FCE Key Word Transformation

Practice

FCE

COMPILED BY TEACHER FERNANDO CÉSPEDES SÁNCHEZ

Compiled by Lic. Fernando Céspedes Sánchez

USE OF ENGLISH: KEY-WORD TRANSFORMATION Complete the second sentence using between two and five words including the word given. Do not change that word in any way. KEY WORD TRANSFORMATION EXERCISE 1 1. May we borrow your ladder for half an hour? mind Would you ............................................................. your ladder for half an hour? 2. "I'm not frightened," he said; in fact, he was terrified. be He pretended .............................................................................. frightened. 3. The Majestic is better than this hotel. good This hotel .................................................................................... the Majestic. 4. To enjoy travel, you must go on your own. only You ........................................................ enjoy travelling if you go on your own. 5. You were very generous, giving us all that money. of It was very generous .......................................................... us all that money. 6. He was sorry he had asked the bank to lend him the money. wished He ......................................................... asked the bank to lend him the money. 7. I haven't owned a car for five years now. since It is five years ...................................................................................... a car. 8. Why didn't you warn me it was going to rain? have You ........................................................................... me it was going to rain. 9. Heavy smokers are more likely to suffer serious illness than non-smokers. runs A heavy smoker .............................................. serious illness than a non-smoker. 10.Even though she knew she had to get up early, Mary still went to the disco. despite Mary still went to the disco ...................................... that she had to get up early. KEY WORD TRANSFORMATION EXERCISE 2

1. The dog is wagging its tail because it is trying to be friendly. friends The dog is wagging its tail because it wants ................................................ you.

2. It is a good habit to save in case of hard times. aside

Compiled by Lic. Fernando Céspedes Sánchez

It is a good habit to ....................................................................... a rainy day.

3. My mother-in-law has invited us to share her house. moving We ............................................................................. my mother-in-law.

4. His lack of interest surprised me. surprising I ................................................................... that he showed so little interest.

5. I am sorry that I cannot come to the party. miss I am sorry ............................................................................ the party.

6. It is pointless to carry samovars to Samarkand. point There .................................................................. samovars to Samarkand.

7. The path was so narrow they had to walk one behind the other along it. single The path was so narrow they had to walk ............................................. along it.

8. Small children are full of mischief. sorts Small children get ............................................................................. tricks.

9. "Can you help me?" the old lady asked. could The old lady asked .............................................................................. help her.

10. When he was much older, he understood. until It .............................................................. much older that he understood. KEY WORD TRANSFORMATION EXERCISE 3

1. Ken does not work half as much as he used to.

hard Ken used to work ..................................................................... he does now.

2. The experts thought that the cost of petrol would rise next year.

expected The cost of petrol ......................................................................... next year.

3. Some people who start smoking find it difficult to stop.

always It .......................................................... to stop smoking once you have started.

4. If he isn't careful, he is bound to end up in hospital.

him His carelessness is bound .............................................................. in hospital.

5. Because of his illness he could not work effectively. impossible

Compiled by Lic. Fernando Céspedes Sánchez

His illness ............................................................. . him to work effectively.

6. Scotsmen will never give anything to waiters. tip No ........................................................................................... waiter.

7. Mary said, I do not want to get married yet."

rather Mary protested that she .................................................................. married yet.

8. Mothers must try hard to understand.

best Mothers must ..................................................................... understanding.

9. The younger you marry, the greater the chance you will be unhappy.

likely The younger you marry, the ........................................................ be unhappy.

10. I was wrong to argue with him.

mistake .................................................................. to argue with him.

KEY WORD TRANSFORMATION EXERCISE 4

1. She had not bought so much for a long time.

since It was a long time ............................................................... much shopping.

2. Ken arrived there twelve months ago.

for Ken .................................................................................................. year.

3. If Mary hadn't failed her driving test, she wouldn't be unhappy.

pass Mary is unhappy .............................................................. her driving test.

4. Rabbits used to be more numerous.

not Rabbits ............................................................................ they used to be.

5. His new book has been widely criticised.

lot His new book has come ............................................................ criticism.

6. His secretary updated the list.

brought His secretary ............................................................................................ date.

7. I couldn't have managed it without your help.

not If ............................................................... your help, I couldn't have managed it.

8. Regular exercise kept him healthy. owed

Compiled by Lic. Fernando Céspedes Sánchez

He ....................................................................................... regular exercise.

9. He couldn't lend us the car because it didn't belong to him. his The car ............................................................................................ lend.

10. We were not surprised when he won. came His winning .................................................................................... surprise. KEY WORD TRANSFORMATION EXERCISE 5

1. It was difficult for the yachtsman to steer into the wind.

got The yachtsman ....................................................................... into the wind.

2. I couldn't have managed without your help.

been If it ...................................................... your help, I couldn't have managed.

3. We had just arrived when it started to rain.

than Hardly .............................................................................. it started to rain.

4. He only did the work after he had been paid.

did Not until he had been paid ..................................................................... the work.

5. The idea that the Scots are miserly is simply not true.

truth There .................................................. the idea that the Scots are miserly.

6. She was too busy to see us.

so She was ..................................................................................... see us.

7. It is quite pointless to complain.

point There ................................................................................. complaining.

8. I've never met anyone who works as hard as he does.

man He is the most ............................................................................. met.

9. A long speech is unlikely to be interesting.

little There ........................................................... a long speech being interesting.

10. It was difficult to hear the speaker from the back of the room.

difficulty From the back of the room, we ...................................................... the speaker.

KEY WORD TRANSFORMATION EXERCISE 6

Compiled by Lic. Fernando Céspedes Sánchez

1. I don't really want to go out.

rather I ................................................................................................ home.

2. I did it entirely by myself. all I did it ......................................................................................... own.

3. You should not be so shy.

speak You should ................................................................................. yourself.

4. He has been in hospital for six months. went It is six months ...................................................................... hospital.

5. f only he had been taken to hospital sooner.

pity What ..................................................................... taken to hospital earlier.

6. The doctors tried very hard to save him. best The doctors .............................................................................. to save him.

7. She was surprised to find there was little she could do.

surprise She ......................................................................... there was little she could do.

8. Only Holland permits the smoking of marijuana. permitted The smoking of marijuana ............................................................... Holland.

9. The salesman said he was sorry he was late for the meeting.

apologised The salesman ............................................................. late for the meeting.

10. Our decision has not yet been confirmed by head office. confirmation We haven't ............................................................................. head office.

ANSWERS

Compiled by Lic. Fernando Céspedes Sánchez

NOTE: YOUR SCORE: To be certain of an A grade in this paper, you need to score 80%; for a B grade, 70%; and for a passing C grade, 60%. Sometimes the exercises are rather harder than in the actual examination; occasionally, they are easier. EXERCISE 1 01. mind our borrowing/if we borrow/lending us 02. not to be 03. is not as/so good as 04. will/can only 05. of you to lend/give 06. wished he had not asked 07. since I owned 08. should have warned 09. runs more/a greater risk of 10. despite knowing/the fact EXERCISE 2 01. to be/make friends with 02. put money/something aside for/against 03. are moving in with 04. found it surprising 05. (that) I shall (have to) miss, to miss 06. is no point (in/to) carrying 07. in single file 08. up to all sorts of 09. if I could 10. was not until he was EXERCISE 3 01. twice as hard as 02. is expected to rise 03. is not always easy 04. to put him 05. made it impossible for 06. Scotsman will (ever) tip a 07. would rather not get 08. do their best to be 09. more likely you are to 10. It was a mistake/I made EXERCISE 4 01. since she had done so 02. has been there for a 03. that/because she did not pass 04. are not as numerous as/are less numerous than 05. in for a lot of 06. brought the list up to 07. it had not been for 08. owed his health to 09. was not his to 10. came as no

EXERCISE 5 01. got into difficulties steering 02. had not been for 03. had we arrived than 04. did he do 05. is no truth in 06. so busy she did not 07. was no point in 08. hard-working man I have (ever) 09. is little likelihood 10. had difficulty hearing EXERCISE 6

Compiled by Lic. Fernando Céspedes Sánchez

01. 02. 03. 04. 05. 06. 07. 08. 09. 10.

would rather stay at all on my speak up for since he went into a pity he was not did their best found to her surprise is permitted only in apologised for being had (received) confirmation from