FCE Sentence Transformations

told Peter not to

"Don't open the door, Peter!" said Mr Bates. NOT Mr Bates _________________ open the door.

told Jane he would wash

"I'll wash the dishes after the match, Jane," he said. TOLD He ______________ the dishes after the match.

being unable to speak English

Although he can't speak English himself, Sergio is very keen that his son should learn. UNABLE Despite ____________ himself, Sergio is very keen that his son should learn.

away even though

Although the police traced them, the robbers didn't get caught. EVEN The robbers managed to get _____________ the police traced them.

take into account

Considering that Lara is so young, you must admit she's an amazing singer! ACCOUNT If you _______________ how young Lara is, you must admit she's an amazing singer!

had been on time

He was late because his plane was delayed. TIME If his plane ________________, he wouldn't have been late.

did it take to

How long was your flight from Rome to Paris? TAKE How long ______________ fly from Rome to Paris?

would have prepared

I didn't know you were coming, so I didn't prepare dinner. PREPARED If I'd known you were coming I _______________ dinner.

was the first time

I had never downloaded so many files before. FIRST It __________________ I had ever downloaded so many files.

I had better

I ought to answer my e-mails now. BETTER _________________ answer my e-mails now.

wish I hadn't invited

I regret inviting Becky to the party. WISH I _________________ Becky to the party.

there's no chance of

I'm totally convinced you will pass the exam. CHANCE In my opinion _________________ you failing the exam.

to put up with

I've had enough of your rudeness. PUT I refuse ______________ your rudeness any longer.

was cancelled because of

It was foggy so they cancelled the flight. BECAUSE The flight _________________ the fog.

if you hadn't

It's a good thing you e-mailed me or I wouldn't have known about it. YOU I wouldn't have known about it ___________ e-mailed me.

There's no point

It's not worth buying a new laptop now. POINT _______________ buying a new laptop now.

not like Maria to be

Maria is not usually late. LIKE It is ___________________ late.

was fifty when she learned

My aunt didn't learn to ski until she was fifty. WHEN My aunt ________________ to ski.

has been learning Chinese for

My brother began to learn Chinese three years ago. LEARNING My brother _________________ three years.

first time my grandparents had

My grandparents had never set foot in a fast food restaurant before. TIME It was the _______________ set foot in a fast food restaurant.

made me tidy

My sister didn't let me borrow her i-Pod until I had tidied her room. MADE My sister _______________ her room before she let me borrow her i-Pod.

hasn't won a match since

Our volleyball team won its last match in May. SINCE Our volleyball team ________________ May.

isn't interested in

Politics doesn't interest Stan. INTERESTED Stan _______________ politics.

enjoyed the party apart from

Ron was the only one who didn't enjoy the party. APART Everybody __________________ Ron.

was Sue's first visit to

Sue had not been to Rome before. VISIT It ________________ Rome.

there was no point

The book was so badly damaged that it wasn't worth keeping. POINT The book was so badly damaged that ________________ keeping it.

been downloading a file for

The computer started downloading a file an hour ago and it still hasn't finished. FOR The computer has ________________ over an hour.

nothing left in the

The fridge is completely empty. LEFT There's ________________ fridge.

haven't spoken French for

The last time I spoke French was ten years ago. FOR I ___________________ ten years.

on his own

The man was sitting by himself on the park bench. OWN The man was sitting _____________ on the park bench.

in case the restaurant is

The restaurant may be expensive, so take plenty of money. CASE Take plenty of money _________________ expensive.

weren't as many accidents

There were more accidents in 2009 than in 2010. AS There _____________ in 2010 as in 2009.

too fast to

They couldn't understand the guide because he spoke so fast. TOO The guide spoke __________________ understand.

despite the heavy

They went for a walk although it was raining heavily. DESPITE They went for a walk ______________ rain.

never had such a

This is the fastest connection to the internet I have ever had! SUCH I have ________________ fast connection to the internet.

took me for

When I was at the beach today, someone thought I was a lifeguard. TOOK When I was at the beach today, someone ___________ a lifeguard.

had better keep

You should keep your password in a safe place. HAD You ______________your password in a safe place.

I were you

You should look up the new words in a dictionary. WERE If _______________, I'd look up the new words in a dictionary.