Key word / sentence transformation Flashcards
Our technology was far less advanced than theirs.
CONSIDERABLY
Their technology ___________________________________________ than ours.
Their technology was considerably more advanced than ours.
You’re nowhere as good as we are at football!
WAY
We’re ___________________________________________________ at football!
We’re way better than you at football!
Her brother is decidedly more obstinate than she is.
NOTHING
She’s ___________________________________________ her brother.
She’s nothing like as obstinate as her brother.
obstinate: unreasonably determined, especially to act in a particular way and not to change at all, despite what anyone else says
I’m a good deal better at chess than she is.
NEAR
She’s ___________________________________________ me at chess.
She’s nowhere near as good as me at chess.
nowhere: not in a successful or winning position
I did reasonably well at school but nowhere near as well as my sister or brother.
He’s just as clever as you.
BIT
You ___________________________________________ him.
You are every bit as clever as him.
- every bit as*
- equally as: Opponents of the war are considered every bit as patriotic as supporters.*
The old version of that phone is much worse than the new one.
MILES
The new version ___________________________________________ one.
The new version of the phone is miles better than the old one.
House prices are constantly decreasing.
LOWER
House prices ___________________________________________ .
House prices are getting lower and lower.
The number of unemployed people in Spain has gradually gone up.
MORE
There ___________________________________________ in Spain
There are more and more unemployed people in Spain.
Playing computer games like Wii sports can help us lose weight easily.
MORE
The more _________________________________________________to lose weight.
The more computer games like Wii sports we play, the easier it is to lose weight.
As you get older, you progressively lose flexibility.
LESS
As you get older, you become ___________________________________________.
As you get older, you become less and less flexible.
I had to clear the spare room before I could start decorating.
cleared
Only when start decorating.
Only when I had cleared the spare room could I start decorating.
The phone rang again as soon as I put it down
had
Hardly it rang again.
Hardly had I put the phone down when it rang again.
hardly = ?
Hardly a day passes that I don’t think about it.
only just or almost not:
Hardly a day passes that I don’t think about it.
The Watsons moved to London and very soon after they decided to get divorced.
had
No sooner they decided to get divorced.
No sooner had the Watsons moved to London than they decided to get divorced.
no sooner … than
No sooner had I started mowing the lawn than it started raining.
What is the meaning?
used to show that one thing happens immediately after another thing:
No sooner had I started mowing the lawn than it started raining.
I had no idea the manager wanted to see me to fire me.
realise
Little the manager wanted to see me to fire me.
Little did I realise that the manager wanted to see me to fire me.
I was told about the website by Charlie.
who
It me about the website.
It was Charlie who told me about the website.
Buying a plane ticket at the last minute isn’t often possible.
to
Rarely a plane ticket at the last minute.
Rarely is it possible to buy a plane ticket at the last minute.
rarely
I rarely have time to read the newspaper.
Meaning?
on very few occasions; almost never:
I rarely have time to read the newspaper.
They didn’t ask me anything about my plans for the summer.
question
Not about my plans for the summer.
Not a / (one, single) question did they ask me about my plans for the summer.
There is no situation in which we will allow the management to lower wages.
no
Under the management to lower wages.
Under no circumstances we will allow the management to lower wages.
If you own a dog, you should visit a vet once a year, he said.
RECOMMENDED
He……… a vet once a year.
If you own a dog, you should visit a vet once a year, he said.
RECOMMENDED
He RECOMMENED DOG OWNERS TO VISIT a vet once a year.
He RECOMMENED THAT DOG OWNERS VISIT a vet once a year.
(Recommended is followed by to)
It would have been better if you had brought the animal to me earlier.
OUGHT
The animal ….. to me earlier.
It would have been better if you had brought the animal to me earlier.
OUGHT
The animal OUGHT TO HAVE BEEN BROUGHT to me earlier.
(Ought followed by full infinitive: to have)
Vets of large animals usually go to their patients, rather than the animal being taken to them.
TEND
Large animals ….. their vet’s surgery, but have vets come to them instead.
Vets of large animals usually go to their patients, rather than the animal being taken to them.
TEND
Large animals TEND NOT TO GO TO their vet’s surgery, but have vets come to them instead.
Large animals TEND NOT TO BE TAKEN TO their vet’s surgery, but have vets come to them instead.
(negativ action, tend is followed by full infinitive: to go).
Thank you very much for all the research you did into my cat’s illness.
GRATEFUL
I am very …. all that research into my cat’s illness.
Thank you very much for all the research you did into my cat’s illness.
GRATEFUL
I am very GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR DOING all that research into my cat’s illness.
I am very GRATEFUL THAT YOU DID all that research into my cat’s illness.
(Grateful to sbd.)
We have to much work in this practice for one vet.
SO
In this practice, we …. vet is not enough.
We have to much work in this practice for one vet.
SO
In this practice, we HAVE SO MUCH WORK THAT ONE vet is not enough.
(to much and so much > that)
We took our pet to several vets, but none of them knew what was wrong with her.
REASON
None of the vets we took our pet to … she was ill.
We took our pet to several vets, but none of them knew what was wrong with her.
REASON
None of the vets we took our pet to KNEW THE REASON WHY she was ill.
(Reason and why-clause)
The rate of unemployment hasn’t increased quite as much this year compared to previous years.
SLIGHTLY
This year the rate of unemployment has increased ………. did in previous years.
The rate of unemployment hasn’t increased quite as much this year compared to previous years.
SLIGHTLY
This year the rate of unemployment has increased SLIGHTLY LESS THAN IT did in previous years.
(Comparatives)
