Transformation of Sentences
Transformation of a sentence implies changing a sentence from one grammatical form to another without any change of its meanings.
There are the following ways of transformation :
- Transformation by change of parts of speech.
- Transformation by interchange of affirmative and negative sentences.
- Transformation by interchange of interrogative and assertive sentences.
- Transformation by interchange of simple, complex and compound sentences.
- Interchange of degrees of comparison.
Interchange of Parts of Speech
Replacing with Nouns
Changing Verbs into Nouns:
(i) The teacher permitted the student to go out.
The teacher gave the student permission to go out.
(ii) You argued very logically
Your argument is very logical.
(iii) The officer assessed your wealth incorrectly.
The officer made an incorrect assessment of your wealth.
(iv) I do not intend to insult you,
I have no intention to insult you.
(v) The Indian army fought bravely.
The Indian army put up a brave fight.
(vi) The old lady wished that I might live long.
The old lady wished me a long life.
Changing Adjectives into nouns:
(i) He is respectful to his teachers.
He has respect to his teachers.
(ii) We are proud of our motherland.
We take pride in our motherland.
(iii) We want to be free.
We want freedom.
(iv) Sumit is the most intelligent boy of the class.
Sumit has the greatest intelligence among the boys in the class.
(v) He is kind to all.
He treats all with kindness.
Changing Adverbs into Nouns:
(i) He argued the case logically.
He argued the case with logic.
(ii) India successfully conducted the nuclear tests at Pokhran.
India conducted the nuclear tests at Pokhran with success.
(iii) It is likely that it will rain this evening.
There is a likelihood of rain this evening.
(iv) The soldiers fought courageously.
The soldiers fought with courage.
(v) Read attentively if you want to succeed.
Read with attention if you want to succeed.
Replacing with Adjectives
Changing Nouns into Adjectives:
(i) There is no need of our worry.
We need not be worried.
(ii) Yuvraj Singh’s inclusion in the Indian cricket team is a certainty.
It is certain that Yuvraj Singh will be included in the Indian cricket team.
(iii) Smoking will cause injury to health.
Smoking is injurious to health.
(iv) He has respect to his teachers.
He is respectful to his teachers.
Changing Verbs into Adjectives:
(i) Respect your parents and teachers.
You should be respectful to your parents and teachers.
(ii) He succeeded in the competition.
He was successful in the competition.
(iii) He appears to be dishonest.
It is apparent that he is dishonest.
(iv) He troubled me to lot.
He was very troublesome.
(v) Smoking injures health.
Smoking is injurious to health.
Changing Adverbs into Adjectives
(i) I apologized unconditionally.
I tendered an unconditional apology.
(ii) He is apparently wrong.
It is apparent that he is wrong.
(iii) She will certainly succeed.
It is certain that she will succeed.
Replacing with Adverbs:
Changing Nouns with Adverbs:
(i) He passed the test with success.
He passed the test successfully
(ii) The teacher taught the student with care.
The teacher taught the student carefully.
(iii) He behaved to me with rudeness.
He behaved to me rudely.
Changing verbs into adverbs:
(i) Rahul Dravid seems to be in good form.
Rahul Dravid is seemingly is good form.
(ii) The dacoits forced their way into his house,
The dacoits forcibly made their way into his house.
(iii) We need to quicken our pace to reach the stations.
We need to go to the station quickly to reach the station.
(iv) Unfortunately Sourav Ganguly was dismissed.
It is unfortunate that Sourav Ganguly was dismissed.
Changing Adjectives into Adverbs
(i) It is certain that he will come.
He will certainly come.
(ii) S. Sreesanth is fast in his bowling.
S. Sreesanth bowls fast.
(iii) The police was prompt in taking action.
The police promptly took action.
Replacing with Verbs
Changing Nouns with Verbs
(i) Trees are being planted for beautification of the city.
Trees are being planted to beautify the city.
(ii) Terrorists are resorting bomb-blasts to create terror among people.
Terrorists are resorting to bomb-blasts to terrify people.
(iii) His reply was polite.
He politely replied.
(iv) I have confidence on him.
I can confide in him.
Changing Adjectives into verbs:
(i) He was successful in winning the prize.
He succeeded in winning the prize.
(ii) The people were brave to come out in the bad weather.
The people braved the bad weathers to come out.
(iii) He is always mindful of his lessons.
He always minds his lessons.
Changing Adverbs into verbs:
(i) Hopefully India will do well in the World Cup cricket.
It is hoped that India will do well in the World Cup cricket.
(ii) Osama Bin Laden was reportedly killed.
It was reported that Osama Bin Laden was killed.
(iii) Soham is admittedly the best boy in the class.
Soham is admitted that Soham is the best boy in the class.
Exercise
Rewrite the following sentences replacing the italised words by their Noun forms:
1. I will help him.
2. He fought very bravely.
3. It is a virtuous act.
4. He did the job hurriedly.
5. I am proud of you.
6. They did the work easily.
7. The Italian Prime Minister was welcomed warmly.
8. He behaved very politely.
9. The patient did not complain.
10. The students should listen to the teacher patiently.
Rewrite the following sentences replacing the italized words by their Verb forms:
1. He is respectful to his teachers.
2. Pradip is a forgetful boy.
3. The old man wished us a long life.
4. He is seemingly a retired person.
5. I have no intention to hurt your feelings.
6. The Indian army put up a brave fight.
7. The man’s behaviour was bad.
8. The method is apparently good.
9. The man is undoubtedly honest.
10. We are not hopeful of India’s victory.
Rewrite the following sentences replacing the italized word by their Adjective forms:
1. We spent the night restlessly.
2. We were treated warmly by our hosts.
3. The man is apparently polite and honest.
4. The man walked quickly to catch the train.
5. Sudipta writes nicely.
6. She replied the question rudely.
7. The boy should be carefully handled.
8. At the toss the Indian skipper, Rahul Dravid called it correctly.
9. You have passed the exam with credit.
10. Mohammad Kaif took the catch magnificently.
Rewrite the following sentences replacing the italized words by this Adverb forms:
1. He did the work with reluctance.
2. He appeared to be an honest person.
3. Sachin Tendulkar executed the cover-drive without any effort.
4. They spent the night without sleep.
5. They returned home in triumph.
6. I can say this without any hesitation.
7. It is admitted that Don Bradman was the best batsman of the world.
8. Careful study will definitely fetch him high marks in the subject.
9. The passengers had a narrow escape.
10. Let everybody live in peace.
Interchange of Affirmative and Negative Sentences
A Negative sentence is often formed by changing an Assertive sentence into an Interrogative, or vice versa. Moreover, a Negative form can be made by using opposite words, such as ‘none but’ for ‘only’, ‘never’, ‘good’ for ‘bad’ etc or by changing the degree or by using clause – ‘It is not that’ etc.
By using a word of opposite meaning after a negative word:
Affirmative: The man is poor
Negative: The man is not rich.
Affirmative: The girl is obedient.
Negative: The girl is not disobedient.
Affirmative: Man is mortal.
Negative: Man is not immortal.
Affirmative: The girl is beautiful.
Negative: The girl is not ugly.
By using double negatives:
Affirmative: We tried every plan.
Negative: We left no plan untried.
Affirmative: Every mother loves her child.
Negative: There is no mother who does not love her child.
Affirmative: Suresh Raina is agile in fielding.
Negative: Suresh Raina is not without agility in fielding.
By interchange of the degrees of comparison
It is possible to change the degree of comparison of an Adjective or Adverb in a sentence without changing the meaning of the sentence.
Affirmative: Ricky Ponting is the greatest batsman of the world today.
Negative: No other batsman in the world is so great as Ricky Ponting.
Affirmative: Water is more useful than any other drinks.
Negative: No other drink is so useful as water.
Affirmative: Soham is as tall as Shuvam.
Negative: Soham is not taller than Shuvam.
By omitting the adverb ‘too’:
Affirmative: The old man is too weak to walk.
Negative: The old man is so weak that he cannot walk.
Affirmative: The weather was too bad to resume the cricket match.
Negative: The weather was so bad that the match could not be resumed.
Affirmative: The child was too small to climb up the tree.
Negative: The child was so small that he could not climb up the tree.
By using ‘no sooner….. than’
Affirmative: As soon as we reached the station, than the train left the station.
Negative: No sooner had we reached the station than the train left the station.
Affirmative: As soon as the teacher entered the classroom the students stood up.
Negative: No sooner did the teacher enter the classroom, than the students stood up.
Affirmative: As soon as I went to school, the bell begans to ring.
Negative: No sooner had I gone to school, than the hell began to ring.
By using the words ‘help + ing’, ‘none but’ etc.
Affirmative: I had to attend the meeting.
Negative: I could not help attending the meeting.
Affirmative: The child cried only.
Negative: The child could not help crying.
Affirmative: Only a fool can say like this.
Negative: None but a fool can say like this.
Affirmative: Only Mahendra Singh Dhoni can hit huge sixes like these.
Negative: None but Mahendra Singh Dhoni can hit huge sixes like these.
By changing a statement into a question or vice versa:
Affirmative: Can I ever forget you?
Negative: I can never forget you.
Affirmative: Sourav Ganguly is a great left handed batsman.
Negative: Is not Sourav Ganguly a great left-handed batsman?
Affirmative: Every mother loves her child.
Negative: Which mother does not love her child?
Exercise
Change the following sentence from Affirmative to Negative or vice-versa :
1. As a batsman Sourav Ganguly is not technically as sound as Rahul Dravid.
2. I can never forget you.
3. Ram is not as tall as Shyam.
4. There is no smoke without fire.
5. I love my younger brother.
6. I am not ignorant of the matter.
7. Only I was absent there.
8. Never again shall I go there.
9. It is expected that he will come in time.
10. Death is inevitable
11. Samir always minds his lessons.
12. No man is immortal.
13. None but the brave deserves the fair.
14. You are competent for the post.
15. He is not logical at all.
16. Iron is most useful of all.
17. No sooner did he heard the news than she hurst into tears.
18. None but a fool must have done it.
19. He is too dull to work out the sum.
20. I cannot help saying this.
21. The load is too heavy to lift it.
22. This knife is sharp.
23. He is not without hope.
24. They tried every plan.
25. Nobody can deny Netaji Subhaschandra Basu’s contribution to India’s movement.
Interchange of Exclamatory and Assertive Sentences
In course of change from Exclamatory to Assertive sentence ‘very’ is usually used before an Adjective and ‘great’ before a Noun. Moreover, it can be changed by using the verb ‘wish’, ‘exclaim in wonder’ etc.
Exclamatory: What is charming scenery it is!
Assertive: It is a very charming scenery.
Exclamatory: Hurrah! India have won the match.
Assertive: We rejoice that our team has won the match.
Exclamatory: Alas! The old man is dead.
Assertive: We grieve that the old man is dead.
Exclamatory: Good morning! Mr. Sen.
Assertive: I wish you good morning. Mr. Sen.
Exclamatory: What hardships are in store for us?
Assertive: Great hardships are in store for us.
Exclamatory: What a piece of work is man!
Assertive: Man is a wonderful piece of work.
Exclamatory: What a tool you are!
Assertive: You are a great fool.
Exclamatory: What a promising player Robin Uthappa is!
Assertive: Robin Uthappa is a very promising player.
Exclamatory: How sweetly Lata Mangeskar sings!
Assertive: Lata Mangeskar sings very sweetly.
Exclamatory: What an intelligent student he is!
Assertive: He is a very intelligent student.
Exclamatory: How happy we were there!
Assertive: We were very happy there.
Exclamatory: what a magnificent square-cut it is by Sourav Ganguly!
Assertive: It is a very magnificent square-cut by Sourav Ganguly
Exercise
Change from Exclamatory into Assertive and vice versa:
1. O what a spectacular sight it is!
2. How sweet the banks look on the moonlit night!
3. How beautiful the scenic beauties of Darjeeling are?
4. The night is very beautiful.
5. What a large nose!
6. It is horrible sight.
7. How stupid of me to forget your name?
8. Fie! You are a liar.
9. If only I were safe at home?
10. Alas! Our leader is no more.
11. Hurrah! India have won the World Cup match against New Zealand.
12. I wish I were young again!
13. What a fine piece of work is the peacock’s wings.
14. How cold it is today?
15. O what a bowler Muttia Muralidharan!
Interchange of Interrogative and Assertive Sentences
In some special types of Interrogative, when the question is affirmative, a negative answer is implied; and when the question is negative, an affirmative answer is implied. Hence an Interrogative sentence is often changed into an Assertive sentence, and vice versa.
Interrogative: Is he not guilty?
Assertive: He is guilty.
Interrogative: Who does not love his country?
Assertive: Everyone loves his country.
Interrogative: Can their glory (s) ever fade?
Assertive: Their glory can never fade.
Interrogative: What use is such an old thing?
Assertive: Such an old thing is of no use.
Interrogative: Can we ever forget you?
Assertive: We can never forget you.
Interrogative: Who trusts a liar?
Assertive: Nobody trusts a liar.
Interrogative: Is it of any use to go there now?
Assertive: It is useless to go there now.ne
Interrogative: Who can hide truth? quod m
Assertive: Nobody can hide truth.
Interrogative: Who can better lead the Indian team than Sourav Ganguly?
Assertive: None can better lead the Indian team than Sourav Ganguly.
Interrogative: Who has not heard of Netaji?
Assertive: Everyone has heard of Netaji.
Interrogative: Who does not know that man is mortal?
Assertive: Everyone knows that man is mortal.
Interrogative: Isn’t Dr. A.P.J. Kalam a fine President?
Assertive: Dr. A.P.J. Kalam is a fine President.
Exercise
Change from Interrogative into Assertive and vice versa:
1. Can I deprive you of the opportunity?
2. Everyone loves an honest person.
3. He was a great fool to act like this.
4. Who can deny Raja Rammohan Roy’s contribution to our country?
5. Who does not wish to be happy?
6. There is no use of this bag.
7. Can anybody do this?
8. I cannot dislike you.
9. Who has not heard of Donald Bradman?
10. Who does not want comfort?
11. It does I fail.
12. There is no value higher than truth.
13. Was not Wasim Akram a great fast bowler?
14. Shall I ever forget these happy days?
15. Are not the beauties of the Himalayas beyond description?
16. I can never forget your help.
17. Nobody is free from sin.
18. What if I don’t vote?
19. It matters little if he resigns from the post.
20. Can man escape misfortune?
21. None trusts a liar.
22. I can never forget the match in which Sourav hit five huge sixes.
23. Can anyone dislike his motherland?
24. Suman is a nice boy.
25. Wasn’t Rabindranath Tagore a great genius?
Simple to Compound Sentences Transformation
By using (CUMULATIVE) ‘and’, ‘as well as’, ‘not only…but also’.
Simple: Having done the job, he went home.
Compound: He did the job and went home.
Simple: He is both honest and helpful.
Compound: He is not only honest but also helpful.
Simple: Inspite of his efforts, he failed.
Compound: He made efforts and he failed.
By using the conjunctions (adversative) but, still, yet, nevertheless :
Simple: In spite of his poverty, he is happy.
Compound: He is poor but he is happy, bonito brio
Simple: Notwithstanding Virender Sehwag’s wrong technique, he plays big innings.
Compound: Virender Sehwag has a wrong technique, yet he plays big innings.
Simple: Although Pradip came late to the function, he could manage to have a seat.
Compound: Pradip came late to the function but he could manage to have a seat.
By using conjunctions (alternative)- ‘either… or’, ‘neither… nor’ & or:
Simple: You must have a good handwriting to get good marks.
Compound: You must have a good handwriting or you will not get good marks.
Simple: It may be a snake. It may be a fish.
Compound: It may either be a snake or a fish.
Simple: Joginder Sharma could not bat well. He could not bowl well, too.
Compound: Joginder Sharma could neither bat well nor he bowl well.
By using the conjunctions (illative) so, therefore, then, so for, and so
Simple: The student having done poorly in the exam became terribly unhappy.
Compound: The student did poorly in the exam, so he became terribly unhappy.
Simple: Being angry, she left the place.
Compound: She was angry and so she left the place.
Simple: Mr. Sen is loved by all for his honesty and integrity.
Compound: Mr. Sen has honestly and integrity so he is loved by all.
Simple: Zaheer Khan returned to Indian team because of his hard work,
Compound: Zaheer Khan worked hand; therefore he returned to the Indian team.
Exercise
Turn the following Simple Sentences into Compound Sentences and vice versa:
1. In spite of his poverty, the farmer lives a peaceful life.
2. After worshipping the deities the man took food.
3. He is a liar and thief.
4. Besides being a good wicketkeeper, M.S. Dhoni is a fine batsman.
5. Sumit is ill but he has come to school.
6. Everyone deserted him except his wife.
7. He gave me both praise and blame.
8. You must give up smoking to live a long life.
9. Our neighbour is wealthy but unhappy.
10. Helen Keller was both deaf and dumb.
11. The thief ran away to escape arrest.
12. Suresh Raina ran thirty yards and brought off a fantastic catch.
13. Obey your teachers or you will be rusticated from school.
14. They are rich but modest.
15. Baichung Bhutia scored two goals to take Mohan Bagan into semifinals of the Federation Cup,
Compound to Single Sentence Transformation
By using Participles:
Compound: We saw the sun set and returned home.
Simple: Having seen the sun set we returned home.
Compound: He finished his work and left the place.
Simple: He left the place having finished the work.
Compound: Rahul Dravid hit twelve fours and made his hundred.
Simple: Rahul Dravid made his hundred hitting twelve fours.
Compound: The sun rose and the fog disappeared.
Simple: The sun having risen the fog disappeared.
By using Infinitive:
Compound: She must weep or she will die.
Simple: She must weep to avoid death.
Compound: Hurry up or you miss the train.
Simple: Hurry up not to miss the train.
Compound: We must eat or we cannot live.
Simple: We must cat to live.
Compound: You should be obedient or nobody will love you.
Simple: You should be obedient to get everybody’s love.
By using Prepositional:
Compound: Kapil Dev was not only a great bowler but also a fine batsman.
Simple: Besides being a great bowler Kapil Dev was a fine batsman.
Compound: He worked long and hard, and he succeeded.
Simple: He succeed by dint of his long and hard work.
Compound: The man has much money but he is unhappy.
Simple: In spite of the man having much money, he is unhappy.
Compound: Obey or you will be punished.
Simple: In case of your being not obedient you will be punished.
Exercise
Convert the following Compound Sentences into Simple Sentences
1. He not only made promise but also kept it.
2. The lady was unhappy, but she did not blame any one.
3. Gautam Buddha practised and preached.
4. They watched the match and returned home.
5. He is not only a scholar but also a fine teacher.
6. Soma worked hard and so she passed.
7. The boy must give up smoking or he will die young.
8. The student worked hard and so he succeeded.
9. He did this and earned the displeasure of his master.
10. I read ‘The invisible Man by H. G. Wells but could not understand it properly.
11. Be pure is heart and you will be blessed.
12. The man worked for two hours but he did not stop.
13. The ink dried up and I could not write.
14. You must be simple or you will suffer.
15. Greg Chappell was not only a great batsman but also a fine captain of the Australian cricket team.
Compound to Complex Sentence Transformation
Compound: He is rich so he is arrogant.
Complex: He is arrogant because he is rich.
Compound: Do or die.
Complex: If you do not do you will die.
Compound: Spare the rod and spoil the child.
Complex: If you spare the rod, you will spoil the child.
Compound: United we stand divided we fall.
Complex: If we are united we will stand, if we are divided we will fall.
Compound: The farmer was poor but he was happy.
Complex: Though the farmer was poor, he was happy.
Compound: Read and you will learn.
Complex: If you read you will learn.
Compound: The girl is studying hard; therefore she will fare well in the exam.
Complex: The girl well fare well in the exam because she is studying hard.
Exercise
Convert the following Compound Sentences into Complex sentences :
1. He was poor, but honest.
2. Suresh was ill, so he could not come to school.
3. You gave a pen and I lost it.
4. Give me blood and I will give you freedom.
5. Keep quiet or you will be punished.
6. He ran to the station but could not catch the train.
7. He put on his shoes and went out.
8. Waste not, want not.
9. Do as the teacher tell you or you will get poor marks in the exam.
10. Either Sujoy will come or he will send us a message.
11. The ship was wrecked but the crew was saved.
12. Eat few suppers and you’ll need few medicines.
13. They worked hard; therefore they succeeded.
14. He must walk fast or he will be late.
15. Suresh Raina and Mohammad Kaif field well but they cannot bat that well.
Complex to compound Sentence Transformation
Complex: I am sure that he will come.
Compound: He will come and of this I am sure.
Complex: We can prove that the earth moves round the sun.
Compound: The earth moves round the sun and we can prove this.
Complex: If he is at home send him soon.
Compound: He may be at home, and in that case send him soon.
Complex: Unless you keep quiet you will be punished.
Compound: Keep quiet or you will be punished.
Complex: I stayed at home because I was feeling unwell.
Compound: I was feeling unwell, so I stayed at home.
Complex: Gopa worked hard so that she might win the prize.
Compound: Gopa aimed at winning the prize, and worked hard.
Complex: We sow so that we may reap.
Compound: We desire to reap; therefore we sow.
Complex: He has found the book that he lost.
Compound: He lost a book but he has found it.
Complex: As soon as we reached school. It began to rain.
Compound: We reached school and immediately it began to rain.
Complex: Imran Khan was more a bowler than a batsman.
Compound: Imran Khan was something of a batsman but rather more of a bowler.
Exercise
Convert from Complex to Compound Sentences :
1. As the man is honest, he is happy.
2. I did not get back the book which I lost.
3. Unless you speak the truth, you will be beaten.
4. He could reply if he wanted.
5. Unless you read you will not learn.
6. Rabindranath Tagore was more a philosopher than a poet.
7. If you do not work, you will not get your wage.
8. If you do not take exercise you will be ill.
9. If you run, you will be in time.
10. As soon as we got the bad news, we became extremely shocked.
11. As my grand-mother loved me, I weep for her.
12. Because she was ill, she could sing.
13. I forgave the lad because he was innocent.
14. I am glad that you are quite fit now.
15. Jack Kallis is more a batsman than a bowler.
