2 ANNO TRANSLATION COURSE HELP WITH TRANSFORMATION SENTENCES: 1.

Part of the Use of English paper asks you to transform sentences from one structure to another. In Exercise 2 you are given a complete sentence. Example: I expect that he will get there by lunchtime. This is followed by an incomplete sentence. Answer: I expect him_________________________________________ The example needs to be completed like this: Answer: I expect him to get there by lunchtime. The new sentence must have a similar meaning to the original one, but will probably use a different grammatical structure. Other changes may also be necessary to complete the new sentence. 2. Look at the following transformation: Example: Ill certainly meet you at the airport tomorrow, said my uncle. Answer: My uncle promised to meet me at the airport the next day. What has changed? Why? What has remained the same? Why? What has been omitted? What has been added? Are there any other correct ways to complete the transformation?

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Are the following good examples of transformations? Example 1: She was surprised that the tickets were so expensive. a. She found it surprising that the tickets were so expensive. b. She found it a surprise that the tickets were not cheap. a. is a good transformation because the new sentence has the same meaning as the original sentence. b. is incorrect because the expression She found it is followed by -ing form, and not cheap does not have the same meaning as so expensive. Example 2: Sam tried to explain how the machine works, buthis colleagues didnt understand. a. Sams colleagues didnt understand his explanation of how the machine works. b. Sams colleagues didnt understand when he explained how the machine works. Both sentence a. and sentence b. are correct because his explanation and when he explained carry the same information as the original sentence.

4. For sentences 1-5, decide whether a or b are good or bad transformations. Before you start remember the following: A) Check that the new sentence is similar in meaning to the original. B) Try to identify the target structure of each transformation sentence. C) Do NOT make changes and additions which are NOT necessary. D) In the new sentence try to use words which have the same root as the words in the original sentence. 1. It was once thought that the sun moved around the earth. a) The sun used to move around the earth once. b) The sun was once thought to move around the earth. 2. Everyone started clapping immediately the curtain came down. a) No sooner had the curtain come down than everyone started clapping. b) No sooner had everyone started clapping when the curtain came down 3. He didnt intend to pay the phone bill until the last possible moment. a) He had to pay the phone bill at the last possible moment. b) He had no intention of paying the phone bill until the last possible moment. 4. Despite his bad headache, he still completed the exam successfully. a) Although he had a bad headache, he still completed the exam successfully. b) Although he was suffering from a bad headache, he still completed the exam successfully. 5. They were unable to open the door until they had found a spare key. a) Not until a spare key had been found were they able to open the door. b) Not until a person had been found with a spare key they were able to open the door.

5. Now try these exercises. finish each of the following sentences in such a way that it is as similar as possible in meaning to the sentence printed before it. 1. 2. One of the actors was too ill to appear in the play that night. One actor was so________________________________________ I am astounded that you paid the money before you received the goods. What__________________________________________________ The price of computers has fallen significantly in recent years. There has______________________________________________ Molly finds it easy to learn foreign languages. Molly has no____________________________________________ She was appointed to the committee for two years. Her___________________________________________________ I will get in touch with you immediately Sandra gives me an answer. As____________________________________________________ Its extremely important that Rachel avoids upsetting Roger. On no account________________________________________________ Id prefer you not to smoke in the car, if you dont mind. Id rather______________________________________________ Im sorry we are unable to invite Martin to the party. I wish_________________________________________________ Toms teacher told him off yesterday. Tom__________________________________________________

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2 ANNO USE OF ENGLISH HELP WITH TRANSFORMATION KEY

Exercise 2 The original sentence is direct speech, the transformed sentence is reported speech. The subject my uncle is the same, but using the verb promise introduces a new structure promise + infinitive with to, so Ill meet becomes to meet. You in direct speech becomes me in direct speech. at the airport a prepositional phrase of place remains the same, but tomorrow changes to the next day because the event is now over and being reported, so at the real time of reporting tomorrow would refer forward and not back. Another way of completing the transformation correctly would be: My uncle promised that he would meet me at the airport the following day. Exercise 4 1b the position of once changes the meaning. In a) at the end of the sentence it means one time, i.e. the movement only happened on one occasion. Whereas in the original and in b), the position of once means at one time, i.e. a point in past time, as in once a upon a time. 2a The time sequence is important here. In the original sentence 1) the curtain comes down 2) everyone claps. This is reflected in the sequence of a), but it is the wrong way round in b). In addition, b) does not use the correct structure no soonerthan, but uses no soonerwhen. 3b In a) the modal had to implies some sort of outside pressure to pay, and there is none here. His internal intention is not to pay. 4 a and b both sentences are appropriate. The important thing is that although is followed by a clause and not a noun. Sentence b), however, introduces suffering from which is an addition to the original sentence. 5a The negative phrase Not until at the beginning of the sentence is not followed by the usual subject/verb order. This negative phrase inverts the usual order to verb/subject, so b) should read Not until a person was found with a spare key were they able to open the door. Also, a person adds information that was not included in the original sentence. Exercise 5. 1. One actor was so ill he couldnt / wasnt able to appear in the play that night. (too becomes so + verb phrase)

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What astounds me is that you paid the money before you received the goods. (transformation from to be astounded to something astounds someone) There has been a significant fall in the price of computers in recent years. ( active to passive) Molly has no difficulty / problem (in) learning foreign languages. (verb + adjective changes to verb + noun) Her appointment to the committee was for two years. ( verb to noun) As soon as Sandra gives me an answer Ill get in touch with you. ( immediately becomes as soon as + first conditional) On no account must / should Rachel upset Roger. ( on no account + modal on no account requires inversion) Id rather you didnt smoke in the car. ( Id prefer + infinitive Id rather + simple past) I wish we could invite Martin to the party. ( wish + simple past) Tom was told off / got told off by his teacher yesterday. ( active to passive)