TRANSFORMATION OF SENTENCES.

CHANGING A SENTENCE FROM ONE FORM TO ANOTHER WITHOUT CHANGING THE MEANING.

*Transformation of sentences is a part of your syllabus and it falls under the grammar section. It carries 8 marks. After each question the instruction is given on how to begin

or end the sentence(following the diff ways that are given in the slides) to form the answer. Given in the slides below are the various ways in which you change a sentence

from one form to another without changing the meaning.

CONVERSION PATTERNS:

Examples:

1. He is too slow to win the race.

He is so slow that he cannot win the race.

2. The news is too good to be true.

The news is so good that it cannot be true.

REMOVING “TOO” USING “SO THAT”

REMOVING “SO...THAT” USING “TOO”

1. I am so innocent that I cannot get to the tricksI am too innocent to get to the tricks.

2. John is so talented that he will surely pass the exam.John is too talented to fail in the exam.

ACTIVE VOICE PASSIVE VOICE

1. He is playing the trick. 1. The trick is being played by him.

2. I know her. 2. She is known to me.

3. Brutus stabbed Caesar. 3. Caesar was stabbed by Brutus.

PASSIVE TO ACTIVE

PASSIVE VOICE ACTIVE VOICE

1. Our enemy has been defeated 1. The enemy has defeated our army.

2. Let the new shirt be put on. 2. Put on the new shirt.

3. My pocket has been picked. 3. Someone has picked my pocket.

2. INTERCHANGE OF ACTIVE AND PASSIVE VOICE

3. INTERCHANGE OF DEGREE OF COMPARISON.

THERE ARE 3 DEGREES OF COMPARISON- POSITIVE, COMPARATIVE AND SUPERLATIVE.THESE DEGREES OF COMPARISON ARE RELATED TO THE 3 FORMS OF COMPARISON-

Eg. GOOD,BETTER,BEST.

No other metal is as useful as iron. . (POSITIVE)Iron is more useful than any other metal. (COMPARATIVE)Iron is the most useful of all metals. (SUPERLATIVE)

No other city in India is as big as Mumbai. (POSITIVE)Mumbai is bigger than any other city in India. (COMPARATIVE)Mumbai is the biggest city in India. (SUPERLATIVE)

Naomi is not so clever as some other girls of the class. (POSITIVE)Some girls of the class are cleverer than Naomi. (COMPARATIVE)Naomi is not one of the cleverest girls in the class. (SUPERLATIVE)

Very few singers are as good as Lata. (POSITIVE)Lata is better than most of the singers. (COMPARATIVE) Lata is one of the best singers. (SUPERLATIVE)

Rule 1: Only to be replaced by none but / not more than

Affirmative: Only he can play good cricket.

Negative: None but he can play good cricket.

Affirmative: He is only four.

Negative: He is not more than four.

RULE 2: Must to be replaced by cannot but/cannot help

Affirmative: You must yield to your fate.

Negative: You cannot but yield to your fate

RULE 3 : Positive value ‘good’ replaced by ‘not bad’

Affirmative: He is a good man.

Negative: He is not a bad man.

4.INTERCHANGE OF AFFIRMATIVE AND NEGATIVE SENTENCES

An affirmative sentence simply states something. It is any declaration that is positive.

Jane is a girl. – Is an example of an affirmative sentence.Jane is not a boy. – Is an example of a negative sentence.

An affirmative or positive sentence means something is so, while a negative sentence – which is its polar opposite – means something is not so.

• Rule 4: Always is replaced by never

Affirmative: He was always punctual.

Negative: He was never late.

• RULE 5: As soon as is replaced by No sooner had/did

• Affirmative: As soon as he saw the tiger, he ran away.

Negative: No sooner had he seen the tiger than he ran away. ( it is correct

idiomatically)

• Rule 6: Everybody/everyone replaced by No one/nobody

• Affirmative: Everyone will admit it.

• Negative: No one will deny it.

Example:Who does not want to live in peace?Everybody wants to live in peace.

Example:Who can afford to spend such a huge amount?None can afford to spend such a huge amount.

Who would befriend such a clever man?No one would befriend such a clever man

When an interrogative sentence is in negative, it is changed into a positive assertive sentence as :

If the interrogative sentence is positive, it is changed into a negative sentence as :

5. INTERCHANGE OF INTERROGATIVE AND ASSERTIVE SENTENCES

INTERROGATIVE SENTENCE:SENTENCE THAT ASKS A QUESTION.

ASSERTIVE SENTENCE:SENTENCE THAT MAKES AN ASSERTION OR STATEMENT

If the interrogative sentence starts with the following words, it is changed with the word given in parentheses with the each of these words.

–Who ( Nobody or None),

–Who does not (Everybody or Everyone),

–When (Never),

–Where (Nowhere),

–Why (It is of no use or It is useless),

–Of what use (Of no use),

–What if ( It does not matter)

–How (A negative verb)

For Example :•Who would not like to progress in career?•Everyone would like to progress in career.

•Of what use are these riches for John?•These riches are of no use for John.

•Who would accept such an insult?•Nobody would accept such an insult.

•When will it learn manners?•It will never learn manners.

•Why to beat about the town?•It is of no use to beat about the town.

•What if one opportunity is lost?•It does not matter if one opportunity is lost.

•How can she manage affairs single-handedly?•She cannot manage affairs single-handedly.

Similarly the Assertive sentences can be transformed into Interrogative sentences by reversing the process.

For example :•We should respect our superiors.•Should not we respect our superiors?

•Everyone will praise him.•Who won’t praise him ?

•None would dare challenge him.•Who would dare challenge him ?

•It is a great pleasure to see an old friend.•Is it not a great pleasure to see an old friend?

•Nobody could solve these sums.•Couldn’t anybody solve these sums ?

Please note that in no case tense of a sentence is to be changed. Tense of the sentence will remain the same.

• Exclamatory sentences are the sentences which describe the feelings of happiness, sorrow, surprise, a strong desire or a strong wish. These end with a sign “!”

First type of exclamatory sentences start with the words “How or What”.

While changing these sentences into assertive form these words are replaced by the words ‘very’ and ‘great’. ‘Very’ is added before adjective and ‘great’ before a noun in the sentence.

For example :

• How cold it is today !

It is very cold today.

• How fine weather it is today!

It is very fine weather today.

• What a fool I am !

I am a great fool.

• What a change in his attitude!

There is a great change in his attitude.

6. Conversion of Exclamatory sentences into Assertive Sentences & Vice

versa.

Second type of exclamatory sentences start with the words Hurrah, Alas and Bravo.

These words are replaced by the words :

•It is a matter of happiness (or joy) that or

•It is sad that (It is a matter of grief that) respectively.

For example :

•Hurrah ! we have won the match.

•It is a matter of happiness that we have won the match.

•Hurrah ! tomorrow is a holiday !

It is a matter of joy that tomorrow is a holiday.

•Alas ! I have lost the contest.

It is sad that I have lost the contest.

•Alas ! I could not qualify the competition.

It is sad that I could not qualify the competition.

•Bravo! we have won the match.

It is a matter of joy that we won the match

• Third type of exclamatory sentences start with the words O, Oh, if, Could or Would that, If only.

These sentences are changed into assertive sentences by adding the words ‘wished’ or ‘earnestly desired’.

For example :

• O, that I could fly in the sky!

I wish that I could fly in the sky.

• Oh, that we were in a new mansion!

We wish that we were in a new mansion.

• Would that I were a millionaire!

I wish that I were a millionaire.

• If only I were a king!

I wish that I were a king.

• Could it be possible for me to convince him!

I wish that it could be possible for me to convince him.

• Similarly assertive sentences can be converted into exclamatory sentences by reversing the process.

For example :

• He is very strong.

How strong he is !

• It is joyful that I won a lottery.

Hurrah! I won a lottery.

• I wished that I could be successful.

O, that I could be successful !

• He is a very noble man.

What a noble man he is !

• The young lady is very pious.

How pious the young lady is!

• CHANGING USE OF VERBS TO NOUN

I cannot consent to your plan. (verb)

I cannot give my consent to your plan. (noun)

• CHANGING USE OF ADJECTIVE TO NOUN

You have a beautiful garden. (adjective)

The beauty of your garden is praiseworthy. (noun)

• CHANGING USE OF NOUN TO ADJECTIVE

He admitted his guilt. (noun)

He admitted that he was guilty. (adjective)

• CHANGING USE OF NOUN INTO ADVERB

Mohan goes to school every day.

Mohan goes to school daily.

7. CHANGING ONE PART OF SPEECH WITH ANOTHER

• CHANGING USE OF ADVERB TO NOUN

He examined my papers carefully.

He examined my papers with care.

• CHANGING USE OF ADJECTIVE TO ADVERB

He put up a brave fight.

He fought bravely.

• CHANGING USE OF ADVERB TO ADJECTIVE

The hunter successfully tracked the tiger.

The hunter was successful in tracking the tiger.

• CHANGING USE OF ADJECTIVE TO VERB.

We heard the pleasant news yesterday.

The news we heard yesterday pleased us.

• CHANGING USE OF VERB TO ADJECTIVE

He did not intend to harm you.

His harming you was not intentional.