Key Word Transformations - worksheet 1

You need to take the information in the first sentence and re-write it, using the word in bold so that the second
sentence has exactly the same meaning. You cannot change the word in bold in ANY way. You can use between
THREE and SIX words for each space. Remember, contractions such as I'm or shouldn't count as two words.

1. None of the phones were left when we got to the shop.

time
______________________________ the shop, all the phones had been sold.

2. I didn't know it was Carl until he took off his hat.

when
Only ______________________________ his hat did I recognise Carl.

3. Don't waste your time asking Bryan to come with us.

worth
It's ______________________________ to come with us.

4. Perhaps John heard the story from Pippa.

have
Pippa might ______________________________ story.

5. Until they fire me as manager here, I'll run the company my way.
long
______________________________ the boss, I'll run the company my way.

6. The school's management are investigating allegations of teacher brutality.

into
Allegations of teacher brutality ______________________________ the school's management.

7. It's not possible that you saw Mary last night, she was with us!
have
You ______________________________ last night, she was with us!

8. The beach was fun even though it was too cold.

fact
______________________________ too cold, the beach was fun.

WORKSHEET 2

1. Many delegates stole pens from the conference room.

were
A lot of ______________________________ the conference room by delegates.

2. Immediately after Bess arrived home, the phone rang.

sooner
No ______________________________ home than the phone rang.

3. If his expensive divorce hadn't happened, Bill would still be a rich man.
for
If it ______________________________ divorce, Bill would still be a rich man.

4. "You won't get lost along the country lanes if you always have the map open."
long
He told them they wouldn't get lost ______________________________ had the map open.

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5. My brother has great ideas all the time.
comes
My brother always ______________________________ ideas.

6. If that passing woman hadn't arrived, we would have been completely lost.
for
Had it ______________________________, we would have got completely lost.

7. If I lose this job, nobody will let me forget it.

live
I'll ______________________________ if I lose this job. LIVE IT DOWN (OVERCOME SHAME AND
EMBARRASSMENT)

8. They'll have to cancel the show if the audience doesn't increase.

mean
A continued low audience for the show ______________________________ cancellation.

WORKSHEET 3

1. A phone call was the first we heard about them withdrawing from the concert.
pulling
The first we heard about ______________________________ of the concert was a phone call.

2. We need to run or the train will leave before we get there.

time
Unless we run, the train ______________________________ we get there.

3. "You really must stay for dessert," Kate's brother said to him.
staying
Kate's brother ______________________________ for dessert.

4. "A massage would do you a lot of good," Jake told Amy.

from
"You ______________________________ a massage," Jake told Amy.

5. Even if it's very far, they want to go to Paris for a weekend break.
may
Far ______________________________, they want to go to Paris for a weekend break.

6. The town's population surrendered as soon as the enemy arrived.

than
No sooner had the enemy arrived ______________________________ surrendered.

7. This building stands a very good chance of being closed as unsafe by the council.
highly
It's ______________________________ will be closed by council due to being unsafe.

8. Another student stole Carol's watch from the classroom.

had
Carol ______________________________ by another student from the classroom.

WORKSHEET 4

1. I'm just about to give up this diet because it's not working at all.
point
I'm ______________________________ this diet up because it's not working at all.

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2. Please do those photocopies whenever you have the time.
happen
Please do those photocopies if ______________________________ the time.

3. If you really want to spend the whole night studying, there's nothing I can do.
insist
If you ______________________________ the whole night, there's nothing I can do.

4. The match will be postponed if it keeps raining.

mean
Further rain ______________________________ postponement of the match.

5. "I can't stand what his assistant said about me," said Barbara.
objected
Barbara ______________________________ the assistant said about her.

6. "Ian took the money, not his brother Dylan," Susan said.
it
According to Susan, ______________________________ took the money, not Dylan.

7. The shop was closed for a week while they decorated it.
done
While it ______________________________, the shop was closed for a week.

8. If Phil is having so many problems at school, maybe some private tuition would help him.
from
Maybe Phil would ______________________________ tuition if he's having so many problems at school.

WORKSHEET 5

1. They'll blame the failure of the festival on the weather.

down
The failure of the festival ______________________________ the weather.

2. When people speak down to my sister, she hates it.

being
My sister hates ______________________________ to like that

3. I know it's dangerous, but I love hang gliding.

may
Dangerous ______________________________, I love hang gliding.

4. I'd prefer you not to stay out so late.

rather
I'd ______________________________ stay out so late.

5. I don't think it's important how fast we drive, we're going to be late.
matter
We're going to be late ______________________________ drive.

6. We paid someone to fix the roof for us last summer.

had
Last summer, we ______________________________.

7. You should have spoken to Meg sooner.

spoken
If ______________________________ to Meg sooner.

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8. "You played your music too loud last night," Jan said to Ben angrily.
accused
Jan ______________________________ his music too loud the previous night.

WORKSHEET 6

1. "The manager broke the computer", Tina said.

it
Tina said ______________________________ the computer.

2. The flawed diamond was much cheaper than the perfect one.
lot
The perfect diamond cost ______________________________ flawed one.

3. "I'd like to know who thought of that horrible name for the new company."
came
Who ______________________________ name for the new company?

4. Someone was driving the car very erratically, the police confirmed.
being
The police confirmed that the car ______________________________ erratically.

5. "I really should have studied more for the exam," Jed thought.
studied
"If ______________________________ for the exam," Jed thought.

6. Any time you see Clara, ask her about her husband.
happen
If ______________________________ Clara, ask her about her husband.

7. The mayor revealed everything about the old scandal after he left office.
did
Only after leaving office ______________________________ everything about the old scandal.

8. Some have said that the government is ignoring the problem of inflation.
accused
The government ______________________________ the problem of inflation.

WORKSHEET 7

1. John said he almost never went out on a Wednesday night.

rarely
"______________________________ out on a Wednesday night," John said.

2. Megan apologised to Harry for saying he was a coward.

back
Megan ______________________________ she said about Harry being a coward.

3. I don't think Mika hitting your car was an accident.

purpose
I think Mika ______________________________.

4. "It's not the overtime I resent, it's the pay freeze," said Trevor.
objected
Trevor ______________________________ pay freeze than the overtime.

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5. "Don't tell Chris too much or you'll regret it," Sally told June.
against
Sally ______________________________ too much to Chris.

6. You're not ever allowed in this laboratory.

time
At ______________________________ permitted to be in this laboratory.

7. Don't ever open this door.

account
______________________________ should you open this door.

8. Daniel regretted speaking so rudely to his landlord

more
Daniel ______________________________ politely to his landlord.

WORKSHEET 8

1. If your sister didn't work so hard, your family would starve!

for
Were it ______________________________ working so hard, your family would starve.

2. Margaret told her daughter never to touch the vase.

circumstances
"Under ______________________________ this vase to be touched," Margaret told her daughter.

3. We get on well with both of Jack's parents.

terms
We ______________________________ with both of Jack's parents.

4. If we could choose, we'd prefer to go to Paris.

rather
We'd ______________________________ Paris if given the choice.

5. "Have you considered the cost of this project?" Elena asked.

account
Elena wanted to know if they had taken ______________________________ of the project.

6. "You might have to drive a lot in this job," Greg said to Kathy.
involve
Greg told Kathy that the job ______________________________ of driving.

7. The airline never said anything about having overbooked the plane.
time
At ______________________________ tell us they had overbooked the plane.

8. If you left the bank at 3pm, it's possible you saw the thief.
have
You may ______________________________ you were in the bank at 3pm.

WORKSHEET 9

1. Jenny isn't a bad accountant, but I don't think it is a very suitable occupation for her.
cut
I just don't think Jenny ________ an accountant.

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2. Don't you think insurance is getting very costly these days?
cost
Don't you think the ________ higher and higher these days?

3. We had no problems at all during our holiday in Turkey.

plan
Everything ________ during our holiday in Turkey.

4. It's possible Clare phoned while we were out.

may
Clare ________ while we were out.

5. Our class has won the History Quiz for the third year running.
succession
For the ________, our class has won the History Quiz.

6. The thunderstorm brought their tennis match to an abrupt end.

cut
They had to ________ because of the thunderstorm.

7. What used to be my workplace is now a Thai restaurant.

turned
My old workplace ________ Thai restaurant.

8. I don't mind at all if you film my wedding speech.

objection
I have ________ my wedding speech.

WORKSHEET 10

1. Carol should have worked harder if she wanted a promotion.

succeeded
Had Carol worked harder, ________ getting a promotion.

2. The manager will give a bonus to the best employee of the year.
awarded
The ________ a bonus by the manager.

3. Don't tell a soul what I said to you about Margaret.

keep
________ what I said to you about Margaret.

4. I forbid you to go to stay out so late.

question
It's ________ for you to stay out so late.

5. You can't tell Sophie that you saw me today.

account
On ________ Sophie that you saw me today.

6. This revolutionary new engine won't work unless it's carefully planned.
crucial
Careful planning ________ of this revolutionary new engine.

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7. It's very unlikely that we will promote Barbara this month.
chance
There is very little ________ this month.

8. They tried very hard to finish the painting by the end of the day.
best
They ________ the painting by the end of the day.

WORKSHEET 11

1. My dog tends to bark a lot when it's left alone.

habit
My dog is ________ a lot when it's left alone.

2. Clara could only afford that dress because of the loan you gave her.
lent
Had ________ money, she wouldn't have been able to afford that dress.

3. He lost the race as he didn't run as quickly as the rest of the boys.
pace
His loss was blamed on his inability ________ rest of the boys.

4. You must try to accept that you will never run your own company.
terms
You must ________ fact that you will never run your own company.

5. If you don't know what you're doing, you shouldn't dismantle the watch.
apart
Don't ________ you know what you're doing.

6. The weather seems to be improving this afternoon.

signs
The weather ________ this afternoon.

7. James said the reason for his poor exam performance was his illness.
blamed
James ________ on his illness.

8. You won't be able to come into this club without a shirt.

prevented
You ________ into this club without a shirt.

WORKSHEET 12

1. It was very windy, but we really enjoyed the picnic.

fact
We really enjoyed the picnic ______________________________ was very windy.

2. I couldn't believe it when Jackie came back to work.

aback
I ______________________________ the speed of Jackie's return to work.

3. It's very probable that this dog will win the competition.
highly
It's ______________________________ will win the competition.

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4. Mary didn't seem to be at all scared when she drove the motorbike.
disregard
Mary showed ______________________________ own safety when she drove the motorbike.

5. Jane said it was Sarah's fault that the dinner party was a disaster.
placed
Jane ______________________________ Sarah for the disastrous dinner party.

6. Even when I did very badly, my teacher always gave me encouragement.

matter
______________________________ I did, my teacher always gave me encouragement.

7. Hannah was preparing to send an email to Richard when she saw his email.
point
Hannah was ______________________________ Richard an email when she saw his email.

8. "It's not a good idea to invest in that company," Philip told John.
against
Philip ______________________________ in that company.

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