2nd Bach.

– EBAU Cheat Sheet - Structure in Sentence transformation:

Syntactical Change1 Examples

Tense Changes
Carrie arrived at the airport two hours ago. Carrie has been at
Past simple + ago present perfect + for
the airport for two hours.

He had a really old computer before. He used to have a really old

Past simple used to
computer.

it was the first time ... past perfect It was the first time Bob had been to the Science Museum. Bob
(negative) + before hadn't been to the Science Museum before.

There is a big swimming pool at the sports centre. The sports

there is/there are has/have got
centre has a big swimming pool.

Passive Tenses
Magazines are sold in that shop now. That shop sells magazines
passive verb active verb
now.

Impersonal passive with this structure

a) They think that the owner of the house is abroad

Someone It is thought that the owner of the house is abroad.

Someone
They The owner of the house is thought to be abroad
They
People b) People thought that he had died in the battle.
people
It was thought that he had died in the battle
that …

The hairdresser cut my hair yesterday. I had my hair cut

Causative Form
yesterday.

Conditional sentences
if + negative verb unless + affirmative Her English won't improve if she doesn't practise. Her English
verb won't improve unless she practises.

Condition sentences sentence in I can't see the play because it is sold out.
st nd
present-> 1 or 2 conditional If the play weren’t sold out, I could see it

We didn’t go on holiday because we didn’t have enough money

Condition sentences sentence in past -> If we had had enough money, we could have gone on
3rd conditional holiday

I wish / If only… a) My wife can't speak English

I wish my wife could speak English

1 All changes apply both ways.

2nd Bach. – EBAU Cheat Sheet - Structure in Sentence transformation:
b) What a pity you failed in your driving test

I wish you hadn’t failed in your driving test

c) She won’t visit me again

I wish she would visit me again

Relative Clauses
Two separate sentences transformed into I moved to Madrid. My mother lives there. I moved to Madrid
one. where my mother lives.

The city where I was born is beautiful. The city in which I was
Where in which
born is beautiful.

Who did you discuss the issues with? With whom did you discuss
Informal Formal relative structure the issue?

Reported Speech
“I gave you a book to read this summer here” He said that he
Reported Statements
gave me a book to read that summer there.

a) Tom ask me, “What’s her name?”

Tom ask me what her name was

Reported questions
b) She said: “are you hungry, Tom?”

She asked Tom if he was hungry

a) Mary said to Tom “open the door, please”

Mary asked Tom to open the door

Reported Orders, requests, etc.
b) He told them : “Don’t be late tomorrow “ He told them
not to be late tomorrow

Reporting verbs Beth suggested joining a dance class. Beth said: “Why don't we
join a dance class?”

Modals
You can't smoke in the library. You are not allowed to smoke in
Modals -> semi-modals
the library.

Modals of deduction I’m sure it is Helen’s car. It must be Helen’s car.

It’s likely that she went to the party. She might have gone to
Modal perfects (deductions in the past)
the party.

Others (comparisons, adjectives, etc.)

Comparisons with opposites Maria isn't as tall as her sister. Maria is shorter than her sister.

Comparison with (not) as… as Stone isn’t as hard as iron. Iron is harder than stone
2nd Bach. – EBAU Cheat Sheet - Structure in Sentence transformation:
my/your etc. + noun a + noun + of One of my friends gave me this book. A friend of mine gave me
mine/yours etc. this book.

It was such a good cake they bought another one. The cake was
such + (a(an adj.) noun so + adjective
so good they bought another one.

They like rock more than pop music. They prefer rock to pop
like ... more than ... prefer ... to ...
music.

Susan lent me her blue pullover. I borrowed Susan's blue

lend borrow
pullover.

too + adjective not + adjective + enough Jason is too careless to drive that car! Jason isn’t careful enough
to drive that car!

Few children in Alonso's class can swim.

Change in quantifiers
Not many children in Alonso’s class can swim

He isn’t going to attend the meeting, I’m not either

Neither / So do I…
Neither he nor I am going to attend the meeting.

Connectors
Because /as/ since + clause Because of/ Because she behaves well, everybody loves her. Because of her
due to/ owing to + noun/ V-ing good behaviour, everybody loves her

In spite of being tired, they stayed until they found out what
although/ thought /even though + clause
happened
Despite /in spite of + Noun/ V-ing
Although they very tired, they …