ a doctor immediately.
5) It wasn't easy for Susan to find a place to live in London.
DIFFICULTY
Susan _____________________________________________ a place to live in London.
6) I can't wait to go on holiday with you.
FORWARD
I'm ______________________________________________________ on holiday with you.
7) May I use the computer?
COULD
I wonder _____________________________________________ use the computer.
8) Nobody helped me decorate the house.
BY

I decorated the house _____________________________________.

9) Despite leaving home early, we missed the train.
ALTHOUGH
We missed the train ________________________________________ home early.
10)

I'm sure Janet wasn't asleep because I could hear her talking.
BEEN

Janet ______________________________________________ because I could hear her talking.

11)

We planned to visit John but we didn't have time.

WERE

We____________________________________________ John but we didn't have time.

12)

You can't play football here.

ARE

You _____________________________________ football here.

13)

Perhaps you left your mobile at home.

COULD
You _____________________________ your mobile at home.
14)

My girlfriend forced me to see a romantic film.

MADE

My girlfriend _________________________ a romantic film.

15)

Alberto really wants to go to London for his holidays.

KEEN

Alberto _________________________ to London for his holidays.

16)

Your house needs to be decorated.

HAVE

You _______________________________ decorated.

17)

They failed to reach a decision.

SUCCEED
They ______________________________ a decision.
18)

I'd prefer you to come for dinner later.

RATHER

I _____________________________________ for dinner later.

19)

That chair is so uncomfortable that nobody sits in it.

SUCH

That ____________________________________ that nobody sits in it.

20)

They last spoke two days ago.

HAVE

They ___________________________ two days.

21)

Paul got up early because he wanted to be at work by 7.00 am.

ORDER

Paul got up early _____________________ at work by 7.00 am.

22)

I'm sure Tony knew about the wedding.

KNOWN

Tony ______________________________ about the wedding.

23)

Carol has worked the same number of years as Robert.

MANY

Carol has worked ___________________________ Robert.

24)

The teacher didn't speak slowly enough for the students.

TOO

The teacher _______________________________ for the students.

25)

When was this film made?

AGO

How ______________________________ made?

26)

He wore a scarf because he didn't want to get cold.

AS

He wore a scarf _____________________________ to get cold.

27)

I hadn't had sushi before.

FIRST

It was the ___________________________ sushi.

28)

When we were teenagers, we went to the cinema every Saturday.

WOULD

When we were teenagers, we _____________________________ the cinema every Saturday.

29)

My mom never stops criticizing my clothes.

ALWAYS

My mum ____________________________ my clothes.

30)

The train leaves at 5.00 pm.

DUE

The train ______________________________ at 5.00 pm.

31)

Adam is accustomed to working late.

USED

Adam ______________________________ late.

32)

How much luggage do you have?

MANY

How ____________________ do you have?

33)

Let's stay in and watch TV tonight.

STAYING

What _______________________________ TV tonight.

34)

I'm sure she told you a lie.

HAVE

She ____________________________ a lie.

35)

There wasn't much I could do to help.

LITTLE
There ____________________________ to help.
36)

I won't tolerate your attitude any more.

PUT

I won't __________________________ your attitude any more.

37)

The crime rate has fallen dramatically.

DRAMATIC
There has __________________________________ the crime rate.

38)

"I'm sorry I forgot your birthday," said Brian.

APOLOGIZED
Brian _________________________________ birthday.
39)

We had a good time at the party.

OURSELVES

We __________________________________ the party.

40)

Sarah could swim very well from an early age.

ABLE

Sarah ________________________ very well from an early age.

41)

John is like his dad.

AFTER
John ______________________ his dad.
42)

The boss gave us a bonus.

WERE

We ______________________________________ the boss.

43)

Julia regrets shouting at her boyfriend.

SHOUTED

Julia __________________________________ at her boyfriend.

44)

I'm afraid there's no milk left.

OUT

I'm afraid we ______________________________ milk.

45)

Owen's job is better than Ron's.

GOOD
Ron's job __________________________ Owen's.
46)

Do want to go out?
FEEL

Do ____________________________ out?
47)

I think my boss should reach a decision today.

MIND

I think my boss should ______________________ today.

48)

I go nowhere without my mobile.

NOT

I ___________________________________ without my mobile

49)

We ate breakfast and then left.

AFTER
We left ____________________________________ breakfast.
50)

It was wrong of John to be so rude.

OUGHT

John _____________________________ so rude.

Word Formation

Complete the sentence or question with the correct form of the word in CAPITALS.

1) Can I make a ____________ about this?

SUGGEST
2) I wouldn't have a friend who was _________.
HONEST
3) Okay, shall we make a ________ now?
CHOOSE
4) If you want to make some _________ to your house, you need to find a good builder.
IMPROVE
5) Don't you think that this option would be a great _______________?
SUCCEED

6) Many _____________ visit my part of Spain as it's a particularly beautiful area.

TOUR
7) I think that this option would be ______________ to many teenagers.
ATTRACT
8) If there is a local airport, it's easy to catch _______ to different places.
FLY
9) The only problem about Barcelona in the summer is the _________.
HOT
10)

The older people might need some ________ with their suitcases.
ASSIST

11)

This option can be _________ implemented.

EASY

12)

I would describe my sister as being very ________.

ENERGY

13)

I want to improve my ____________ of foreign languages.

KNOW

14)

The __________ of the tourist industry is very important in my country.

GROW

15)

You wouldn't get the _________ of many people with this option.
APPROVE

16)

Sometimes certain parts of Barcelona can be quite _______.

NOISE

17)

Pollution is generally considered to be a ________ problem.

WORLD

18)

I don't follow a diet but I do make sure I eat fruit and vegetables _______.
DAY

19)

There are many __________ advances which make it easier to study.

TECHNOLOGY

20)

I don't like _________ people as I think they are rude.

HELP

21)

Another major ____________ would be the lack of appropriate facilities.

ADVANTAGE

22)

It's _________ more expensive to take part in this sport.

CONSIDER

23)

I _________ going to parties as I consider myself to be rather shy.

LIKE

24)

There will be fewer ________ if we work together.

DIFFICULT

25)

Many shoppers expressed a ___________ for the cheaper alternative.

PREFER

26)

I think it's important for people to have a relaxing, _______ holiday.

ENJOY

27)

There is an ________ museum dedicated to Dali in Figueras.

ORDINARY

28)

If I do not receive a ________ response I shall take the matter further.

SATISFY

29)

I am sure you must have received other _______ about your service.
COMPLAIN

30)

I interviewed a large number of TV _________ to gather the necessary information.

VIEW

31)

He thinks children these days have too much _______.

FREE

32)

The storm caused _______ chaos.

BELIEVE

33)

One of Barcelona's greatest ________ is the fact that it is so easy to get around.
STRONG

34)

Which idea do you think will be the most ________?

USE

35)

There is a plan to _______ the main road in our city.

WIDE

36)

He's very ill, but his condition isn't ______.

HOPE

37)

Many film directors use various _______ to shoot films here.

LOCATE

38)

Many people believe that a ________ solution will be found.

SCIENCE

39)

_________, nobody was killed in the accident.

FORTUNE
40)

He's a very ______ person. He's full of energy

LIVE

41)

When you work at a nuclear power plant, you have to be extremely _______.
CARE

42)

Paul is a very hard-working, _______ person.

AMBITION
43)

My house is within walking ______ of my office.

DISTANT

44)

There's a lot of beautiful _______ around Barcelona.

COUNTRY
45)

It was a ______ to meet you.

PLEASE
46)

Jane displayed ______ potential.

LEAD

47)

Ed wasn't able to find a ______ to his problems.

SOLVE

48)

High levels of stress are considered to be _______ to your health.

HARM

49)

When you've got a cold it's difficult to _______ through your nose.
BREATH

50)

Rachel fell off her bike but managed to escape without serious ______.
INJURE

Gap-Fill Exercise

From New York To Los Angeles In a Yellow Cab!

Two New Yorkers ________________ accomplished a challenge that most people would have
considered impossible convince a Yellow Cab driver to take ________________ cross-country
from the Big Apple to Los Angeles.
____________________ trip started as a crazy idea that New Jersey resident John Belitsky,
____________________ up with at his pal, Dan Wuebben's birthday party. After convincing Dan to
go along with ____________________ on the approximately 3,000-mile bi-coastal trip, they
started looking ____________________ a yellow cab driver, crazy enough to agree to
____________________.
While this may sound easy, in a city ____________________ drivers refuse to go from Brookyln to
Queens, this was an enormous task. In fact John's father, a retired cab driver was convinced
that ____________________ would agree John of course took that as a challenge!
After being turned ____________________ by a number of cab drivers the two met Mohammed
Alam, an immigrant from Bangladesh at La Guardia Airport, who was intrigued by the idea. In
fact, he agreed to do it for ____________________ $5,000, a big discount on the $17,000 it would
have cost had the meter ____________________ running.

Blooming Flowers

Last weekend, thousands of people in two different ____________________ of the world

witnessed the same historic event. The opening of the Titan Arum, commonly known
____________________ the 'Corpse' flower, thanks to its strong smell that is like rotting meat.

The

almost

simultaneous

bloomings

that

occurred

in

Switzerland

and

Ohio,

____________________ also watched by thousands of people all ____________________ the world,

thanks to the live webcams that recorded every second of the historic events.
The reason for all this excitement is that this endangered exotic-looking flower, opens only
every ten years and the one in Switzerland took even longer, blooming after 75 years.
____________________, when it does open the stench it lets out is ____________________ bad, that
is has earned the title of the 'World's Stinkiest Flower'. Luckily, it stays in bloom
____________________ only about two to three days.
As with every thing in nature, there is a good reason for the strong smell. It's meant to attract
insects in to help pollination. Flies, beetles and wasps, ____________________ attracted to the
stench and crawl into the flower. Once inside, they get trapped to the sticky pollen. As
____________________ as that happens the flowers dies, allowing the insects to escape with the
pollen stuck onto their bodies.

Dog Saves Owner by Calling 911

A Scottish man is alive today, thanks to a phone call made to 999 ____________________ his 18month old German shepherd, Buddy. It all happened last Wednesday, when Joe Stalnaker,
____________________ lives alone, collapsed. In a few seconds, Buddy dialed 999 and barked
into the phone in response to the emergency operator's query about the caller needing
assistance.
____________________ the police arrived, they found Buddy barking loudly next to Joe, who
____________________ had a seizure. After spending two days ____________________ hospital, Joe
is back home recuperating.
While Buddy is a ____________________ smart dog, he has also ____________________ trained to do
this ____________________ he was 8-weeks old. Joe adopted him from Paws with a Cause,
____________________ helped train Buddy to pick up the phone and dial 999. The phone is
specially programmed ____________________ that Buddy's teeth hit the buttons necessary to
make contact with the operator.

Experience the World of Willy Wonka, Beijing Style!

Starting today visitors to Beijing, China will ____________________ allowed to enter a magical
world emitting the sweet smell of chocolate. Welcome to Beijing's Chocolate Wonderland.
Exquisite Chinese sculptures and artifacts ____________________ been carved from 80 metric
tons of chocolate imported ____________________ Belgium. Also made from pure chocolate is a
10-meter replica of the Great Wall of China, life-like albeit brown, waterfalls, cars,
motorcycles, traditional Chinese costumes, Ming replica vases ____________________ even
famous paintings!
Visitors will not only be treated to demonstrations from chocolate makers, but will also be able
to ____________________ their own chocolate designs. There will also ____________________ an
exhibition of chocolate and candies from all ____________________ the world and of course, lots
and lots of tasters!
The park ____________________ created to promote chocolate to the people of China,
____________________ are not as crazy about the chocolate ____________________ some of us are.

Argyll Girl's School Lunch Blog NeverSeconds is Web Hit

A nine year _________________ girl's blog showing photos of her school dinners _________________
become an unexpected internet hit! Martha from Argyll, Scotland, began posting her lunch
pics this week. She _________________ now had more than 100,000 visitors and press attention
_________________ across the world.
The first picture ____________________ her daily 2 lunch featured a pizza slice, a croquette,
sweetcorn and a cupcake. Martha wrote: "I'm a growing kid and I need ____________________
concentrate all afternoon and I can't do it on one croquette. Do any of you think you
____________________?"
But Martha never set ____________________ to be a healthy food campaigner her
NeverSeconds blog started ____________________ a writing project with her dad Dave. They
decided on school dinners ____________________ it was a subject she could write about every

day. She gives each meal a 'food-o-meter' and health rating. She also counts the number of
mouthfuls it takes for her to eat!
As ____________________ as improving her writing, Martha revealed: "The good thing about this
blog is dad understands ____________________ I am hungry when I get home."

Message in a Bottle Receives a Reply after 24 Years

13-year old Daniil Korotkikh was walking along the Curonian Spit, a 60-mile stretch of sand
that separates the Curonian Lagoon ____________________ the Baltic Sea, when he spotted
something sparkling in the sand. The curious boy went to check it ____________________, and
discovered what appeared ____________________ be an old German beer bottle sealed with a
cork, inside which, was a rolled up letter.
The excited Russian boy took the bottle to ____________________ father, who carefully extracted
the rolled up note that had ____________________ placed inside a plastic bag. As luck would
have it, Daniil's father was conversant in the German language and could translate the note
which read as follows: 'My name is Frank, and I'm five years old. My dad and I are travelling
on a ship to Denmark. If you find this letter, please write back to ____________________, and I
will write back to you.'
While Frank had included his address in the letter, it ____________________ been written in 1987,
which meant, that was little chance of him still being there. However, Daniil decided to write.
It turned out that while the now 29-year old Frank has moved, his parents still live at the same
place in Coesfeld, Russia. In fact, it had been Frank's father who had written the note for the
five-year old, something he remembered quite clearly. Frank and Daniil have since 'met' each
____________________, through video conferencing and plan to keep in ____________________
regularly in the future.