FCE Key Word Transformations

 

For questions 1-6, complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words, including the word given.

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1. [first=" It wasn't Mark that you met in the shop." word="HAVE" beginning="It " answer="could not have been#couldn't have been" ending=" Mark that you met in the shop."]

 

2. [first=" She was just going to have her breakfast when the phone rang." word="ABOUT" beginning="She was just " answer="about to have her" ending=" breakfast when the phone rang."]

 

3. [first="Steve didn't manage to complete his work." word="FAILED" beginning="Steve " answer=" failed to complete" ending=" his work."]

 

4. [first=" How long has she been studying English?" word="BEGIN" beginning="When " answer="did she begin" ending=" studying English?"]

 

5. [first=" George wrote his last novel five years ago." word="WAS" beginning="It " answer="was five years ago when#was five years ago that" ending=" George wrote his last novel."]

 

6. [first=" Nobody took any notice of his bad behaviour." word="ATTENTION" beginning="Nobody " answer="paid any attention to#paid attention to" ending=" his bad behaviour."]

 

 

 

 

ANSWER KEYS

 

1. COULDN'T HAVE BEEN | COULD NOT HAVE BEEN | CAN'T HAVE BEEN
NEGATIVE LOGICAL ASSUMPTION
COULDN'T/CAN'T + HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE is used to say that we believe something was impossible.

Similar Conversions
I'm sure he's not German. => He can't be German. CAN'T + INFINITIVE (PRESENT INFINITIVE)
I'm sure he isn't playing football now. => He can't be playing football now. CAN'T + BE + GERUND (PRESENT CONTINUOUS INFINITIVE) 
I'm sure he didn't do it. => He couldn't/can't have done it. COULDN'T/CAN"T + HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE (PERFECT INFINITIVE)

 

2. ABOUT TO HAVE HER
IDIOM
BE + ABOUT TO + INFINITIVE => to be going to do something very soon.

Similar Conversions
I was almost falling asleep when I heard a crash. => I was about to fall asleep when I heard a crash. BE + ABOUT TO + INFINITIVE
He is about to go mad, I'm afraid. => He is on the point of going mad, I'm afraid. BE + ON THE POINT OF + GERUND 
Our company is on the point of going bankrupt. => Our company is on the verge of going bankrupt. BE + ON THE VERGE OF + GERUND

 

3. FAILED TO COMPLETE
ACHIEVEMENT
FAIL + TO + INFINITIVE => to not succeed in achieving something.

Similar Conversions
Susan managed to beat him at tennis yesterday. => Susan succeeded in beating him at tennis yesterday. SUCCEED + IN + GERUND
He failed to get into art college. => He didn't manage to get into art college. MANAGE + TO + INFINITIVE 
John didn't manage to write the essay for tomorrow. => John wasn't able to write the essay for tomorrow. BE + ABLE TO + INFINITIVE

 

4. DID SHE BEGIN 
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS => PAST SIMPLE
HOW LONG (HAVE YOU) => WHEN (DID YOU)

Similar Conversions
When did you leave university? => How long ago did you leave university? WHEN + PAST SIMPLE => HOW LONG AGO + PAST SIMPLE
When did you leave university? => How long is it since you left university? WHEN + PAST SIMPLE => HOW LONG IS IT SINCE + PAST SIMPLE
When did you begin playing football? => How long have you been playing football? PAST SIMPLE => PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

 

5. FIVE YEARS AGO WHEN | FIVE YEARS AGO THAT
CLEFT SENTENCE
Cleft sentences are used to help us focus on a particular part of the sentence and to emphasise what we want to say.

Similar Conversions
Jim took Pam to the theatre last week. => It was Jim who took Pam to the theatre last week. EMPHASIS ON THE SUBJECT
Jim took Pam to the theatre last week. => It was last week when Jim took Pam to the theatre. EMPHASIS ON THE ADVERBIAL
Jim took Pam to the theatre last week. => It was Pam that Jim took to the theatre last week. EMPHASIS ON THE OBJECT

 

6. PAID ANY ATTENTION TO/PAID ATTENTION TO
IDIOM
Pay attention to => to watch, listen to, or think about someone or something carefully.

Similar Conversions
Boys, listen carefully to what I'm saying! => Boys, take notice of what I'm saying! TAKE NOTICE OF (IDIOM)
Boys, listen carefully to what I'm saying! => Boys, pay attention to what I'm saying! PAY ATTENTION TO (IDIOM)
Boys, listen carefully to what I'm saying! => Boys, concentrate on what I'm saying! CONCENTRATE ON (VERB + PREPOSITION)

 

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