Exam skills: key word transformation and paraphrase · C2 exams

Pattern	Example transformation
Negative inversion	She had barely sat down when the phone rang. / Hardly had she sat down when the phone rang.
Concession with much as	Although I admire him greatly... / Much as I admire him...
Reporting structures	People say the owner is abroad. / The owner is said to be abroad.
Fixed phrase	to a large extent / by and large / in effect

Exercise 2 of 2

Closest in meaning

Choose the sentence that is closest in meaning to the original.

Her remark was not so much rude as tactless.
Her remark was more tactless than rude.Her remark was equally rude and tactless.Her remark was neither rude nor tactless.Her remark was more rude than tactless.
He could scarcely have chosen a worse moment.
He chose the best possible moment.The moment he chose was extremely badly timed.He chose a moment that was only slightly unfortunate.He avoided choosing a moment at all.
But for the storm, the match would have gone ahead.
The match went ahead despite the storm.There was no storm, so the match went ahead.Because of the storm, the match did not go ahead.The match will go ahead if the storm ends.
The committee is unlikely to look kindly on late applications.
Late applications will probably be treated unfavourably.The committee welcomes late applications.The committee has not yet decided about late applications.Late applications are never submitted to the committee.
I wouldn't put it past him to take the credit.
I am sure he would never take the credit.He has already taken the credit.I think he is quite capable of taking the credit.I do not mind if he takes the credit.
Her explanation did little to allay our fears.
Her explanation made us much more afraid.Her explanation removed all our fears.Her explanation failed to reassure us much.Her explanation was not about our fears.