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=" I'm sure she hasn't taken the car." word="HAVE" beginning="She " answer="can't have taken#couldn't have taken" ending=" the car."]

2. [first=" Lisa regrets having given up the English course." word="SHE" beginning="Lisa wishes " answer="she hadn't given#she had not given" ending=" up the English course."]

3. [first=" There's very little food in the fridge." word="HARDLY" beginning="There's " answer="hardly any food" ending=" in the fridge."]

4. [first=" I just can't decide what to do with my car." word="MIND" beginning="I just can't " answer="make up my mind#make my mind up" ending=" what to do with my car."]

5. [first=" The weather isn't warm enough to go for a walk." word="TOO" beginning="The weather " answer="is too cold to#'s too cold to" ending=" go for a walk."]

6. [first=" Although we had very little money, we decided to buy a new refrigerator." word="SPITE" beginning="In " answer="spite of having" ending=" very little money, we decided to buy a new refrigerator."]

 

 

 

 

 

ANSWER KEYS

ANSWERS 1: CAN'T HAVE TAKEN | COULDN'T HAVE TAKEN
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)

 

ANSWERS 2: SHE HAD NOT GIVEN | SHE HADN'T GIVEN
UNREAL PAST
WISH + PRONOUN + PAST PERFECT => We use it to show we regret something (we want something in the past to be different).
Common Errors:
I wish I took that job in New York last year. X 
I wish I had taken that job in New York last year. V WISH + PRONOUN + PAST PERFECT => THE PAST

 

ANSWERS 3: HARDLY ANY FOOD
ADVERB
HARDLY + ANY => almost no, none.
Common Errors:
There is hardly no rice left. X 
There is hardly any rice left. V HARDLY + ANY + NOUN

 

ANSWERS 4: MAKE UP MY MIND | MAKE MY MIND UP
IDIOM
MAKE UP YOUR MIND => To decide which of two or more choices you want, especially after thinking for a long time. 
Similar Conversions
Try hard and you'll succeed. => Unless you make an effort, you'll fail. MAKE AN EFFORT => COLLOCATION
Alice ought to find out what time the bus leaves. => Alice ought to make sure what time the bus leaves. MAKE + SURE => COLLOCATION
He looks as if he were a very rich person. => He makes an impression of a very rich person. MAKE + AN IMPRESSION => COLLOCATION

 

ANSWERS 5: IS TOO COLD TO | 'S TOO COLD TO
COMPARISON
TOO + ADJECTIVE/ADVERB + TO + INFINITIVE
More Examples:
He isn't enough old to watch this program. X ENOUGH goes after an ADJECTIVE/ADVERB!
He isn't old enough to watch this program. V OLD + ENOUGH
He is too young to watch this program. V TOO + ADJECTIVE + TO + INFINITIVE

 

ANSWERS 6: SPITE OF HAVING
LINKING WORD
In spite of is the same as despite. Despite is used without of. We use in spite of in one half of a sentence to express a contrast with the other half of the sentence. In spite of + noun or pronoun.
More Examples:
She didn't get the job despite of all her qualifications . X
She didn't get the job in spite of all her qualifications. V

 

 

 

 

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