TRANSFORMATION 1

287. He tried hard so that he would win the first prize.

→With
→With a view to winning the first prize, he tried hard.
288. They declared war on the pretext of defending their territorial rights.
→The excuse
→The excuse for the declaration of the war is the defence of their territorial rights.
289. Can I speak to someone about my problem?
→Would it
→Would it be possible for me to talk to ...
290. He is said to be a very hard bargainer. (REPUTATION)
→
→He has a reputation for being a very hard bargainer.
291. He doesn’t appreciate his wife. (GRANTED)
→
→He doesn’t take his wife for granted.
292. The amount of firm spent on the project initially was $15,000. (OUTLAY)
→
→The initial outlay on the project was $15,000.
293. It was a red-letter day.
→That day
→That day was a memorial one for me.
294. We regret to inform you that your application has not been successful.
→Much to
→Much to our regret we must inform ...
295. He made no bones about helping me.
→He didn’t
→He didn’t hesitate to help me.
296. He never thought of telling her.
→It never
→It never occurred to him to tell her.
297. The dress was so tempting that I bought it.
→I couldn’t resist
→I couldn’t resist the temptation to buy the dress.
298. The idea no longer interests her.
→She has gone
→She has gone off the idea.
299. Very little money was raised by the charity appeal. (RESPONSE)
→
→The response to the charity appeal was very poor.
300. His irresponsible attitude is endangering his career as a doctor. (JEOPARDY)
→
→His irresponsible attitude is putting his career as a doctor in jeopardy.
301. He liked the new job straight away. (DUCK)
→
→He took to the new job like duck to water.
302. He’s not sure whether to go or not. (MINDS)
→
→He’s in two minds about whether to go or not.
303. She has extensive knowledge of ancient Egypt. (VERY)
→
→She is very knowledgeable about ancient Egypt.
304. We were very impressed by the new camera but found it rather expensive.
→Impressed
→Impressed by the new camera as/though we were, we found it rather expensive.
305. The team is the same as it for last Saturday’s match.
→There have
→There have been no changes to the team since last Saturday’s match.
TRANSFORMATION 2

At first I felt so tense, but her smile helped me to get back my confidence

-> Her smile melted ............................ helped me to get back my confidence

away all my tension and
I have got a computer already. I won't pay that much more money for another

-> I am not shelling .............................

out for another computer because I have got one already
This conversation programme is financed from advertising revenue

-> This conversation programme derives ..................

its budget from advertising revenue
Next time you want a punk hairdo try using boot polish instead of grease

-> Next time you want a punk hairdo why not substitue ..................
grease with boot polish
The president's bodyguards stood behind him, watching

-> Watchfully .......................

standing behind the president were his bodyguards
After leaving home she walked to a spot near the motorway

-> After leaving home she made ...................... near the motorway
her way to a spot
Rates contribute to the cost of local services

-> local services ......................

'cost is contributed to by rates
The council should have appeared people's real needs

-> the council should have borne .........................

people's real needs in mind
As a matter of principle, I don't pay for my children's education after the age of 23

-> Paying for my children's education after the age of 23 goes ................
against my principle
A soft drink company has offered to sponsor the competition

-> A soft drink company has stepped ...................

forward to sponsor the competition
critics are hoping the new director can bring some positive changes into the film industry
(breathe)

->critics are hoping the new director ............................. the film industry
can breathe new life into
This book was very much like the book I read last week
(carbon)

-> ...................the book I read last week

this book was a carbon copy of
It's very difficult to give the exact value of a table like this, but it's probably worth about
$5000
(figure)

-> ...............................a table like this, but it's probably worth about $5000
it's very difficult to put a figure on
5 boys on a motorbike at the speed of 60 mph is very likely to end up in hospital
(recipe)

->5 boys on a motorbike at the speed of 60 mph

..................................
is a recipe for disaster
detectives had stopped working on the case 3 years previously
(book)
-> Dectectives ................ the case 3 years previously
had closed the book on

we all want to make him realize that he is not as important as he thinks

(size)

-> We all want to ...............

cut him down to size
he really disappointed me when breaking the promise to help me out.
(teeth)

-> He really ...........when breaking the promise to help me out.

kicked me in the teeth
He died, having nothing of his own
(name)

-> He died .............................

with nothing to his name
Have a look at this picture. It may help you to remember sth
(jog)

->Have a look at this picture. It may help you .............

to jog your memory
Motorists are jamming the streets as they slow down to see the wall paintings.
(holdups)

-> Motorists ..................... as they slow down to see the wall paintings.
are causing holdups
He is becoming quite famous as an interviewer.
(name)

-> He is ............... as an interviewer.

making a name for himself
Social scientists find it hard to accept that the fall in the birth rate is responsible for the old
age of our society
(resistance)

-> ......................... that the fall in the birth rate is responsible for the old age of our society
there is resistance among social scientists to the idea
he lent the money very willingly

-> His ........................

loan of the money was very willing
the meeting was presided over by the Mayor

-> The Mayor was ......................

chairing the meeting
I can't lace my shoes

-> I can't ...............

tie the laces of my shoes
One advantage of living in the city is the range of clothes shop

-> One point ................. is the range of clothes shop

in favour of living in the city
She had eyes like cat

-> She had ..............

cat-like eyes
we have credited the money to your account at this bank

-> We have placed ..................... your account at this bank

the money to the credit of
Your silly questions distracted me.

-> You drove .................

me to distraction with your silly questions
My father doesn't approve of my borrowing so much money from a person like Tom
(view)

-> My father ..................... my borrowing so much money from a person like Tom
takes a dim view of
I like her a lot
(affection)

-> I ...............
have a lot of affection for her
You look as if sth unpleasant has happened to you
(wars)

-> You ..............

look as if you have been in the wars
It's a brilliant film- I laughed uncontrollably all the way through.
(head)

-> It's a brilliant film- I laughed ............

my head off
she finds grammar exercises extremely boring
(stiff)

-> ...................
grammar exercises bore her stiff
I'll have to wait before I know whether he'll keep his promise or not
(remains)

-> .................. whether he'll keep his promise or not

it remains to be seen
They'll cause a lot of troubles
(cat)

-> They'll .............

put the cat among the pigeons
some people say that there's hardly any difference between love and hate
(line)

-> Some people say that ......................

there is a thin line between love and hate
she can buy anything she wants. She is very rich
(rolling)

-> She can buy anything she wants. She .....................

is rolling in money
TRANSFORMATION 3

I never have enough time these days

(short)

-> I ....................... these days

am always short of time
the trapped fireman finally got away through the back window
(escape)

-> the trapped fireman .................. through the back window

finally managed to escape
it is very possible that he'll be promoted
(every)

-> There ....................... he'll be promoted

is every likelihood that
why haven't you signed this form at the bottom?
(sign)

-> weren't ................this form at the bottom?

you supposed to write
could he have been telling the truth?
(likely)

-> Is .................... the truth?

it likely that he was telling
could you come on Sunday?
(suit)

-> How .................... you?

does coming on Sunday suit
how do you feel about going on an excursion?
(like)

-> How ................... on an excursion?

would you like to go
you mustn't start writing before the test starts
(rules)

-> It ................... until the test has started

is against the rules to start writing
Mum says it was stupid of me to give up French
(idiot)

-> Mum says.............. French

I was an idiot to give up
I only came to see you
(sole)

-> My ..................... you

sole reason for coming was to see
is it likely that you will move before June?
(chances)

-> what .................. June?

are the chances of your moving before
she was pleased that he didn't get the job
(help)

-> she ................... he didn't get the job

couldn't help feeling pleased that
his father was very angry with him when he heard he had damged the car
(blew)

-> his father ............................. he had damaged the car

blew his top when he heard
his speech was so confusing that nobody could understand what he was talking
about
(baffled)

-> Everyone ........................... his speech

was completely baffled by
jenny's birthday is on the same day as the Queen's
(coincides)

-> Jenny's ................... the Queen's

birthday coincides with
some chidlren treat their younger siblings badly
(cruel)

-> some .................. their younger siblings

children are cruel to
he bought a new jacket without having planned to
(spur)

-> He bought ..................... moment

a new jacket on the spur of the
Initially, losing one's job cam seem awful; afterwards it can work out well, for
some people
(blessing)

-> losing one's job has proved ............ some people

a blessing in disguise for
he is a pleasant man socially, but he's a tough businessman
(bargain)
-> he is a pleasant man ....................... business
socially but drives a hard bargain in
She was just about to pass out when someone offered her a seat.
(verge)

-> She was .................... when someone offered her a seat.

on the verge of passing out
Simon couldn't remember ever having met the woman.
(recollection)

-> Simon .................. ever having met the woman.

had no recollection of
Malcolm has finally decided to leave his job at the bank
(hand)

-> Malcolm has ..................... at the bank

finally decided to hand in his resignation
he got up very early this morning
(crack)

-> He ................ this morning

got up at the crack of dawn
He didn't seem to consider anything to be as important as winning that medal
(matter)

-> Nothing ..................... winning that medal

seemed to matter to him as much as
The conference will now take place at a later date
(postponed)

-> The conference..................... a later date

will be postponed until
The diplomat has been arrested because it is believed he had been spying for his
government
(suspicion)

-> The diplomat has been arrested ............... for his government
on suspicion of spying
Cindy must be ill; she ate very little of her lunch
(touched)

-> Cindy must be ill; ............... her lunch

she hardly touched
Ian is sure he was right to turn down the job
(regerets)

-> Ian .......... the job

has no regrets about turning down
they have decided to go to Crete for the summer
(intention)

-> It ................. Crete for the summer

is their intention to go to
TRANSFORMATION 4
145. Money is of little value on a desert island. (COUNTS)
→
→Money counts for little in the island.
146. Can you tell me where the Midland Hotel is? (DIRECT)
→
→Can you direct me to the ...
147. The Prime Minister felt it appropriate to make a statement. (FIT)
→
→The Prime Minister saw/ thought fit to make a statement.
148. I'd rather we started at seven. (PREFERENCE)
→
→My preference was for a seven o'clock start.
149. The accident wasn't his fault. (BLAME)
→
→He wasn't to blame for the accident.
150. Although he seems friendly, he's not to be trusted.
→Friendly
→Friendly as he may seem, he's not to be trusted.
151. Not until the body was found did the police believe her.
→It was only when
→It was only when the body was found that the police believed her.
152. "Whatever you do, don't give up hope" they said.
→They urged
→They urged me not to give up hope
153. Far more people live to retirement age in Britain than in the Philippines.
→Not as
→Not as many people live to retirement age in Philippines as in Britain.
154. We have no seats left for the concert on December 12th.
→All the seats
→All the seats for the concert on December 12th have been booked.
155. The foreigner declared his innocence. (DENIED)
→
→The foreigner denied knowing anything about it.
156. Everyone but Jane failed to produce the correct answer. (SUCCEEDED)
→
→Only Jane succeeded in producing the correct answer.
157. An open fire can't be compared to/with central heating. (COMPARISON)
→
→There is no comparison between an open fire and central heating.
158. There is no way that young man can achieve success in this test. (BOUND)
→
→That young man is bound to fail in this test.
159. I was scared to tell him what I really thought. (COURAGE)
→
→I didn't have enough courage to tell him what I really thought.
160. The Greens consider Henry a good friend. (LOOK)
→
→The Greens look on Henry as a good friend.
161. Teachers think that hard work is good for you. (HARM)
→
→Teachers think that work does/causes you no harm.
162. Because of the delay we missed our connecting flight. (MEANT)
→
→The delay meant that we missed our connecting flight.
163. Don't wait to be asked if you want a sandwich! (HELP)
→
→Help yourself to a sandwich. (= take some of it)
164. Most people regard Dr. Peters as being the best surgeon in his field.
(WIDELY)
→
→Dr. Peters is widely regarded as being ...