Grammar - Transformation of Sentences

Grammar

1. Transformation of Sentences

Changing an affirmative sentence into a negative sentence

and vice versa

Affirmative	Negative
1. Only you can help me. Or You alone can help me.	None but you can help me.
2. Only hard work can bring you success. Or Hard work alone can bring you success.	Nothing but hard work can bring you success.
3. You look only fifty.	You look no more than fifty.
4. Only ten persons attended the meeting.	No more than ten persons attended the meeting.
1. You have to obey the traffic rules. Or You must obey the traffic rules. He has to obey his boss or He must obey his boss. Or He must obey his boss.	You cannot but obey the traffic rules Or You have no option (choice) but to obey the traffic rules He cannot but obey his boss Or He has no option (choice) but to obey his boss.
6. I had to laugh at his jokes.	I could not but laugh at his jokes. Or I had no option (choice) but to laugh at his jokes. Or I could choose but to laugh at his jokes. Or I could do nothing but laugh at his jokes. Or I could not help laughing at his jokes.
7. We had to laugh at his funny appearance.	We could not help laughing at his funny appearance.
8. Farmers have to depend on the rains. Or Farmers must depend on rains She has to borrow money from friends. Or She must borrow from friends.	Farmers cannot help depending on the rains. Or Farmers cannot but depend on the rains She cannot help borrowing money from friends. Or
9. I need to have some sleep.	I cannot but have some sleep.
10. Poor people needed to borrow from the money lenders for their needs.	- Poor people could not but borrow from the money lender for their needs.
11. I must have a little rest.	I cannot do without a little est.
12. This man is far from (being) honest.	This man is not honest at all. Or This man is not at all honest
13. I have many friends in this town.	I have not a few friends in this town.
14. He has only a few supporters.	He does not have many supporters.
15. There is only a little milk in the bottle.	There is not much milk in the bottle.
16. Much (A lot of) effort is needed to solve this problem.	Not a little effort is needed to solve this problem.
17. As soon as the mouse saw the cat, it ran into its hole.	No sooner did the mouse see the cat than it ran into its hole.
18. – Hardly / Scacely had the rain stopped when people came out of their houses.	No sooner did the rain stop than people came out of their houses. Or As soon as the rain stopped, people came out of their houses.
19. Every man loves his offspring. Or. All men love their offspring.	There is no man but loves his offspring. Or There is no man who does not love his offspring.
20. Every disease weakens the body. 0r. All diseases weaken the body.	There is no disease but weakens the body. Or There is no disease that does not weaken the body.
21. He likes both tea and coffee. OR He likes tea as well as coffee. Both Mohan and his brother are intelligent Or He as well as his brother is intelligent.	He likes not only tea but also coffee. Not only Mohan but his brother is also intelligent.
22. I am taller than my brother.	My brother is not as tall as I (am). Or My brother is not so tall as I.
23. Kolokatta is more populated than any other city in (of) India. Or Kolokatta is the most populated city (in) of India.	No other city in India is as populated as Kolokatta.
24- We are late sometimes or It is only sometimes that we are late..	We are not always late.
25. I sometimes visit England.	I do not always visit England.
26. The train is sometimes late.	The train is not often late.
27. Shatabadi is always on time (punctual). This fellow always talks foolishly.	Shatabadi is never late This fellow never talks wisely.
28. I am warning you for the last time.	I will never warn you again. Or Never again shall I warn you.
29. I visited Bangalore for the last time in 1995.	I have never visited Bangalore after 1995.
30. He was the last passenger to board the bus. This is my last chance to meet him.	No other passenger boarded the bus after him. I will get no other chance to meet him.
31. He has left India for ever/for good.	He will never be in India again. He will never visit / come to India again.
32. He is my friend He is cowardly. Only the brave deserve the fair.	He is not my enemy. He is not brave. The cowardly do not deserve the fair.
33. God looks after everyone.	Does God not look after everyone? Or Is there anyone that God does not look after? Or There is no one (none) that God does not look after.
34. You have to earn money. Or Money has to be earned.	Money does not grow on trees.

Changing the Degree of Comparison

Comparison of Two

To change the degree of comparison from comparative to positive,

· Change the place of the compared objects.

· Change the degree from comparative to positive.

· Remove ‘than’ and insert ‘as’ both before and after the positive degree. You can also insert ‘so’ before the comparative degree if the sentence is negative.

· Make the sentence negative if it is affirmative and affirmative if it is negative.

· You need not change the place of the compared objects if the adjective has ‘less’ before it in the comparative.

1. Comparative - I am wiser than you.

Or You are less wise than I (am).

Positive – You are not as / so wise as I (am).

2. Comparative – John is not more intelligent than William.

Or William is not less intelligent than John.

Positive – William is as intelligent as John.

3. Comparative - Jalandhar is not bigger than Ludhiana.

Or Ludhiana is not less big than Jalandhar.

Positive – Ludhiana is at least as big as Jalandhar.

Comparison of More than Two

To compare three or more things, we can use any of the three degrees of comparison of the adjective or adverb as illustrated by the following examples.

1. Superlative – Chandigarh is the most beautiful city of Punjab.

Comparative – Chandigarh is more beautiful than any other city of Punjab.

Or Chandigarh is more beautiful than all other cities of Punjab.

Positive – No other city of Punjab is as / so beautiful as Chandigarh.

2. Superlative - Naresh is not the most intelligent boy in the class.

Comparative – Naresh is not more intelligent than some other boys in the class.

Positive – Some other boys in the class are as intelligent as Naresh.

3. Superlative - Wordsworth is one of the greatest poets of English.

Comparative – Wordsworth is greater than most other poets of English.

Positive – Only a few other poets of English are as / so great as Wordsworth.

Or

Few other poets of English are as / so great as Wordsworth.

Or

Most other poets of English are not as / so great as Wordsworth.

4. Superlative - Khanna is not one of the biggest cities of India.

Comparative – Khanna is not bigger than many other cities of English.

or

Many other cities of India are bigger than Khanna.

Positive – Khanna is not as/so big as many other cities of India.

5. Superlative - Khanna is not even one of the greatest cities of India.

Comparative – Khanna is not bigger than most other cities of India.

Or

Most other cities of India are bigger than Khanna.

Positive – Khanna is not so/as big as most other cities of India.

Interchange of interrogative sentences (questions)

and affirmative sentences (statements)

There are two types of questions: Questions asked to seek some kind of information. These questions are questions in the real sense. For the purpose of making a distinction, I will call them real questions. The other type of questions is used to make an emphatic (strong statement, not to seek information. If the question is positive, the statement is negative and if the question is negative, the statement is positive. These questions are called rhetorical questions.

Rhetorical Questions beginning with a question word

1. Question - Who can conquer death?

Statement – Nobody can conquer death.

Note: We can also use no one or none instead of nobody.

2. Question - Whom have I ever hurt?

Statement – I have never hurt anybody (anyone).

3. Question – Whom did I incite against you?

Statement – I have not incited anyone against you.

4. Question – What can stop you from reaching your goal if you are determined?

Statement – Nothing can stop you from reaching your goal if you are determined.

5. Question - Where can you find an honest man these days?

Statement - You cannot find an honest man anywhere these days.

Or Nowhere can you find an honest man these days.

6. Question – Why should I harm him?

Statement – I have no reason to harm him.

7. Question – When did he help you?

Statement – He never helped you.

Rhetorical questions beginning with an Auxiliary verb

1. Question - Have they answered my question?

Statement – You have not answered my question.

2. Question - Did I ever tell a lie?

Statement – I never told a lie.

3. Question - Can anyone change the course of a river?

No one can change the course of a river.

4. Question – Can you make a fool change his mind?

Statement – You cannot make a fool change his mind.

5. Question - Has anyone ever seen God?

Statement – No one has ever seen God.

Real questions beginning with a question word

We can change a real question into a statement by starting beginning it with ‘I want to know-------‘ and then moving the auxiliary behind the subject.

We can also change it into an imperative sentence by starting it with ‘Tell me’ or ‘Let me know’ and then moving the auxiliary behind the subject.

1. Question - What can I do to help you?

Statement – I want to know what I can do to help you.

Or Let me know what I can do to help you.

Imperative – Tell me what I can do to help you.

2. Question - Where did you find this rare book?

Statement – I want to know where you found this rare book.

Imperative – Tell me where you found that rare book.

Or Let me know where you found this rare book.

3. Question – Can you lend me some money?

Statement – I want to know if you can lend me some money.

Imperative – Tell me know if you can lend me some money.

Or Let me know if you will attend his marriage.

4. Question - Will you attend his marriage?

Statement – I want to know whether you will attend his marriage.

Imperative – Tell me whether you will attend his marriage.

Or Let me know whether you will attend his marriage.

Imperative and Affirmative Sentences

We can also change an imperative sentence into a statement by starting it with ‘I want you to’ or ‘I request, order or advise you to’.

We can also use ‘You are ordered, requested or advised to ----‘ instead of ‘I request, order or advise you to’

1. Imperative - Close the door.

Statement – I want you to close the door. Or I order or request you to close the door.

2. Imperative - Get out of here at once.

Statement – I order you to get out of here at once.

3. Imperative – Work hard if you want to succeed.

Statement – I advise you to work hard if you want to succeed.

Or You are advised to work hard if you want to succeed.

4. Imperative – Let me help you.

Statement – I request you to let me help you.

5. Imperative - Let the child go and play now..

Statement – I advise or counsel you to let the child go and play now.

But if the imperative sentence is a proposal, we change it into a statement as follows:

1. Imperative - Let us have some fun now.

Statement – I propose that we should have some fun now.

Or It is proposed that we should have some fun now.

If giving permission is involved, the words ‘be allowed to’ are also added after ‘should’.

2. Imperative - Let the children take some rest now.

Statement – I propose that the children should be allowed to take some rest now.

Exclamatory and Affirmative Sentences

Exclamatory sentences can also be changed into affirmative sentences (statements) as illustrated below:

A. Exclamations beginning with the word may or those in which the word may is implied though not explicitly stated.

1. Exclamation -May God bless you with health and happiness!

Statement – I pray to God to bless you with health and happiness.

2. Exclamation- May you succeed in your mission!

Statement – I pray that you may (should) succeed in your mission.

3. Exclamation - Long live the king!

Statement – I (We) pray that the king may live long.

4. Exclamation - Victory to our motherland!

Statement – I (We) pray that victory may come to my (our) motherland.

Exclamations beginning with ‘I or we wish’ or ‘O that’ or ‘Would that’.

1. Exclamation – I wish I were a millionaire!

Or O that I were a millionaire!

Or Would that I were a millionaire!

Statement – I wish that I should be a millionaire.

2. Exclamation – O that I could do as I please!

Statement – I wish that I should be able to do as I please.

Simple, Compound and Complex Sentences

Combining Sentences to form Compound sentences

And

1. He saw a lion. He hid behind a tree.

Simple – On seeing a lion, he hid behind a tree

Compound - He hid saw a lion and hid behind a tree.

Complex – When he saw a lion, he hid behind a tree.

2. We took off our clothes. We jumped into the river.

Simple – We took off our clothes before jumping into the river.

Compound - We took off our clothes and jumped into the river.

Complex – We took off our clothes before we jumped into the river.

3. They reached the top. They sat down to rest.

Simple – After (On) reaching the top, they sat down to rest.

Compound – They reached the top and sat down to rest.

Complex – When (After) they had reached the top, they sat down to rest.

4. He worked hard. He achieved success in life.

Simple – He achieved success in life by virtue of (by dint of or owing to) hard work.

Compound – He worked hard and achieved success in life.

Complex – He achieved success in life because he worked hard.

5. He wants to achieve success in life. He is working hard.

Simple – He is working hard to (in order to) achieve success in life.

Compound – He wants to achieve success in life and he is working hard.

Complex – He is working hard so that he may achieve success in life.

Or He is working hard because he wants to achieve success in life.

6. The Congress has won the elections in Punjab. It is not surprising.

Simple – The victory of the Congress in the elections in Punjab is not surprising.

Compound – The Congress has won the elections in Punjab, and that is not surprising.

Complex - It is not surprising that the Congress has won the elections in Punjab. Or That the Congress has won the elections in Punjab is not surprising.

7. He tried hard. He could not succeed.

Simple – He could not succeed despite (in spite of) trying hard.

Compound – He tried hard and (yet or but) he could not succeed.

Complex – Although he tried hard, he could not succeed.

8. He is poor. He is honest.

Simple – In spite of being poor (0r In spite of poverty), he is honest.

Compound – He is poor but honest. Or He is poor but he is honest.

Or He is poor and he is honest.

Complex – Although he is poor, he is honest.

9. He is hard working. His brother is not.

Simple – Unlike his brother, he is hard working.

Compound – He is hard working but his brother is not.

Or he is hard working and his brother is not.

Complex – He is hard working although his brother is not.

10. Work hard. You will succeed.

Simple – Hard work will make you succeed.

Compound – Work hard and you will succeed.

Complex – If you work hard, you will succeed.

11. The winner will get 50000 rupees. The runner up will get 25000 rupees.

Simple – The winner and the runner up will get 50000 and 25000 rupees respectively.

Compound – The winner will get 50000 rupees and the runner up will get 25000 rupees.

Complex – The winner will get 50000 rupees whereas the runner up will get 25000 rupees.

12. He eats simple food. He takes exercise regularly.

Simple – Besides eating simple food, he takes exercise regularly.

Compound – He eats simple food and takes exercise regularly.

Or He not only takes simple food but also takes exercise regularly.

13. He is intelligent. His brother is equally intelligent.

Compound – He and his brother are equally intelligent.

14. He likes reading. His sister also likes reading.

Simple – He likes reading like his sister.

Compound – Both he and his sister like reading. Or He likes reading as well as his sister. Or He as well as his sister likes reading.

Complex – He likes reading as his sister does.

15. Work hard. If you do not, you will not achieve your aim.

Simple – Without working hard, you will not achieve your aim.

Compound – Work hard or (or else) you will not achieve your aim.

Complex – If you do not work hard, you will not achieve your aim.

16. You may be living in India. You may be living in America. You need food and clothing.

Compound – Whether you live in India or America, you need food and clothing.

17. You may be rich. You may be poor. You have your self-respect.

Compound – Whether you are rich or poor, you have your self-respect.

18. I cannot swim. My brother also cannot swim.

Compound – Neither I nor my brother can swim.

19. Jack has done it. If not, Jill has done it.

20. Either Jack or Jill has done it.

21. You will have to pay a fine. If you refuse, you will have to serve a term in prison.

Compound - You will either have to pay a fine or serve a term in prison.

22. Will you like tea? Will you like coffee?

Compound – Will you like tea or coffee?

23. You can buy a flat. You can also buy an independent house.

Compound – You can buy a flat or an independent house.

24. You can boil an egg. You can make an omelette. You can have both.

Compound – You can boil an egg or make an omelette or you can have both.

25. I was appointed a lecturer in a college in District Amritsar. In other words, I started my teaching career there.

Compound – I was appointed a lecturer or I started my teaching career in a college in district in Amritsar.

26. He cannot read English. His son also cannot read English.

Compound – He cannot read English, nor (neither) can his son.

27. You have said something. It is not true.

Complex – What you have said is not true.

28. I know something. I will tell it to you.

I will tell you what I know.

29. He lives somewhere. I have not seen that place.

Complex - I have not seen where he lives.

30. Complex -That she is alive is a consolation.

Compound – She is still alive and that is a consolation.

Simple – Her being alive is a consolation.

Separate sentences –She is still alive. That is a consolation.

31. Complex – I told him that he was wrong.

Compound – He was wrong and I told him so.

Simple – I told him about his being wrong.

Separate sentences – He was wrong. I told him so.

32. Complex – The assumption is that things will improve.

Simple – Things are assumed to improve.

Separate sentences – Things will improve. That is the assumption.

33. Complex - Your assumption that things will improve is unfounded.

Compound – You assume that things will improve but it is unfounded.

Simple – Your assumption about an improvement in things is unfounded.

Separate sentences – Things will improve. That is your assumption. It is unfounded.