Transformation of Sentence

Transformation of a Sentence means changing its form without altering its sense. Knowledge of Sentence Transformation helps us to expand our usage skills by testing various ways of presenting a sentence in multiple ways but without changing its actual meaning.

Example – I have worked here since 2010, can also be expressed like - I worked here in 2010.

Knowing how to rewrite sentences so that they have the same meaning as the original is often required for many English language tests like TOEFL examination or English ESL EFL Exams such as Cambridge's First Certificate, CAE and Proficiency. Sentence Transformation is also an important skill which can help in improve our understanding of similar English expressions and vocabulary.

There are several ways in which a sentence can be transformed. Below mentioned are Sentence Transformations Exercises:

I.  Transformation of a Simple Sentence into a Compound Sentences

• Besides being thrown into jail, he was heavily fined.
  He was not only thrown into jail but also heavily fined.

• The old men sat near the fire, smoking.
  The old man sat near the fire and smoke.

II.  Transformation of a Simple Sentence into a Complex Sentences

• He liked my suggestion.
  He liked what I suggested.

• His money was not useful to me.
  The money which he gave me was not useful to me.

III.  Changing an Exclamatory Sentence into an Assertive Sentence

• How beautiful she is! – Exclamatory.
  She is very beautiful – Assertive.

• How chivalrous of you to help her like that! - Exclamatory.
  It is very chivalrous of you to help her like that - Assertive.

• What a beautiful view! – Exclamatory.
  It is a beautiful view - Assertive.

• What a great pleasure it is! - Exclamatory.
  This is indeed a great pleasure – Assertive.

IV.  Changing an Interrogative Sentence into an Assertive Sentence

• Did I ever ask you to run? – Interrogative.
  I never asked you to run - Assertive.

• Is there any fun in doing that? – Interrogative.
  There is no fun in doing that - Assertive.

• Is not health better than wealth? - Interrogative.
  Health is better than wealth – Assertive.

• Why worry about what people say? – Interrogative.
  It is foolish to worry about what people say - Assertive.

V.  Changing an Imperative Sentence into an Interrogative Sentence

• Get away from the pool - Imperative.
  Will you get away from the pool or not? – Interrogative.

• Please, don’t disturb me - Imperative.
  Will you, please, stop disturbing me? – Interrogative.

• Stop staring her – Imperative.
  Will you stop staring at her? – Interrogative.

• Shut the door - Imperative.
  Will you shut the door? – Interrogative.

VI.  Transforming or Interchanging the Degrees of Comparison

• Blue Whale is larger than all the other mammals in the world – Comparative.
  No other mammal in the world is as large as the Blue Whale – Positive.
  Blue Whale is the largest mammal in the world – Superlative.

• Kim Kardashian is one of the beautiful models in USA – Superlative.
  Very few models in USA are beautiful than Kim Kardashian  - Comparative.
  Most models in USA are not as beautiful as Kim Kardashian – Positive.

• No other spa is as good as the Golden Spa – Positive.
  Golden Spa is better than other spas – Comparative.
  Golden Spa is the best spa of all the spas - Superlative.

• Nothing else travels as fast as light – Positive.
  Light travels faster than anything else – Comparative.
  Of all things in the world light travels fastest – Superlative.

VII.  Transformation of sentences beginning with 'no sooner'

Transformation of sentences rules

It can be done in two ways - using the expressions:

i)  As soon as.
ii)  Scarcely (hardly) had ... when ..

• No sooner had I reached the bus-stop than the bus left.
  As soon as I reached the bus-stop, the bus left.
  Scarcely (or hardly) had I reached the bus-stop when the bus left.

• No sooner had the thief run out of the jail than the guard fired at him.
  As soon as the thief ran out of the jail, the guard fired at him.
  Scarcely had the thief run out of the jail when the guard fired at him.

VIII.  Transformation of sentences containing too ... to

Transformation of sentences rules

(a) Use ‘that’ in place of ‘to’.
(b) Use ‘so’ in place of ‘too’.
(c) If the sentence is in the past tense, ‘could’ is used in the subordinate clause.

(a) The girl was too clever to be taught.
     The girl was so clever that she could not be taught.

(b) He is too poor to give money.
      He is so poor that he cannot give money.

(c) He was too angry to talk to her.
     He was so angry that he could not talk to her.