Ege Academy Blog

FCE SENTENCE TRANSFORMATION TIPS 1  (TENSES)

Sentences which give the same meaning

1) I have never watched such a boring film.

or

It’s the most boring film I have ever watched.

2) When did Derya start work?

or

How long is it since Derya started work?

or

How long ago did Derya start work?

3) My parents haven’t reached Marmaris yet.

or

My parents still haven’t reached Marmaris.

4) Duygu moved to Karşıyaka five months ago.

or

Duygu has been in Karşıyaka for five months.

5) I haven’t been to the Fenerbahçe’s football match for three years.

or

The last time I went to Fenerbahçe’s football match was three years ago.

6) It’s a long time since we went out.

or

We haven’t been out for a long time.

7) Alex has never eaten Turkish food before.

or

It’s the first time Alex has ever eaten Chinese food.

8) Melisa started cooking as soon as her husband (had) left home.

or

Melisa started cooking when her husband left.

or

Melisa waited until her husband had left before she started cooking.

or

Melisa didn’t start cooking until after her husband had left.

9) They got married ten years ago.

or

Thay have been married for ten years.

BECAUSE / BECAUSE OF

Use of ‘because’ and ‘because of’ : To give a reason

Structure: We use a complete sentence after because.

” They didn’t win the game because they didn’t play well.

BUT,

after because of we use NOUN Phrase or Ving form.

” All the flights were cancelled because of bad weather conditions.”

” I went to bed very early because of working too much.

PRACTICE

Fill in the blanks with “because” or “because of”

1. Please don’t let your children walk alone _______________the walkway is slippery when wet.

2. Alex missed the penalty _______________lack of concentration.

3. _______________ thick fog at the airport, Louis and Tim had to stay in Ankara one more day.

4. Unfortunately she had to give up singing __________________she had a serious throat problem.

5. You are not allowed to enter this secured area ________________ you don’t have an official permit.

6. We decided to buy that house ______________ its low price.

7. _____________the elecrticity was cut off, we went to bed early.

8. We can’t go to school by public transport tomorrow ____________ the srtike.

9. I had to overwork last week _____________my manager wanted me to finish the reports.

10. People always trust him _______________his honesty.

KEY: 1. because  2. because of  3. Because of  4. because 5. because  6. because of  7. Because 8. because of 9. because  10. because of

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BECAUSE OF / BECAUSE

IF or WHEN

Fill in the blanks with ‘if’ or ‘when’ and put the verbs into the correct tense

1) Alex will write an e-mail to his manager __________ he __________ ( arrive )

2) __________ does the doctor think he _____________( get over ) his injury?

3) __________ there____________( be ) any problems, I will phone you.

4) __________ the interviews __________ ( be ) over, we will announce the results.

5) I wonder ___________ Santos ____________( return ) from his trip to Brazil.

6) ___________ Michael ____________( apply ) for the job, I’m sure he will get it.

7) ___________ they _____________ ( arrive ) late at the airport, they will miss the flight.

8) She will call you ____________ she ____________( finish ) writing the reports.

9) ___________________________( he / give up ) blocking the street?

10) ____________ we __________( have ) nothing else to discuss, we can all leave now.

KEY

1. when / arrives  2. When / will get over  3. If / are  4. When / are  5. if / returns  6. If / applies  7. If / arrive  8. when / finishes  9. When does he give up 10. If / have

- Put the verbs in parenthesis into the Present Perfect, Present Perfect Continuous or Simple Past.

1) Alex: I think I _______________(1) ( lose ) my watch. I ________________ (2) (look) for it for nearly an hour, but I can’t find it. And it ____________ (3) (be) very expensive.

Roberto: I_____________(4) (lose) three watches so far and I ____________(5) (learn) my lesson. I only buy cheap watches now… Maybe you ______________(6)  (leave)  it at Tim’s office this morning.

Alex: No, I _____________ (7) (already, ask) him.

2) Sarp: This is the most exciting movie I ___________(8) (ever, watch)

Bora: Where ___________you___________(9) (get) that DVD film? I ___________(10 (try) to find it since last summer.

Sarp: My girlfriend ____________(11) (give) it to me for my birthday. I think she ___________(12) (order) it from shophere.com

3) Anelka: I’m afraid Deivid isn’t here. He _____________(13) (be) in a meeting since 8.30, but he should be here soon.

Selin: He__________(14) (leave) six messages on my voice mail but I’m not at home, so please tell him to call me at my summer house. I ___________(15) (stay) in my summer house for the past three weeks, but I ___________(16) (forget) to tell Deivid when I last __________(17) (see) him.

4) Kemal: Hey, Murat. Can you come here for a moment?

Murat: What’s the matter?

Kemal: Who ______________(18) (play) with Playstation?

Murat: I have no idea. Why?

Kemal: Well, someone ___________(19) (scratch) two of my blue-ray discs. I can’t play any games. Where’s Alex?

Murat: I don’t know. I ____________(20) (not see) him this morning but he’ll be here for lunch. You can ask him then.

KEY: 1. ‘ve lose  2. ‘ve been looking for  3. was  4. ‘ve lost  5. ‘ve learnt  6. left 7. ‘ve already asked  8. ‘ve ever watched  9. did / get 10. ‘ve been trying 11. gave  12. ordered  13. has been 14. has left  15. ‘ve been staying 16. forgot  17. saw  18. has played  19. has scratched 20. haven’t seen

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present-perfect

have something done / make somebody do something / get somebody to do something / let somebody do something

Choose the best answer.

1. She ________ that he wouldn’t tell anyone.

a) made him promised b) made him promise c) promised to make

2. Does your tooth still hurt? Yes, I have to get a dentist ________ soon.

a) look at it b) to get it looked at c) to look at it

3. I ________ a couple of days ago.

a) had my bike to be fixed b) had my bike fix c) had my bike fixed

4. I will not ________ with this!

a) allow you get away b) let you get away c) to let you get away

5. Don’t ________ these things about you!

a) let him say b) let him to say c) let him said

6. The movie ________ sad.

a) made to feel b) made him feel c) made him to feel

7. I get my ________ from my other address.

a) mail forward b) mail to forward c) mail forwarded

8. Have your assistant ________ these letters immediately!

a) to send b) to be sent c) send

9. He ________ yesterday.

a) had his hair cut b) had his hair to be cut c) had hair to be cut

10. The professor ________ early.

a) to let the students leave b) let the students leave c) let the students to leave

KEY: 1. b  2. c 3. c 4. b 5.a 6.b 7. c 8.c 9. a 10. b<-->

REWRITE QUESTIONS ( SENTENCE TRANSFORMATION )

Rewrite the sentences without changing the meaning. Use 2-5 words in total.

1. They were served by an attractive and quick waitress.  ( who )

The ________________________________________attractive and quick.

2. The moment I reached the tunnel, I saw a bright light.  ( just )

I saw a bright light ___________________________________the tunnel.

3. Ted and Robin spent their holiday in a magnificient hotel.  ( where )

The hotel _____________________________________ was magnificient.

4. The floorboards in her summer house are in bad shape and need replacing. ( which )

The floorboards in her summer house, ___________________________, need replacing.

5. The electricity won’t be reconnected until you pay the bill.  (when)

The electricity will be connected ________________________the bill.

6. My grandmother bought me a shirt, but the sleeves are too long. ( of  )

My grandmother bought me a shirt ______________________are too long.

7. The speakers left immediately after they finished their speech. ( soon )

The speakers left __________________________________their speech.

8. I hadn’t heard from Kate for years and last week I received a letter from her. ( who )

Last week I received a letter from Kate __________________________________from for years.

9. A lot of damage was caused by the storm yesterday. ( which)

There was a storm yesterday, ___________________________ a lot of damage.

10. The poet, who has recently had his poems translated into 7 languages, is giving a speech tonight. ( whose )

The poet, _________________________________translated into 7 languages, is giving a speech tonight.

11. I finished writing the reports and then I went out with my girlfriend.  ( until )

I didn’t go out with my girlfriend until __________________________the reports.

12. In 2002 I opened my first shop in Paris.  ( was )

2002 _________________________________I opened my first shop in Paris.

13. We’ll leave any time you’re ready.  (whenever)

We’ll leave _______________________________________ready.

14. During a walk in the main square Alex met his friend. ( while )

Alex met his friend ______________________________in the main square.

15. I met a very qualified assistant manager last week. ( whom )

The assistant manager ________________________last week was very qualified.

SOME / ANY

Fill in the blanks with “some” or “any”

1) There aren’t ____________correct answers in your exam paper.

2) I’ve got__________cheese but I haven’t got ___________jam.

3) Has Alex got __________children?

4) I can see ___________people in the street from my flat.

5) We haven’t got ___________potatoes but Larry has got __________.

6) Would you like ___________tea?

7) Can I have __________coffee, please?

8) You can smoke at __________but you cant buy cigarettes until you’re 18.

9) Sarah is very lonely. She hasn’t got __________friends here.

10. I can’t play ___________card games.

TIME CONJUCTIONS: if / unless / when / until / as soon as

A) Circle the correct words

1. I’ll call my mother until / as soon as I get the news about my father.

2. The plane hasn’t landed yet so I’ll wait until / when it arrives.

3. My sister’s going to buy a new computer when / unless she has enough money.

4. You won’t get a driving licence easily if / unless you practice more.

5. If / Until she fails her driving test, she’ll take it again next month.

6. They’ll go for a walk as soon as / unless the weather gets better.

7. He won’t play football until / as soon as he feels better.

8. When / Unless we move to Cunda, I’ll have a room with a sea view.

B) Fill in the blanks with if / unless / until / as soon as.

1. My boss’s coming office at 8.30. I’ll talk to him about my salary __________he arrives.

2. __________ she hurries up, we’ll be late for the match.

3. I can’t buy that car __________my father lend me some money.

4. It’s an exciting game. I’ll call my girlfriend __________it finishes.

5. What will she do ___________she is promoted?

6. __________we can’t find any tickets, we can watch the concert live on TV.

7. Can you look after my parrot ___________I get back from a business trip?

8. Because my father is on the way home, I’ll have to wait ________he gets home because he doesn’t have a spare key.

KEY. A) 1. as soon as  2. until  3. when  4. unless 5. If  6. as soon as  7. until  8. When

B) 1. as soon as  2. Unless  3. unless  4. as soon as  5. if  6. If  7. until  8. until

TIME EXPRESSIONS in PRESENT PREFECT and PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

Fill in the blanks with time expressions from the list below

since / all morning / already / How long / for / ever / yet / so far / just / always

1. Have you ___________eaten Indian food?

2. The dog has been barking ___________.

3. Deivid hasn’t started training __________.

4. I’ve _________wanted to see Istanbul and its historical places.

5. His son has been ill ___________a week.

6. ___________has Alex been married?

7. It’s very early in the morning but my father has__________drunk five cups of coffee.

8. As a novelist he has written 34 novels __________.

9. Robin hasn’t seen her family __________2002.

10. I’ve __________cleaned my car, so it’s shining.

KEY) 1. ever  2. all morning  3. yet  4. always  5. for  6. How long  7. already  8. so far  9. since  10. just

Fill in the blanks with -ed or -ing form of the adjectives

1. The coach isn’t _____________ (please) with the results of his team.

2. Although everybody says the film is ___________(bore), I want to see it.

3. They were ___________(amaze) to see so many black clouds in the sky.

4. My father found Prague ___________(fascinate)

5. Roberto Carlos is ___________(concern) about his injury.

6. I have a profitable job but is ____________(exhaust).

7. Fairy tales are __________(enchante). Do you agree?

8. All the fans were __________(surprise) by the success of their team.

9. Getting up early at the weekends is ____________: (annoy ).

10. Robin is ___________(interest) in politics. According to her politics is really __________. (interest)

Key: 1. pleased  2. boring  3. amazed  4. fascinating  5. concerned  6. exhausting  7. enchanting  8. surprised  9. annoying  10. interested / interesting