FERNVALE PRIMARY SCHOOL

PRIMARY 5
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
SYNTHESIS AND TRANSFORMATION

Connectors of Number – as well as, together with, both… and, both, either… or &
neither… nor

Name: _____________________________ ( )

Class: Integrity _________ Date: ___________________

Notes

1. As Well As
As well as is used to join two words or phrases. We do not need to repeat the
common subject.

Examples
i. I am good at English. I am good at French too.
I am good at English as well as French.

The word 'too' is left out in the combined sentence.

ii. Both sailing and water skiing are sea sports.

Sailing, as well as water skiing, is a sea sport.

a. For subject-verb agreement, 'are' is changed to 'is'.

b. The words 'both' and 'and' are left out in the transformed sentence.

2. Together With
Together with is used only to join nouns or noun phrases.

Examples
i. An adult was walking to the garden. Two children were walking to the
garden as well.
An adult, together with two children, was walking to the garden.

ii. May and Joe are taking part in the competition. Pete is also taking part in
the competition.
Together with May and Joe, Pete is taking part in the competition.

The words 'as well' and' also' are left out in the combined sentences.

Synthesis & Transformation Term 1 1

3. Both...And
a. Both...and is used to link two words, phrases or sentences.
b. Make sure that the subject and the verb agree in the combined sentence.

Examples
i. Malik is a great leader. Malik is also a wonderful father.
Malik is both a great leader and a wonderful father.

ii. Nellie wants to learn Malay. Jimmy wants to learn Malay too.
Both Nellie and Jimmy want to learn Malay.

For subject-verb agreement, 'wants' is changed to 'want'.

3. Both
Both is sometimes used without ‘and’.

Examples
i. He likes to play the piano. She likes to play the piano as well.
Both of them like to play the piano.
For subject-verb agreement, 'likes' is changed to 'like'.

ii. This girl is pretending to be a tree. That girl is pretending to be a tree too.
Both girls are pretending to be trees.

1. For subject-verb agreement, 'is' is changed to 'are'.

2. For number agreement, 'girl' is changed to 'girls' and 'tree' is changed to 'trees'.

4. Either...Or

a. Either...or is used to express two choices.

b. When using either...or,
- put the common words before either,
- express the two choices using similar structures.

Examples

i. You can take the MRT. If you do not want to, you can take the bus.
You can take either the MRT or the bus.

ii. The children can run around. If they prefer, they can climb that tree.
 The children can either run around or climb that tree.
 The children either can run around or climb that tree.

Synthesis & Transformation Term 1 2

5. Neither...Nor
a. Neither...nor is used to express two choices negatively.

b. Since neither already has a negative meaning, words with negative

meanings such as 'not, 'refuses' or 'does not' are left out.

Examples
i. Sue does not want the green sweater. She does not want the blue T-shirt.
Sue wants neither the green sweater nor the blue T-shirt.

ii. Rosie and Sharon could not swim when they were young.
Neither Rosie nor Sharon could swim when they were young.

c. Make sure that the verb agrees with the subject closest to it. This rule also
applies to either...or.

Examples

i. Michelle and Steve do not like drawing.

Neither Michelle nor Steve likes drawing.

Remember to use the singular verb 'likes' because it is closest to the singular
subject, 'Steve'.

ii. Ken and his friends were not feeling well.

Neither Ken nor his friends were feeling well.

Remember to use the plural verb 'were' because it is closest to the plural subject 'his
friends'.

d. If the verb has a negative meaning, replace the verb with an antonym
(a word with an opposite meaning).

Examples
i. The twins and Kenny hate durians.
Neither the twins nor Kenny likes durians.

1. The word 'hate' is replaced with its antonym 'likes'.

2.For subject-verb agreement, the singular verb 'likes' is used after the singular
subject, 'Kenny'.

ii. Benny rejected the invitation. Sara rejected the invitation also.
Neither Benny nor Sara accepted the invitation.

1. The word 'rejected' is replaced with its antonym 'accepted'.

2. The word 'also' is left out in the combined sentence.
Synthesis & Transformation Term 1 3
Rewrite the given sentence(s) using the word(s) provided. Your answer must be in one
sentence. The meaning of your sentence must be the same as the meaning of the given
sentence(s).

1. Jennie is a good at dancing. Jennie is a good at singing too.

___________________________________________________________ as well as

____________________________________________________________________.

2. Both Carl and Lewis run very fast.

___________________________________________________________ as well as

____________________________________________________________________.

3. Lena is going to the mall. Her mother and father are accompanying her.

Together with _________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________.

4. Lisa was jogging around the park. Two children were jogging around the park as well.

_________________________________________________________ together with

___________________________________________________________________.

5. This boy likes cold drinks. That boy likes cold drinks.

Both________________________________________________________________
|

____________________________________________________________________.

6. Tommy is a great writer. Tommy is also a wonderful artist.

________________________________________________________________ both
|

____________________________________________________________________.

Synthesis & Transformation Term 1 4

7. Johan was awarded a prize for Art. If not, then it was a prize for Mathematics.

_______________________________________________________________ either
|

____________________________________________________________________.

8. Darren may be at the playground. He may also be in the library.

_______________________________________________________________ either
|

____________________________________________________________________.

9. Kelly has not packed her suitcase. Rose has not packed her suitcase.

Neither ______________________________________________________________
|

____________________________________________________________________.

10. You cannot have the candy. You cannot have the ice-cream.

_______________________________________________________________neither
|

____________________________________________________________________.

Synthesis & Transformation Term 1 5

Answers

1. Jennie is good at dancing as well as singing.

Jennie is good at singing as well as dancing.
2. Carl, as well as Lewis, runs very fast.

Lewis, as well as Carl, runs very fast.

3. Together with her father and mother, Lena is going to the mall.
4. Lisa, together with two children, was jogging around the park.
5. Both (the) boys like cold drinks.
6. Tommy is both a great writer and a wonderful artist.
Tommy is both a wonderful artist and a great writer.
7. Johan was awarded a prize for either Art or Mathematics.
Johan was awarded a prize for either Mathematics or Art.
8. Darren may either be at the playground or the library.
Darren may either be at the library or the playground.
9. Neither Kelly nor Rose has packed her suitcase.
Neither Rose nor Kelly has packed her suitcase.
10. You can have neither the candy nor the ice-cream.
You can have neither the ice-cream nor the candy.

0 mark if answer is different in meaning from the original sentence

0 mark if answer contains a mistake in grammar structure
0 mark if answer contains an unnecessary substitution of word(s)

1 mark if an answer has one, two or three transference/punctuation errors (do not affect
meaning)
0 mark if an answer has more than three transference/punctuation errors

Do not penalise for additional punctuation mark at the end of the answer
Do not penalise for misspelling of names

Synthesis & Transformation Term 1 6