Vocabulary for Examination - Sentence Transformation 5

* A computer breakdown was blamed for the delayed despatch of the brochures.

A COMPUTER BREAKDOWN WAS GIVEN as the reason for the delayed despatch of the brochures.

* It's important to be well-prepared for an interview because if you make a mistake, you may not get the job.

A MISTAKE IN AN INTERVIEW MAY COST you a job so it is important to be well-prepared.

The two children began to argue fiercely about who had damaged the bicycle. (BROKE)

A fierce argument BROKE OUT between the two children about who had damaged the bicycle.

* We have no seats left for the concert on December 14th.

ALL THE seats for the concert on December 14th have been booked.

On receipt of your cheque, we shall send the goods to you.

AS SOON AS we receive your cheque, we shall send the goods to you.

* These new machines have put an end to queuing.

BEFORE these new machines, people had to queue.

Were Mike not so affluent a man, Ann wouldn't be dating him.

BUT for Mike's affluence, Ann wouldn't be dating him.

* Apart from a few minor mistakes, you did a good job on the whole.

BY AND LARGE, you did a good job. BY AND LARGE - generally - in general - generally speaking - the long and the short of it

*** Mary knew what the answer was after reading the book.

BY THE TIME Mary finished reading the book, she knew what the answer was.

Bill changed his ways when he came out of prison. (LEAF)

Bill TURNED OVER A NEW LEAF when he came out of prison.

* The stranded climber would never have been rescued if his brother hadn't had an ingenious plan. (INGENUITY)

But for his brother's INGENUITY, the stranded climber would never have been rescued.

Do you have any idea how Jack made enough money to buy that new sports car. (LIGHT)

Can you SHED LIGHT ON how Jack made enough money to buy that new sports car? SHED/CAST/THROW LIGHT ON STH - to explain

Every day, it's the same routine in my job.

DAY IN, DAY OUT, it's the same routine in my job.

* Diane finds that creating things tops her from thinking about her work. (MIND)

Diane finds that creating things TAKES HER MIND OFF her work.

Don't let her relaxed manner deceive you; she is an extremely shrewd woman. (TAKEN)

Don't let yourself be TAKEN IN by her relaxed manner; she is an extremely shrewd woman. TAKE SB IN (often passive) - to deceive - to fool - to have sb on

The news that the Prime Minister had resigned came as a great shock to everyone.

EVERYONE WAS TAKEN aback by the news that the Prime Minister had resigned. TAKEN ABACK - surprised - shocked

* We aren't willing to support the strike, we don't approve it.

FAR FROM being willing to support the trike, we don't approve it. FAR FROM DOING/BEING STH - almost opposite to doing/being sth

By the beginning of the next century, we will have used up all fossil fuels. (OUT)

FOSSIL FUELS will have RUN OUT by the beginning of the next century.

"Without the rapid growth in population there would be fewer food shortages".

HE BLAMES the food shortages ON the rapid growth in population. HE BLAMES the rapid growth in population FOR the food shortages.

"I think the whole idea is ridiculous", he said.

HE DISMISSED the whole idea as being ridiculous.

* When I made my suggestion, he laughed.

HE GREETED my suggestion with laughter.

He is said to be a very good pianist.

HE HAS a reputation for being a very good pianist.

He got angry because we all disagreed with him. (TEMPER)

He LOST HIS TEMPER because we all disagreed with him. LOSE YOUR TEMPER - to blow your top - to hit the roof - to see red - to fly into a temper/fury/rage

He would do anything to win the girl's hand. (LENGTHS)

He would GO TO GREAT LENGTHS to win the girl's hand. GO TO GREAT LENGTHS - to go to great pains - to take great pains - to be at pains - to try/endeavour

He oftens gets ill at this time of the year. (PRONE)

He's PRONE TO GETTING ill at this time of the year.

* Buying new clothes is something I almost never make the effort to do.

I HARDLY bother buying new clothes.

* I have little confidence that he will be able to do the job.

I HAVE SERIOUS doubts about his ability to do the job.

It shouldn't have surprised me that my children didn't like the new, cheaper ice-cream.

I MIGHT have known that my children wouldn't like the new, cheaper ice-cream.

* When I started to work, I was so inexperienced that I didn't know how to send a fax. (CLUE)

I didn't HAVE A CLUE how to send a fax when I started to work. NOT HAVE A CLUE - to not know sth/how to do sth

I am not normally keen on cycling at the weekend. (IN)

I don't normally GO IN FOR cycling at the weekend. GO IN FOR STH - to do sth regularly - to enjoy sth

I don't think it was reasonable of you to complain so much about the service. (MAKE)

I don't think it was reasonable of you to MAKE SUCH A FUSS ABOUT the service.

I feel that I don't fit in with the people in the new office. (FISH)

I feel LIKE A FISH OUT OF WATER with the people in the new office. LIKE A FISH OUT OF WATER - strange and awkward - not familiar

I think those tools will prove useful. (HANDY)

I think those tools will COME IN HANDY. COME IN HANDY - to prove useful

* Considering how young he is, he has achieved a lot.

IF YOU BEAR HIS age in mind, he has achieved a lot.

Her lateness made the boss angry. (BANANAS)

IT WAS BECAUSE SHE was late that her boss WENT BANANAS GO BANANAS - to go ape - to hit the roof - to blow your top - to see red

We hadn't been told about the removal until last Friday.

IT WAS NOT until last Friday that we WERE told about the removal.

The journalists only heard about the changes to the wedding plans when they arrived at the venue.

IT WAS ONLY when they arrived at the avenue THAT the journalists heard about the changes to the wedding.

Nobody knows what caused the collapse of the building.

IT'S unknown what caused the collapse of the building.

I advise you to stop smoking cigarettes. (SHOES)

If I were IN YOUR SHOES, I would stop smoking. IN YOUR SHOES - in your position - if I were you

* Jane enjoys looking after young children very much.

JANE GETS a lot of enjoyment out of looking after children. GET ENJOYMENT OUT OF DOING STH - to enjoy

Jim played truant this morning, so his father has punished him severely. (BOOK)

Jim played truant this morning, so his father has THROWN THE BOOK AT HIM. THROW THE BOOK AT SB - to punish sb severely

* John has taken it upon himself to look after the baby tomorrow. (COMMITTED)

John has COMMITTED HIMSELF TO LOOKING after the baby. COMMIT YOURSELF TO DOING STH - to promise sincerely to do sth

* She know nothing of her husband's impending promotion. (ABOUT)

Little did she know that her husband was ABOUT to be promoted.

A lot of good men have been destroyed by drink.

MANY A good man HAS been destroyed by drink.

Mr. Tipper's wife was very sorry she couldn't celebrate the New Year with her husband.

MRS. TIPPER GREATLY regretted not being able to celebrate the New Year with her husband.

* She was embarrassed when she realized that everyone was listening to her singing.

MUCH to her embarrassment, she realized that everyone was listening to her singing.

I agreed to do the work because I understood that I would be paid for it.

MY UNDERSTANDING WHEN I agreed to do the work was that I'd be paid for it.

Mary was born in a village very far away from the city. (NOWHERE)

Marry was born in a village IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE. IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE - remote - far away

Only Martha survived the crash. (SOLE)

Martha was THE SOLE survivor of the crash.

* Those of us at the back couldn't hear most of the play. (INAUDIBLE)

Most of the play was INAUDIBLE TO those of us at the back. INAUDIBLE - unable to be heard

The people who were at the meeting will say nothing to the press.

NOBODY who was at the meeting will say anything to the press.

He didn't ask her anything about her study. (QUESTION)

Not a single QUESTION did he ask her about her study.

Now that their parents have consented to their marriage, their future happiness is guaranteed. (STANDS)

Now that they have their parents' CONSENT to marry, nothing STANDS IN THE WAY of their future happiness. STAND IN THE WAY OF SB/STH - to prevent - to forbid - to not allow

Concerns about job and public safety are more important than other issues. (SEAT)

OTHER issues have to TAKE A BACK SEAT TO this concerns about job and public safety.

The manager praised one particular player. (SINGLED)

One particular player was SINGLED OUT FOR praise by the manager. SINGLE SB OUT FOR STH - to choose one person from a group, usually for praise or criticism

I had to clear the spare room before I could start decorating. (CLEARED)

Only when I had CLEARED the room could I start decorating.

* Ours is the only company allowed to import these chemicals.

Our company HAS A MONOPOLY OVER importing these chemicals. HAVE A MONOPOLY OVER STH: chiếm độc quyền

Your license may be suspended if you refuse to take the breathalyzer.

REFUSAL to take the breathalyzer may lead to your LICENSE SUSPENSION.

* Buying a plane ticket at the last minute isn't often possible. (TO)

Rarely is it possible TO buy a plane ticket at the last minute.

Robert was offended when he was left out of the team. (EXCEPTION)

Robert TOOK EXCEPTION TO being left out of the team.

* His mood began to improve as soon as he drank a glass of wine.

SCARCELY had he drunk a glass of wine when his mood began to improve. SCARCELY... WHEN - hardly... when - no sooner... than

"Nothing will persuade me to sleep in that haunted house", she said.

SHE FLATLY refused to sleep in that haunted house.

She wore headphone in order not to disturb anyone.

SHE WORE HEADPHONE LEST she should disturb anyone.

Sorry, you can't do whatever you want. (PICK)

SORRY, YOU'RE NOT IN the position to pick and choose.

Sean did all the illustration for the book but no one acknowledged his work. (CREDIT)

Sean wasn't GIVEN ANY CREDIT for doing all the illustration for the book. GIVE SB CREDIT (for doing sth) - to acknowledge

She is not very good at arranging flowers. (FLAIR)

She doesn't have much of a FLAIR for arranging flowers.

Puzzle-solving is one of her favorite pastimes and always has been. (PASSION)

She has HAD A PASSION for solving puzzle since she was a child. HAVE A (consuming) PASSION FOR STH - to like sth very much

She only ever has one chocolate at a time. (PERMITS)

She never PERMITS herself more than one chocolate at a time. PERMIT YOURSELF STH - to allow yourself to do sth

* Not a word came out of her mouth. (LOST)

She was LOST FOR WORDS.

Since their father's death, they have had serious financial problems. (STRAITS)

Since their father's death, they have been IN DIRE STRAITS. IN DIRE STRAITS: quẫn túng - very poor

* I'm on the tenth page of the report I am writing.

So far I have written ten pages of the report.

* That's the second time this year that Susan refused to marry him. (DOWN)

Susan has TURNED DOWN his proposal of marriage twice this year.

Further progress was impossible because of the flood.

THE FLOODS made further progress impossible.

* The inspector showed us four potential hazards.

THE INSPECTOR DREW our attention to four potential hazards.

* Success in the academic field depends on your ability to amass qualifications.

THE MORE qualifications you are able to amass, the more success you will have.

A lot of awards on his wall point to his great success. (TESTIMONY)

THE NUMEROUS awards on his wall BEAR TESTIMONY TO his great success. BEAR TESTIMONY/WITNESS - to say you know that sth is true

This liver condition is common among those who drink a lot.

THIS LIVER CONDITION is common among heavy drinkers.

This vase seems too big for this small table. (PROPORTION)

THIS VASE LOOKS OUT OF PROPORTION for this small table.

That hotel is a bit too expensive for us, I'm afraid.

That hotel is a bit BEYOND OUR REACH , I'm afraid. BEYOND YOUR REACH - you can't afford it

The construction workers recklessly disregarded the safety at work. (SHOWED)

The construction workers SHOWED a reckless disregard for the safety at work.

They all agreed that the new dress code was a complete success. (HAILED)

The new dress code was HAILED as a complete success. HAIL SB/STH AS STH - to praise sb/sth

The police had to let the suspect go because new evidence was produced. (LIGHT)

The police had to let the suspect go because new evidence was BROUGHT TO LIGHT. BRING STH TO LIGHT: làm rõ - to make public - to discover sth

* Coming to class late is inexcusable. (EXCUSE)

There is no EXCUSE FOR coming to class late.

They have known each other since they were at infant school. (INFANTS)

They have known each other since they were IN THE INFANTS. THE INFANTS - infant school

She gets bored quickly at parties because there is so much trivial conversation. (SMALL)

Too much SMALL TALK is the reason why she gets bored quickly at parties. SMALL TALK: chuyện phiếm

You must not, I repeat not, open this box until Christmas Day.

UNDER no circumstances is this box to be opened until Christmas Day.

Venezuelan mourners queued for hours to attend the funeral of the country's late leader, Hugo Chavez. (TRIBUTE)

VENEZUELAN MOURNERS LINED up for hours to PAY TRIBUTE TO their late leader, Hugo Chavez.

I find his clothes the most irritating about him.

WHAT MOST irritates me about him is his clothes.

Why is it so funny that I want to learn the saxophone?

WHAT'S SO FUNNY about my wanting to learn the saxophone?

* There is nobody in this office that will offer a different opinion to the one I gave one.

WHOEVER you ask in thi office will say the same thing as I did.

We didn't phone you in case we woke you up. (SO)

We didn't phone you SO AS NOT TO wake you up.

* There was nothing we could do to stop him. (POWERLESS)

We were POWERLESS to stop him.

Einstein proved that energy and mass are basically the same thing.

What EINSTEIN PROVED WAS THAT energy and mass are basically the same thing.

Will you please stay with me for a while? (COMPANY)

Will you KEEP ME COMPANY for a while? KEEP SB COMPANY - to stay with sb so that they're not alone

* It would be much better for you to ask someone who really knows about the law.

YOU'D BE FAR better off asking someone who really knows the law.

You can rely on Kate to always say exactly what she thinks. (COUNT)

You can always COUNT ON Kate to always say exactly what she thinks.

You can do jogging anytime whatever the weather is like.

You can do jogging at anytime, COME RAIN OR SHINE. COME RAIN OR SHINE - come what may - whatever happens

* Having finished your studies, you must decide what to do next. (FUTURE)

You must decide upon your FUTURE now that you have finished your studies.

* Your examination results will determine whether or not you get into university. (ON)

Your entry to university DEPENDS ON your examination results.

Your excuse are beginning to sound unconvincing to me. (THIN)

Your excuses are WEARING THIN as far as I'm concerned. WEAR THIN - to become weaker or unacceptable