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Sentence Transformation Worksheets

The document provides exercises for transforming sentences across various grammatical structures, including tense changes, modal verbs, conditionals, and reported speech. It includes tasks for rewriting sentences to maintain meaning while altering their form, as well as providing advice and making deductions. The exercises are designed to enhance understanding and application of English grammar rules.
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
8 views

Sentence Transformation Worksheets

The document provides exercises for transforming sentences across various grammatical structures, including tense changes, modal verbs, conditionals, and reported speech. It includes tasks for rewriting sentences to maintain meaning while altering their form, as well as providing advice and making deductions. The exercises are designed to enhance understanding and application of English grammar rules.
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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SENTENCE TRASFORMATION 1

Tense review
1 Write answers to the questions. Use the words in brackets in your answers.
1 What time do you normally have breakfast?
I normally eat breakfast at 8pm. (eat / 8pm)
2 What are you doing right now?
I’m reading a book. (read / book)
3 What did you say?
I said, ‘Look where you are going!’ (look / where / going)
4 Do you have any hobbies?
Yes, I do. I sing in a choir. (yes / sing in a choir)
5 What are you looking for?
I’m looking for my watch. (look for / watch)
6 Are you at the bus stop now?
No, we aren’t. We’re on the bus. / No, we’re on the bus. (no / on the bus)

2 Rewrite the sentences in the past.


1 Chris speaks German very well.
Chris spoke German very well.
2 She is always chatting to her friends.
She was always chatting to her friends.
3 Do you ever go skiing?
Have you ever gone skiing?
4 I talk to my friends when I am unhappy.
I talked to my friends when I was unhappy.

3 Rewrite the sentences to give the same meaning.


1 Joe and Susan don’t like dancing. This is their first time in a club.
Joe and Susan have never been to a club before because they don’t like dancing.
2 I watched TV and the doorbell rang.
When I was watching TV the doorbell rang.
3 Dan went to the gym. After that he went home.
When Dan had been to the gym, he went home.
4 The train was late. He didn’t arrive on time for the movie.
He didn’t arrive on time for the movie because the train was late.

4 Rewrite the sentences. Use the correct form of the verbs and the words in brackets.
1 I live in Madrid now. I started living in Madrid five years ago.
I have been living in Madrid for five years.
2 He’s planning to study Law at university.
He’s going to study Law at university.
3 The alarm was ringing this afternoon. It is ringing now.
The alarm has been ringing since this afternoon. 
4 We finished playing football. Then he texted us.
We had finished playing football when he texted us.
5 Tomorrow at 10pm, I’ll sleep.
Tomorrow, at 10 pm, I’ll be sleeping.
6 He arrived at dinnertime.
We were having dinner when he arrived.

PHOTOCOPIABLE © Cambridge University Press & Assessment 2025


SENTENCE TRASFORMATION
5 Rewrite the sentences using the words in brackets to give the same meaning.
1 When I was young, I went swimming every day. (used)
When I was young, I used to go swimming every day.
2 When my brothers were young, they went on a lot of bike rides. (would)
My bothers would go on a lot of bike rides when they were young.
3 Before I went to Japan, I didn’t like sushi. (use)
I didn’t use to like sushi before I went to Japan.
4 Before my mother had children, she was a police officer. (used)
My mother used to be a police officer before she had children.

6 Rewrite the sentences using the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
1 I have lived in Barcelona for three years. I will be living in Barcelona next April. (live)
In April, I will have been living in Barcelona for three years.
2 Ellie finishes school this year. She wants to be an architect. (go to university)
Next year, I think Ellie will go to university.
3 I am not at university now. Next year, when I’m 18, I will start university. (start)
By the time I’m 18, I will have started university.
4 The plane flies to Paris every day at 9am. I fly to Paris tomorrow. (leave)
My plane to Paris leaves at 9am tomorrow.
5 It’s freezing. It’s been so cold all day. (snow)
I think it’s going to rain.
6 We have been here for 20 minutes. He is coming in 10 minutes. (wait)
We will have been waiting for 30 minutes when he arrives.
7 The yoga class is on today. It starts at 6pm. (start)
It’s 4.30pm, the yoga class starts in an hour and half.
8 Listen to this news story. It’s really interesting. (like)
Listen to this news story. I think you will / ‘ll like it.

PHOTOCOPIABLE © Cambridge University Press & Assessment 2025


SENTENCE TRASFORMATION 2
Modal verbs
1 Rewrite the sentences using the modal verbs in brackets to give the same meaning.
1 Jasper could play the saxophone when he was seven. (able)
Jasper was able to play the saxophone when he was seven. 
2 You can each take one packet of crisps, but no more. (allowed)
You are allowed one packet of crisps each, but no more.
3 They’re able to run around 10 km as long as we don’t go too fast. (can)
They can run around 10 km as long as we don’t go too fast.
4 May I borrow your bike tomorrow morning? (could)
Could I borrow your bike this tomorrow morning?

2 Rewrite the sentences using different modal verbs to give the same meaning.
1 The government must introduce stricter laws on cybercrimes.
The government has to / needs to introduce stricter laws on cybercrimes.
2 It is not necessary to take your laptop to school ...
You don’t have to take your laptop to school.
3 You must clean your school shoes or you won’t get any pocket money.
You had better clean your school shoes or you won’t get any pocket money.
4 The local government should empty public bins every week.
The local government is supposed to empty public bins every week.
5 All countries have to work together to solve the problem of climate change.
All countries need to / must work together to solve the problem of climate change.

3 Give advice to the people with these problems using the words in brackets.
1 I don’t feel very well. I have a painful toothache. (go / dentist)
You should / ought to go to the dentist.
2 I have so many clothes. I don’t need all of them (recycle / clothes)
You should / ought to recycle more clothes.
3 This bottle is empty. I’ll leave it here. (not leave / in the park)
You shouldn’t leave it in the park.

PHOTOCOPIABLE © Cambridge University Press & Assessment 2025


SENTENCE TRASFORMATION 3
Deductions about the past and present; modal perfects
1 Rewrite the sentences using the modal verbs in brackets to give the same meaning.
1 David and Cara have a lot of homework and perhaps won’t come to the cinema. (might)
David and Cara might not come to the cinema (because they have a lot of homework).
2 He’s practised the piano a lot. It’s impossible for him to fail. (can’t)
He can’t fail (because he has practised a lot).
3 I have a headache. Perhaps I’m getting the flu. (could)
I could be getting the flu (because I have a headache).
4 He’s definitely got a lot of money as he’s always going on holiday. (must)
He must have a lot of money (as he’s always going on holiday). 

2 Write answers in response to the sentences. Use the prompts in brackets.


1 My dad doesn’t know where he left his wallet. Perhaps it’s in his car. (positive speculation)
He could / might / may have left it in the car.
2 He hasn’t arrived yet. Perhaps the train was delayed. (positive speculation)
The train could / might / may have been delayed.
3 I was in the same class as you. You definitely saw me. (positive certainty)
You must have seen me.
4 He seems to be very upset. I think he failed Science. (positive possibility)
He could / might / may have failed Science.
5 He was at the station. It’s impossible that he missed his train. (negative certainty)
He can’t have missed his train.

PHOTOCOPIABLE © Cambridge University Press & Assessment 2025


SENTENCE TRASFORMATION 4
Conditional sentences
1 Rewrite the sentences. Use the correct form of the conditional.
1 We had no time to see the whole movie. We were late.
If we hadn’t been late, we’d have had time see the whole movie.
2 You ate all the pizza yesterday. We can’t have a slice now.
If you hadn’t eaten all the pizza yesterday, we could / would be able to have a slice now.
3 He wants to get top grades. He has to study hard.
If he wants to get top grades, he has to study hard.
4 Don’t cycle so fast. You could fall off.
If you cycle that fast, you could fall off.
5 He doesn’t spend a lot of time with his family. He is very busy.
If he wasn’t / weren’t so busy, he would spend more time with his family.

2 Rewrite the sentences to give the same meaning.


1 I’m not going to the restaurant with you if you carry on complaining.
Unless you stop complaining, I won’t go to the restaurant with you.
2 He will contact you if he knows you are interested.
Provided / providing (that) he knows you are interested, he will contact you.
3 Daniel wouldn’t want to go out with her if she asked him out.
Even if she asked him out, Daniel wouldn’t want to go out with her.
4 His parents will let him go to the party if he keeps his room tidy for a week.
As long as he keeps his room tidy for a week, his parents will let him go to the party.

3 Write sentences using wish.


1 I can’t play football tonight because I hurt my ankle. 3 I can’t go out because I have to look after my little
I wish I hadn’t hurt my ankle. / I wish I could play football brother.
tonight. I wish I didn’t have to look after my little brother. / I wish
2 I think it’s a pity he never learnt another language. I could go out.
I wish he had learnt another language. 4 My teacher is always telling us off.
 I wish my teacher didn’t always tell us off.

4 Write sentences using if only.


1 I saw Andy, but I didn’t say hello. 3 I didn’t practise basketball last week and we lost the
If only I had said hello when I saw Andy. game.
2 I didn’t say goodbye to my dad this morning and he If only I had practised last week.
was upset. 4 I always fight with my brother.
If only I had said goodbye to my dad this morning. If only I didn’t fight with my brother.

5 Rewrite the sentences to give the same meaning.


1 Carmelo is scared of heights. He didn’t go to the top floor of the building.
If Carmelo wasn’t / weren’t scared of heights, he could have gone up to the top floor of the building.
2 There aren’t any nice cafes where I live.
I wish there were some nice cafes where I live.
3 My brother will be 21 tomorrow and I have no money to get him a present.
If only I had some money to buy my bother a present for his 21st birthday.
4 If Erika doesn‘t tell me what happened, I’ll be very angry.
Unless Erika tells me what happened, I’ll be very angry.

PHOTOCOPIABLE © Cambridge University Press & Assessment 2025


SENTENCE TRASFORMATION 5
Reported speech
1 Rewrite the sentences using reported speech.
1 ‘I’ve never liked vanilla milkshakes!’ said Tabby.
Tabby said that she had never liked vanilla milkshakes.
2 ‘My toothache got worse and worse as the day went on!’ Noah told his dad.
Noah told his dad that his toothache had got worse and worse as the day had gone on.
3 ‘They speak French in Canada as well as English,’ Josie pointed out.
Josie pointed out that they spoke French in Canada as well as English.
4 ‘John was talking to a delivery person this morning,’ said Henry.
Henry said that John had been talking to a delivery person that morning.
5 ‘Emily and Pete will be arriving in Lisbon in an hour,’ Vicky told her mum.
Vicky told her mum that Emily and Pete would be arriving in Lisbon in an hour.
6 ‘Fin has been cleaning the kitchen all morning and no-one has helped him!’ Emma said.
Emma said that Fin had been cleaning the kitchen all morning and that no one had helped him.
7 ‘I may invite Jordan and Heather to my Christmas party, but I’m not sure yet,’ Patrick told me.
Patrick told me that he might invite Jordan and Heather to his Christmas party, but that he wasn’t sure at that time.
8 ‘My mum and dad will give me some money if I pass my violin exam,’ said Chetna.
Chetna said that her mum and dad would give her some money if she passed her violin exam.

2 Rewrite the questions using reported speech.


1 Teacher: ‘What are you doing?’ 5 Ruth: ‘When is mum and dad’s anniversary?’
The teacher wanted to know what I was doing. Ruth wondered when mum and dad’s anniversary was.
2 Uncle: Did you get my birthday card and the present? 6 Matt: ‘Where are you going?’
My uncle wondered if I had got my birthday card and  Matt wanted to know what I was going.
the present. 7 Angela: ’Did anybody see you get on the bus?’
3 Trisha: ‘How long does the flight to Munich take?’ Angela asked if anybody had seen me get on 
Trisha wanted to know how long the flight to Munich  the bus.
took. 8 Bea: ‘When do you think they’ll arrive at the restaurant?’
4 Julie: ‘What time does their train depart?’ Bea wondered when they would arrive at the
Julie asked what time their train departed. restaurant.

3 Rewrite the sentences using the underlined reporting verbs.


1 ‘What time do we have to start work today?’ Rob asked. 6 ‘I promise to take you to the art exhibition next weekend.’
Rob asked what time they had to start work that day. He / She promised to take me to the art exhibition next 
2 ‘I’m sorry I forgot your birthday!’ Jean apologised to Clare. weekend.
Jean apologised for forgetting Clare’s birthday. 7 ‘You really should see that movie, it’s absolutely
3 ‘I suggest you find out about the travel documents you brilliant!’ Harshil advised.
may need before travelling to the US.’ Harshil advised me see the movie and that it was 
He / She suggested that I find out about the travel  absolutely brilliant.
documents I might need before travelling to the US. 8 ‘It was me who didn’t lock the front door,’ Darren
4 ‘The History teacher never explains things properly,’ admitted.
Hatty complained. Darren admitted to not locking the front door. / Darren
Hatty complained that the History teacher never admitted (that) he didn’t lock the front door.
explained things properly.
5 ‘You had better not forget to tidy your bedroom again
or you’ll be in trouble!’ Charlie warned.
Charlie warned me that I had better not forget to tidy my
bedroom again or I would be in trouble.

PHOTOCOPIABLE © Cambridge University Press & Assessment 2025


SENTENCE TRASFORMATION
4 Rewrite the sentences using the correct form of the verbs in brackets to give the same meaning.
1 ‘Let’s go to the park later.’ (suggest)
He suggested that we should go to the park later. / He suggested that we go to the park later.
2 ‘I’ve seen this movie a hundred times!’ (claim)
She claimed / claims to have seen / that she has seen the movie a hundred times.
3 ‘Why don’t you come out for dinner this Friday?’ (invite us)
They invited us to come out for dinner this Friday.
4 ‘You must let me pay for the ticket.’ (insist)
He insisted on paying for the ticket.
5 ‘Please say you will join us on holiday. You will love it!’ (persuade)
She persuaded me to join them on holiday.

5 Rewrite the questions or statements using the prompts in brackets.


1 Why don’t we go to the new art exhibition? (question tag)
Let’s go to the new art exhibition, shall we?
2 Are the clothes I’m wearing too formal? (question tag)
I’m not wearing clothes that are too formal, am I?
3 His new laptop cost $1000! (emphatic question)
It cost how much?
4 I don’t think they went to the museum. (question tag)
They didn’t go to the museum, did they?
5 They’ve gone to Hawaii. (emphatic question)
They’ve gone where?

6 Rewrite the questions using the words in brackets to give the same meaning.
1 Where is the nearest post office? (could)
Could you tell me where the nearest post office is?
2 How much is this phone? (know)
Do you know how much this phone is?
3 Can you give me directions? (wonder)
I wonder if you can give me directions.
4 How do artists think of all their ideas? (don’t know)
I don’t know how artists think of all their ideas.

PHOTOCOPIABLE © Cambridge University Press & Assessment 2025


SENTENCE TRASFORMATION 6
Relative clauses
1 Join the sentences using a relative pronoun to make one sentence.
1 The TV show is great. I am watching it at the moment.
The TV show that / which I am watching at the moment is great.
2 My aunt and uncle live in Scotland. They have three cats.
My aunt and uncle who / that live in Scotland have three cats.
3 The art gallery closes at six o’clock. We want to visit it.
The art gallery that / which we want to visit closes at six o’clock.
4 The man is from Thailand. He lives next door.
The man who / that lives next door is from Thailand.
5 My mum has a tablet. It is very old.
The tablet that / which my mum has is very old.
6 My brother doesn’t go to my school. He is 17.
My brother who / that is 17 doesn’t go to my school.
7 I saw Chris. He went to school with you.
I saw Chris who / that you went to school with.
8 Andrea works for a company. They sell computers.
Andrea works for a company that / which sells computers.
9 The bus goes to the train station. It leaves every 15 minutes.
The bus that / which goes to the train station leaves every 15 minutes.
10 I lost my wallet. It was on my desk.
I lost my wallet which / that was on my desk.

2 Rewrite the sentences using relative clauses to sound more formal. Use the words in brackets.
1 Jenny and Tom work for that company. (that is)
That is the company that Jenny and Tom work for.
2 Ana is very proud of her sister, Paola. (whom)
Paola, of whom Ana is very proud, is her sister.
3 They talked to their colleagues about the office party. (those are)
Those are the colleagues that they talked to about the office party.
4 Jack would love that sort of movie. (that is)
That is the sort of movie that Jack would love.
5 The children will join in that game. (in which)
That is the game in which the children will join.
6 Natasha was listening to that podcast. (that is)
That’s the podcast Natasha was listening to.
7 Who did you discuss the topic with? (with)
With whom did you discuss the topic?
8 We’re thinking of driving to the lake. (where)
The lake is where we’d like to drive to.
9 The estate agent made a loss on that sale. (on which)
That was a sale on which the estate agent made a loss.
10 You can’t rely on that website. (which)
That’s not a website on which you can rely.

PHOTOCOPIABLE © Cambridge University Press & Assessment 2025


SENTENCE TRASFORMATION
3 Rewrite the sentences using relative clauses and the words given.
1 That woman’s brother is my new Maths teacher.
That is the woman whose brother is my new Maths teacher.
2 Most of the campsites we stayed in were very good.
We stayed in a lot of campsites, most of which were very good.
3 The new house at the end of our road is beautiful.
The new house, which is at the end of our road, is beautiful.
4 That man over there is my new dentist.
That is the man who is my new dentist.
5 A friend of mine recommended a book for me to read.
That is the book which / that a friend of mine recommended me to read.
6 My sister works in Cambridge, a famous university town.
Cambridge, which is a famous university town, is where my sister works.
7 Maria loves travelling and is often away from home.
Maria, who loves travelling, is often away from home.
8 The new community centre will offer lots of different activities and is going to open next month.
The new community centre, which will offer lots of different activities, is going to open next month.

PHOTOCOPIABLE © Cambridge University Press & Assessment 2025


SENTENCE TRASFORMATION 7
Passive forms
1 Rewrite the sentences in the passive.
1 The team played an excellent match on Sunday.
An excellent match was played on Sunday by the team.
2 How many albums has she recorded?
How many albums have been recorded by her?
3 Do they sell clothes in that shop?
Are clothes sold in that shop?
4 The new hairdresser cut David’s hair.
David had/got his hair cut by the new hairdresser.
5 Thieves have stolen from a jewellery store in Newcastle.
Jewellery has been stolen in Newcastle (by thieves).
6 Security staff won’t allow 16-year-olds into the club.
16-year-olds won’t be allowed into the club (by security staff).
7 A businesswoman has donated money to a charity.
Money has been donated to a charity by a businesswoman.
8 My mum asks someone to clean our house once a month.
My mum has/gets our house cleaned once a month.

2 Rewrite the passive sentences in the active voice.


1 These apples have just been picked from the tree. 5 Is lunch being made?
We have just picked these apples from the tree. Are you making lunch?
2 He asked to be dropped off in the afternoon. 6 Ice creams are sold on the beach.
He asked me to drop him off in the afternoon. They sell ice creams on the beach.
3 It has to be done right now! 7 The crossword puzzle could not be solved.
You have to do it right now! Nobody could solve the crossword puzzle.
4 All his designer clothing was sold. 8 They had their living room redecorated yesterday.
He sold all his designer clothing. They arranged/paid for/got someone to redecorate
 their living room yesterday.

3 Rewrite the sentences in the passive using the verbs in bold.


1 Everybody knows she’s an amazing actor.
It is known that she is an amazing actor.
2 We didn’t know they would come to the party.
It wasn’t expected that they would come to the party.
3 People don’t believe that ghosts exist.
It isn’t believed that ghosts exist.
4 They say he’s incredibly friendly!
It is said that he’s incredibly friendly.
5 Everyone predicts that climate change will continue to have a huge impact on the environment.
It is predicted that climate change will continue to have a huge impact on the environment.
6 People estimate that space travel will progress rapidly over the next decade.
It is estimated space travel will progress rapidly over the next decade.
7 They report that taxes will increase steadily over the next five years.
It is reported that taxes will increase steadily over the next five years.
8 People have considered it as one of the best musicals this year.
It is considered to be one of the best musicals this year.

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