Key Word Transformations.

Worksheet 1
For each sentence, use between three and eight words in the space provided so that the
second sentence has the same meaning as the first sentence. You must use the word given
in bold without changing it in any way. Remember, contractions such as I'm or shouldn't
count as two words.

1. Electricity is getting very expensive these days.

cost
The __________________________ higher and higher these days.

2. Unemployment has risen considerably over the last eighteen months and the government
is under pressure to find a solution.
increase
The government is under pressure due to __________________________ over the last
eighteen months.

3. The minister's resignation from the government was caused by the discovery of his role
in the financial scandal.
led
The discovery of the minister's role in the financial scandal
__________________________ the government.

4. Oh, there you are! I didn't even know you had gone out!
unaware
I __________________________ fact that you had gone out.

5. Don't get involved in this John, it has nothing to do with you.

keep
This has nothing to do with you so __________________________.

6. I really can't understand why he can't finish the project on time.

baffled
I am really __________________________ to finish the project on time.

7. Mr. Edwards was sacked partly because of his arriving late to work.
contributed
Mr. Edwards' constant lateness __________________________ from the company.

8. You can't just suddenly decide to go on a safari. You need to plan things very carefully.
spur
Going on safari isn't a decision you can make __________________________ moment.
You need to plan things very carefully.
1. She wants nothing less than to get that job. It would be a dream come true.
set
She has __________________________ getting that job.

2. If they ever discover your role in the incident, you will go to prison.
light
If your role in the incident __________________________, you'll go to prison.

3. Harry plays tennis much better than I do.

nearly
I am not __________________________ tennis player as Harry is.

4. Both candidates for the job are strong. They are both equally good.
hardly
There is __________________________ the two job candidates.

5. That child is twice as tall as he was two years ago.

doubled
That child's __________________________ in the last two years.

6. As soon as I arrived at the pub, a fight started.

sooner
No __________________________ a fight broke out in the pub.

7. There were very few people who understood what the professor said in the meeting.
virtually
There __________________________ who understood what the professor said in the
meeting.

8. The bank robbers had disappeared completely by the time the police arrived.
sign
There __________________________ robbers when the police arrived.

1. Give me a call only if you have to buy gas for the car.
run
Unless __________________________ gas, don't call me.

2. Watch the new secretary carefully this week to make sure she doesn't make any big
mistakes.
eye
Keep __________________________ secretary this week to make sure she doesn't make
any big mistakes.
3. You shouldn't be surprised at Kevin winning that tournament.
come
It __________________________ that Kevin won that tournament.

4. There is no doubt at all that the government will win the election.
conclusion
It is __________________________ that the government will win the election.

5. This is certainly not the last time you will be needed here on a Sunday.
means
It is __________________________ you won't be needed again on a Sunday.

6. Whatever happens, don't let anyone into the building without proper identity.
circumstances
__________________________ should you let anyone into the building without proper
identity.

7. If it wasn't for your arrogance, you would have gotten your promotion a long time ago.
but
__________________________ arrogance, you would have gotten your promotion a long
time ago.

8. I presume you are coming to the party Miriam.

read
Can I __________________________ you are coming to the party Miriam?

1. You are not a bad lawyer Martin, but I don't think it is a very suitable job for you.
cut
I just don't think you __________________________ a lawyer.

2. I don't have the foggiest idea whether he will be coming or not.

whatsoever
I have __________________________ he will be coming or not.

3. He failed the exam as he didn't work as fast as the rest of the class.
pace
His failure was blamed on his inability __________________________ rest of the class.

4. Everyone is criticising the government for its poor unemployment record

come
The government __________________________ over its unemployment record.

5. He was always going to leave that house after the divorce was finalised.
bound
He __________________________ the house after the divorce.
6. I don't find it at all surprising that nobody came to the party.
wonder
It's __________________________ nobody came to the party.

7. Please don't tell anyone else what I told you about Elizabeth.
keep
__________________________ yourself what I told you about Elizabeth.

8. Our boss is absolutely determined not to give us that pay rise.

intent
Our boss __________________________ the pay rise.

----------------------------

ANSWERS

1. Electricity is getting very expensive these days.

cost
The __COST OF ELECTRICITY IS GETTING__ higher and higher these days.

2. Unemployment has risen considerably over the last eighteen months and the government
is under pressure to find a solution.
increase
The government is under pressure due to __AN INCREASE IN UNEMPLOYMENT__
over the last eighteen months.

3. The minister's resignation from the government was caused by the discovery of his role
in the financial scandal.
led
The discovery of the minister's role in the financial scandal __LED TO HIS
RESIGNATION FROM__ the government.

4. Oh, there you are! I didn't even know you had gone out!
unaware
I __WAS UNAWARE OF THE__ fact that you had gone out.

5. Don't get involved in this John, it has nothing to do with you.

keep
This has nothing to do with you so __KEEP OUT (OF IT)__.

6. I really can't understand why he can't finish the project on time.

baffled
I am really __BAFFLED THAT/WHY HE IS UNABLE__ to finish the project on time.

7. Mr. Edwards was sacked partly because of his arriving late to work.
contributed
Mr. Edwards' constant lateness __CONTRIBUTED TO HIS SACKING/DISMISSAL__
from the company.

8. You can't just suddenly decide to go on a safari. You need to plan things very carefully.
spur
Going on safari isn't a decision you can make __ON THE SPUR OF THE__ moment. You
need to plan things very carefully.

1. She wants nothing less than to get that job. It would be a dream come true.
set
She has __SET HER HEART/(MIND) ON__ getting that job.

2. If they ever discover your role in the incident, you will go to prison.
light
If your role in the incident __EVER COMES TO LIGHT__, you'll go to prison.

3. Harry plays tennis much better than I do.

nearly
I am not __NEARLY AS GOOD A__ tennis player as Harry is.

4. Both candidates for the job are strong. They are both equally good.
hardly
There is __HARDLY ANY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN / ANYTHING SEPARATING__
the two job candidates.

5. That child is twice as tall as he was two years ago.

doubled
That child's __HEIGHT HAS DOUBLED__ in the last two years.

6. As soon as I arrived at the pub, a fight started.

sooner
No __SOONER HAD I ARRIVED THAN__ a fight broke out in the pub.

7. There were very few people who understood what the professor said in the meeting.
virtually
There __WAS VIRTUALLY NOBODY/NO-ONE__ who understood what the professor
said in the meeting.

8. The bank robbers had disappeared completely by the time the police arrived.
sign
There __WAS NO SIGN OF THE__ robbers when the police arrived.

1. Give me a call only if you have to buy gas for the car.
run
Unless __YOU RUN OUT OF__ gas, don't call me.
2. Watch the new secretary carefully this week to make sure she doesn't make any big
mistakes.
eye
Keep __AN EYE ON THE__ secretary this week to make sure she doesn't make any big
mistakes.

3. You shouldn't be surprised at Kevin winning that tournament.

come
It __SHOULD COME AS NO SURPRISE__ that Kevin won that tournament.

4. There is no doubt at all that the government will win the election.
conclusion
It is __A FOREGONE CONCLUSION__ that the government will win the election.

5. This is certainly not the last time you will be needed here on a Sunday.
means
It is __BY NO MEANS CERTAIN (THAT)__ you won't be needed again on a Sunday.

6. Whatever happens, don't let anyone into the building without proper identity.
circumstances
__UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES__ should you let anyone into the building without
proper identity.

7. If it wasn't for your arrogance, you would have gotten your promotion a long time ago.
but
__BUT FOR YOUR__ arrogance, you would have gotten your promotion a long time ago.

8. I presume you are coming to the party Miriam.

read
Can I __TAKE IT AS READ (THAT)__ you are coming to the party Miriam?

1. You are not a bad lawyer Martin, but I don't think it is a very suitable job for you.
cut
I just don't think you __ARE CUT OUT TO BE__ a lawyer.

2. I don't have the foggiest idea whether he will be coming or not.

whatsoever
I have __NO IDEA WHATSOEVER WHETHER/IF__ he will be coming or not.

3. He failed the exam as he didn't work as fast as the rest of the class.
pace
His failure was blamed on his inability __TO KEEP PACE WITH THE__ rest of the class.

4. Everyone is criticising the government for its poor unemployment record

come
The government __HAS COME IN FOR CRITICISM__ over its unemployment record.
5. He was always going to leave that house after the divorce was finalised.
bound
He __WAS BOUND TO LEAVE__ the house after the divorce.

6. I don't find it at all surprising that nobody came to the party.

wonder
It's __NO WONDER THAT__ nobody came to the party.

7. Please don't tell anyone else what I told you about Elizabeth.
keep
__PLEASE KEEP TO__ yourself what I told you about Elizabeth.

8. Our boss is absolutely determined not to give us that pay rise.

intent
Our boss __IS INTENT ON NOT GIVING__ the pay rise.

........................................................

Key Word Transformations. Worksheet 2

1 Impressively, he learned to play the guitar in just six weeks.

PICKED

For him _____________________________ in just six weeks is impressive.

2 Nobody seemed to know exactly how often the buses ran.

FREQUENCY

The _____________________________ to be known by anybody.

3 They were never really sure that she needed to know.

DEBATEABLE

It _____________________________ not she needed to know.

4 I believe he allows employees to be as creative as they like in their work.

SCOPE

He is understood to _____________________________ in employee’s [Link]

material | not for distribution
5 In her speech she didn’t mention how much her assistant had contributed.

NO

Her speech _____________________________ made by her assistant.

6 You’ll have an accident if you put too much in each glass.

BRIM

If you _____________________________ you’ll have an accident.

7 I don’t blame you for feeling upset about this.

EVERY

You _____________________________ upset about this.

8 It’s amazing that she still works in that job.

HELD

That she _____________________________ amaze me.

9 Somehow, his ideas often manage to make the task more complex.

DIMENSION

He often _____________________________ to the task.

10 Have the timetable revisions been seen yet?

SIGHT

Has anyone _____________________________ timetable yet?

------------------

ANSWERS

1 to have picked up the guitar G L

2 exact frequency of (the) buses didn’t seem L G

3 was debatable (as to) whether or not G G

4 allow great scope for creativity L G

5 made no reference to the contribution(s) G L

6 fill each glass to the brim L L

7 have every right/reason to feel L G

8 has held onto the/her/that job continues to L G

9 manages to add/bring a new/an extra dimension G L

10 had sight of the revised/the revisions to the G L

Key Word Transformations. Worksheet 3

1. Cameron has hinted that she doesn´t want to continue working with us any longer

HINT

Cameron has ......................................... wants to work with us.

2. Mark is far superior to John in terms of IT skills

MATCH

When it comes ....................................... for Mark

3. Many young people think that the Monarchy is irrelevant in today´s society and that it
should be abolished

OUTDATED

According to many youn people, the monarchy is ........................................... with

4. It was really unexpected when Ryan scores a goal at the very last minute of the match.

TIME

At ............................................. Ryan to score a goal at the very last minute of the match.

5. I like Rachel a lot although I wouldn´t want to marry her

MUCH

................................................. Rachel, I woudn´t want to marry her