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Joy English · Level C2 · General exam skillsjoy-english.com

Exam skills: key word transformation and paraphrase

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Independent practice in advanced exam skills, not an official test: rewrite sentences with a given key word, then choose the closest paraphrase of subtle, idiomatic sentences.

Key word transformation

Complete the second sentence so that it means the same as the first. Write only the missing words, including the key word in capitals. The key word is part of your answer.

  1. She had barely sat down when the phone rang. KEY WORD: HARDLY. Complete: ___ when the phone rang.
  2. It is rumoured that the director will resign next month. KEY WORD: RUMOURED. Complete: The director ___ next month.
  3. Although I greatly admire her courage, I think the plan is unwise. KEY WORD: MUCH. Complete: ___ her courage, I think the plan is unwise.
  4. The company missed the deadline because it did not have enough staff. KEY WORD: ACCOUNTED. Complete: A shortage of staff ___ the company's failure to meet the deadline.
  5. He never imagined that his casual remark would cause such offence. KEY WORD: LITTLE. Complete: ___ that his casual remark would cause such offence.
  6. I'd rather you didn't mention the matter to anyone. KEY WORD: PREFER. Complete: I ___ mention the matter to anyone.
  7. The results were exactly the opposite of what the team had predicted. KEY WORD: CONTRARY. Complete: The results turned out ___ what the team had predicted.
  8. However hard the engineers tried, they could not repair the fault. KEY WORD: MATTER. Complete: ___ the engineers tried, they could not repair the fault.

Closest in meaning

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

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

Answer key

Key word transformation

  1. hardly had she sat down / she had hardly sat down / she'd hardly sat downHardly at the start of a sentence takes inversion: auxiliary had before the subject she. She had hardly sat down, without inversion, is also correct.
  2. is rumoured to be resigning / is rumoured to resignThe reporting structure is is rumoured + to-infinitive; for a planned future event, to be resigning is the most natural choice.
  3. much as i admire / much as i do admire / as much as i admireMuch as I admire is a concessive structure meaning although I admire greatly. As much as I admire is a less formal alternative.
  4. accounted forAccount for means to explain or be the reason for something. Keep the key word in the past, as given.
  5. little did he imagine / little did he think / little did he dream / little did he expect / little did he suspectLittle at the start of the sentence, with the meaning not at all, needs inversion with did: Little did he imagine (or think, expect).
  6. would prefer you not to / 'd prefer you not to / would prefer you didn't / 'd prefer you didn't / would prefer you did not / 'd prefer you did not / would prefer it if you didn't / 'd prefer it if you didn't / would prefer it if you did not / 'd prefer it if you did notPrefer someone not to do something, or prefer it if someone didn't, expresses the same preference.
  7. to be contrary to / contrary to / quite contrary to / directly contrary to / completely contrary to / entirely contrary to / to be quite contrary to / to be directly contrary to / to be completely contrary to / to be entirely contrary toContrary to means in opposition to; turn out can be followed by to be or by an adjective phrase.
  8. no matter how hardNo matter how hard means however hard, and it needs how before hard.

Closest in meaning

  1. a) Her remark was more tactless than rude.Not so much X as Y means Y describes it better than X.
  2. b) The moment he chose was extremely badly timed.Could scarcely have chosen a worse means that it was almost the worst moment possible.
  3. c) Because of the storm, the match did not go ahead.But for means if it had not been for, so the storm stopped the match.
  4. a) Late applications will probably be treated unfavourably.Not to look kindly on means to treat with disapproval, and unlikely to adds the idea of probability.
  5. c) I think he is quite capable of taking the credit.The idiom not put it past someone to means to think that person is capable of doing something wrong.
  6. c) Her explanation failed to reassure us much.Did little to allay means that it hardly reduced them, so it did not reassure us much.

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