CHAPTER 3: TECHNIQUES IN VARYING SENTENCES

I. Gerunds vs Infinitives

V-ing/ To-Vo + be + Adj/ NP

It + be + Adj/ NP + To-Vo
It takes/ took + O + time + To-Vo

a. Sitting in one place for so long is very uncomfortable.

- It is very uncomfortable to sit in one place for so long.
b. It will be a lot of fun to go to that party next week.
- Going ………………………………………………
c. It usually takes me forty minutes to get to school by bus.
- Getting ………………………………………………

II. Subject - Verb Inversion

Never/ rarely/ seldom
Hardly/ scarcely ... (when)
Nowhere
So… (that)
Only when

Not only … (but also) → Auxiliary + S + V

Neither
No sooner … (than)
So + Adj/Adv
Such

a. He will never admit defeat.

 - Never will he admit defeat.
b. We had hardly begun our work when it began to rain.
- Hardly …………………………………………..
c. If I had realized that, I would not have said anything.
- Had ……………………………………………..
III.Active vs Passive

ACTIVE PASSIVE

S + Vo s/es + O S + am/ is/ are + V3/ed + by + O

S + …….. + O S + ………… + by + O

S + ……….. + O S + ………… + by + O

S + ……….. + O S + …………. + by + O

S + ……….. + O S + ………….. + by + O

S + ……….. + O S + ………….. + by + O

S + ………… + O S + …………… + O

People/ They + (say, believe think, 1. It + be + V3/ed + that …

know, rumor) that + S2 + V2 2. S2 + be + V3/ed + To-Vo …+ by + O (the same
tense)
3. S2 + be + V3/ed + To Have V3/ed …+ by + O (the
earlier action)

a. You should open the wine about three hours before you use it.
- The wine …………………………………………….
b. People thought that he had died in the battle.
- He …………………………………………………
- It ……………………………………………………
c. No one has changed the curtain for five weeks.
- The curtain …………………………………………
IV.Using Cleft sentences
1.Using Cleft sentences with the structure as below

It + be + …. + who/ that ……

a. My best friend made me a delicious birthday cake.

- It …………………………………………………….
b. Tom’s laziness has destroyed his career.
- It ………………………………………………………
V.Using Coordination and Subordination
a. Dan set the table, and his wife finished cooking dinner.
- As soon as …………………………………………….
b. The little boy kept pushing the down button, but the elevator didn’t
come any more quickly.
- Although …………………………………………………
VI. Clauses vs Phrases

Because + Clause (S + V….)

Though/ Although + Clause (S + V….)

⇅
Because of + Noun Phrase/ Gerund
Despite / In spite of + Noun Phrase/ Gerund

a. Because it rained heavily, he didn’t go to work.

- Because of …………………………………..
b. They had a wonderful holiday even though the weather was so bad.
- Despite ……………………………………….
c. Being a careless fellow, he forgot all about it.
- Since …………………………………………….
d. Having had my breakfast, I went to school.
- After …………………………………………….
 e. These boys walking together are brothers.
- These boys who ………………………………….
VII. Using Compounding
a. Carol is learning tennis. I am learning tennis.
- Both …………………………………………
b. She opened the door. She looked into the room.
- She ……………………………………………..