DICKENS, School of English FCE Sentence transformation

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Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first
sentence using the word given (in brackets). Use between two and five words.
Do not change the word given.

1. I moved here 10 years ago.

I ……………………………………………. for 10 years. (lived)

2. I'm not as old as my brother.

My brother ……………………………………………. me. (than)

3. 'Why don't we go to the cinema?' 

Daniel ……………………………………………. to the cinema.(going)

4. I regret not studying harder when I was at school. 

I wish ……………………………………………. when I was at school.
(studied)

5. Someone has killed the party leader in a car bomb attack. 

The party leader ……………………………………………. in a car bomb
attack .(has)

6. It's too cold to go to the beach today. 

It's ……………………………………………. to the beach today.(warm)

7. You won't pass the exam unless you study harder. 

If ……………………………………………. you won't pass the exam.
(don't)

8. It took me two weeks to recover from the flu. 

I needed ……………………………………………. the flu.(over)

9. He crashed his car because he wasn't paying attention. 

If he ……………………………………………. he wouldn't have crashed
his car.(been)

10. The doctor suggested that I starting playing golf. 

The doctor suggested I ……………………………………………. golf.(up)

11. What are your plans for the weekend?

What ……………………………………………. at the weekend? (do)

12. I haven't visited my family since 2005.

The ……………………………………………. my family was in 2005.
(time)
13. 'If I were you, I would study law at university.' 
He ……………………………………………. at university.(advised)

14. She complains all the time about the teacher. 

She ……………………………………………. about the teacher.(keeps)

15. What subject was your favourite subject at school? 

What ……………………………………………. at school? (enjoy)

16. She won't be allowed to come to the party. 

Her parents ……………………………………………. the party.(let)

17. Speaking English is still strange for me. 

I'm ……………………………………………. English.(used)

18. I wasn't able to understand much until I had studied for several years. 
It was ……………………………………………. understand much.(before)

19. When the test had finished I remembered the correct answers! 
I didn't ……………………………………………. the test had finished.
(remember)

20. She can't have passed the exam - she's useless at maths! 
She ……………………………………………. the exam - she's useless at
maths!(failed)

21. The car had almost stopped when it hit the wall. 
The car ……………………………………………. when it hit the wall.
(hardly)

22. Despite having several broken bones, John was able to compete in the
race.
John was able to compete in the
race ……………………………………………. several broken bones.
(though)

23. My grandfather is one of the last people alive who fought in the war. 
Other than my grandfather
there ……………………………………………. who fought in the war.
(very)

24. That car was too expensive for us to buy. 

We would have bought that
car ……………………………………………. so expensive. (not)
25. 'Don't do that again, or you'll be in trouble!' said the teacher. 
The students ……………………………………………. do that again.
(warned)

26. I can't believe this is the best hotel in the city! 

There must be ……………………………………………. one in the city.
(hotels)

27. Course fees must be paid in full before the course begins. 
Students ……………………………………………. before the course
begins.(all)

28. I haven't been to Oxford for at least ten years. 

The last time ……………………………………………. at least ten years
ago.(went)

29. My parents are both the same age. 

My mother ……………………………………………. my father.(as)

30. Learning French is a waste of time because the language is not widely
spoken. 
There's ……………………………………………. because the language is
not widely spoken.(point)
31. It was difficult for Sarah to learn to read in Japanese. 
Sarah ……………………………………………. to read in Japanese.
(difficulty)

32. The police had to find out whose fingerprints they were.
The police had to find out ……………………………………………. to.
(belonged)

33. Many people say that there is a ghost in that house. 

There ……………………………………………. a ghost in that house.
(supposed)

34. It might rain this afternoon so take an umbrella. 

Take an umbrella ……………………………………………. this afternoon.
(rains)

35. You look the same as you did when we last met ten years ago. 
You have ……………………………………………. our last meeting ten
years ago. (changed)

36. You didn't need to rewrite the composition. 

It ……………………………………………. to rewrite the composition.
 (was)

37. Toby said that I had taken his girlfriend. 

Toby ……………………………………………. his girlfriend. (accused)

38. 'Does English bore you?' the teacher asked Fredrick. 

The teacher asked Fredrick ……………………………………………. him.
(if)

39. It was the child's grandfather who taught him to read music. 
The child ……………………………………………. by his grandfather.
(was)

40. I regret not being able to speak French fluently. 

I ……………………………………………. fluently. (could)

41. 'Would you like to come for dinner at our house?' asked Ruth. 
Ruth ……………………………………………. come for dinner at their
house. (invited)

42. Ivan didn't find it difficult to give up smoking.

Ivan ……………………………………………. smoking. (difficulty)

43. Stefania's suggestions are always useful. 

Stefania ……………………………………………. are always useful.
(someone)

44. The witness described the assassin in detail. 

The witness ……………………………………………. of the assassin.
(description)

45. It's a pity we didn't see Athens when we visited Greece. 

If only ……………………………………………. when we visited Greece.
(could)

46. A very interesting guide told us about the exhibits. 

We ……………………………………………. by a very interesting guide.
(were)

47. The test was too difficult for the students to pass. 
The test ……………………………………………. that the students
couldn't pass it. (so)

48. The mechanic in the town centre repaired my father's car. 

My father ……………………………………………. the mechanic in the
 town centre. (had)

49. I only passed the exam because the teacher helped me. 
If the teacher had ……………………………………………. not have
passed the exam. (not)

50. People say that cats have nine lives. 

Cats ……………………………………………. nine lives. (said)
51. The school has postponed the trip to London until next week. 
The school trip to London ……………………………………………. until
next week. (off)

52. Meri accidentally crashed her father's car.

Meri did ……………………………………………. her father's car. (mean)

53. It was wrong of you to copy the homework from your friend. 
You should ……………………………………………. the homework from
your friend. (copied)

54. You may not find it easy to understand phrasal verbs. 

It ……………………………………………. for you to understand phrasal
verbs. (might)

55. The best surgeon in town did Paolo's operation. 

Paolo ……………………………………………. the best surgeon in town.
(had)

56. In my opinion you'll be a fantastic teacher! 

I ……………………………………………. you'll be a fantastic teacher!
(no)

57. I last visited London 7 years ago. 

I have ……………………………………………. seven years. (not)

58. 'I'll be home by midnight,' said Isadora. 

Isadora promised she ……………………………………………. midnight.
(get)

59. Teachers from the British Council started this school. 

This school ……………………………………………. teachers from the
British Council. (set)

60. Chiara spent years trying to pass the First Certificate exam. 
It ……………………………………………. the First Certificate exam.
(took)
ANSWERS

1. have lived here 31. had difficulty learning

2. is older than 32. who the fingerprints belonged

3. suggested going 33. is supposed to be

4. I had studied harder 34. in case it rains

5. has been killed 35. not changed since

6. not warm enough to go 36. was not necessary

7. you don't study harder 37. accused me of taking

8. two weeks to get over 38. if English bored

9. had been paying attention 39. was taught to read music

10. take up 40. wish I could speak French

11. are you going to do 41. invited us to

12. last time I visited 42. had no difficulty giving up

13. advised me to study law 43. is someone whose suggestions

14. keeps complaining 44. gave a detailed description

15. subject did you enjoy most 45. we could have seen Athens

16. won't let her come to 46. were told about the exhibits

17. not used to speaking 47. was so difficult

18. several years before I could 48. had his car repaired by

19. remember the correct answers until 49. not helped me I would

20. must have failed 50. are said to have

21. was hardly moving 51. has been put off

22. even though he had 52. not mean to crash

23. are very few people alive 53. not have copied

24. if it had not been 54. might be difficult

25. were warned not to 55. had his operation done by

26. better hotels than this 56. have no doubt

27. must pay all course fees 57. not visited London for

28. I went to Oxford was 58. would get home by

29. is the same age as 59. was set up by

30. no point learning French 60. took Chiara years to pass