Key Word Transformation Rules for Cambridge Exams

English Sentence Transformation Rules

Time Expressions: Ages and Years

Rule: It is + ages + since + subject + past simple

• Direct: I haven't seen a good film for years.
• Transformation: It's years since I last saw a good film.

Giving Advice

Rule: Had better + infinitive (without 'to') is equivalent to If I were you + conditional

• Direct: You had better enrol on this course.
• Transformation: If I were you, I would enrol on this course.

Conditionals, Wishes, and Regrets

Key structures for expressing regrets, preferences, and conditional situations:

• Conditional 2 & Unless: Used for hypothetical situations.
• I Wish / I Regret:
  • Direct: I wish I had been more careful.
  • Transformation: I regret not being more careful.
• Superlatives with Ever:
  • Direct: I have never heard such a stupid story.
  • Transformation: It's the most stupid story that I have ever heard.
• Regret in the Past:
  • Direct: I regret buying a second-hand car.
  • Transformation: I wish I hadn't bought a second-hand car.

Using So, Such, and Exclamations

Rules:

• Such + a/an + adjective + singular countable noun
• Such + adjective + plural / uncountable noun

Examples:

• Direct: It's such a pleasure to see you!
• Transformation: What a pleasure to see you!
• Direct: This music is so relaxing that it makes you feel sleepy.
• Transformation: It is such relaxing music that it makes you feel sleepy.
• Direct: It's the most impressive monument I have ever seen.
• Transformation: I have never seen such an impressive monument.

Causative and Third Conditional

• Causative Rule: Have + something + done (past participle)
• Third Conditional Rule: If + past perfect ..., would + have + past participle

Reported Speech (Indirect Speech)

When transforming direct speech to reported speech, tenses shift backward:

• Present Simple → Past Simple
• Present Continuous → Past Continuous
• Present Perfect → Past Perfect:
  • Direct: "We've just arrived."
  • Reported: They said that they had just arrived.
• Past Simple → Past Perfect:
  • Direct: "I saw them."
  • Reported: He said that he had seen them.

Reporting Commands and Verbs

Command Structure: subject + told + object + to-infinitive (or not to + infinitive)

• Direct: He said, "Keep off the grass."
• Reported: He told me to keep off the grass.

Common Reporting Verb Patterns:

• Accused: subject + accused + object + of + verb -ing
• Apologise: subject + apologised + for + verb -ing
• Decided: subject + decided + to-infinitive
• Reminded: subject + reminded + object + to-infinitive
• Advised: subject + advised + object + to-infinitive
• Suggested: subject + suggested + (that) we + should + infinitive
• Recommended: subject + recommended + verb -ing OR subject + recommended + object + to-infinitive

Modals of Possibility and Deduction

• Possibility: Use may or might.
  • Past possibility: might + have + past participle
  • Negative past possibility: may not have + past participle
• Probability: Use may or might.
• Deduction (Certainty):
  • Direct: "I'm sure she is telling the truth."
  • Transformation: She must + be + verb -ing.
• Expectation/Regret: should + have + past participle

Passive Voice Transformations

Active sentences can be transformed into the passive voice using the following tense structures:

• Present Simple: is/are + past participle
• Past Simple: was/were + past participle
• Present/Past Perfect: has/have/had been + past participle
• Future (Going to): is/are going to be + past participle
• Continuous Tenses: is/are/was/were being + past participle
• Modals: modal (can, could, should, must, may, might) + be + past participle
• Past Modals: modal + have been + past participle (e.g., "should have locked" becomes "should have been locked")
• Have to / Had to: have/has/had to be + past participle / will have to be + past participle

Passive Questions and Double Objects

• Passive Questions: Who + be + object + past participle + by?
  • Active: Did the idea impress them?
  • Passive: Were they impressed by the idea?
• Double Object Verbs: indirect object + be + past participle
  • Active: They have offered me a better job.
  • Passive Option 1: I have been offered a better job.
  • Passive Option 2: A better job has been offered to me.

Advanced Passive Constructions

These structures are commonly used with reporting verbs like think, believe, say:

• Present Reference:
  • Active: People think the king is a good man.
  • Passive: The king is thought to be a good man.
• Past Reference:
  • Active: People believe this city was safer ten years ago.
  • Passive: The city is believed to have been safer ten years ago.
• Continuous Reference:
  • Active: People say immigrants are integrating into society.
  • Passive: Immigrants are said to be integrating into society.