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The transformation of a sentence is all about changing its form without altering its meaning. We
can, for example, transform an exclamatory sentence into an assertive sentence or vice-versa. We
can also transform simple sentences into complex or compound sentences. You can learn the
rules of transformation of sentences here.
What a tragedy!
What idiots!
Exercise
Change the assertive sentences given below into exclamatory sentences.
Answers
1. How sweetly the moonlight sleeps upon this bank!
Note that in all of these structures the verb goes after the subject.
Answers
1. This is not the kind of dress to wear to work.
2. This is not the way a gentleman should behave.
The interrogative is a milder or more polite form of the imperative. However, the addition of or
not (see the last example) adds a touch of threat to the command.
I am as tall as he is.
This sentence uses the positive adjective tall. We can express the same idea using the
OR
Note that when we compare two people or things, we do not normally use the superlative
adjective.
Apples are not as sweet as mangoes. (This sentence uses the positive adjective sweet.)
Mangoes are sweeter than apples. (This sentence uses the comparative adjective sweeter.)
J K Rowling is more successful than any other writer of our times. (Note the use of the
No other writer of our times is as successful as J K Rowling. (Note the use of the expression no
J K Rowling is one of the most successful writers of our times. (= J K Rowling is not the most
successful writer. She is one of them. There are a few others too.)
In this case, we can't use no other or any other when we change the degrees of comparison.
Kashmir is more beautiful than any other place I have seen. (comparative)
Change the degrees of comparison without changing the meaning of the sentence.
Answers
1. Iron is the most useful metal. (Superlative) / No other metal is as useful as iron. (Positive)
2. Platinum is more precious than any other metal. (Comparative) / No other metal is as
3. The giraffe is the tallest animal. (Superlative) / No other animal is as tall as giraffe. (Positive)
6. Shyam is more intelligent than any other boy in the class. (Comparative) / No other boy in
7. Tokyo is more populous than any other city in the world. (Comparative) / No other city
8. Mr. Yadav is older than any other member of the club. (Comparative) / No other member of
9. Bernard Shaw writes more interestingly than most other playwrights. (Comparative - We
use the expression most other in this sentence because the word few was used in the comparison
10. Few cities in India are as rich as Mumbai. (Positive) / Mumbai is richer than most other
cities in India.
when ...
No sooner had I reached the station than the train left.
Scarcely (or hardly) had I reached the station when the train left.
No sooner had the thief run out of the jail than the guard fired at him.
As soon as the thief ran out of the jail, the guard fired at him.
Scarcely had the thief run out of the jail when the guard fired at him.
No sooner did I enter the room than the intruder ran away.
In this lesson we will learn the techniques used to transform sentences containing the adverb too.
Study the example given below.
The news is so good that it cannot be true. (Note the negative verb in the that-clause.)
The boy was too clever to be taught.
Answers
1. He is so proud that he will not beg.
2. This book is so difficult that it cannot be understood.
5. There was so much noise that I could not enjoy the film.
8. The box was so heavy that the boy could not carry it.
A Simple Sentence has only one subject and one predicate. A compound sentence must have two
or more co-ordinate clauses, each with its own subject and predicate. Examples are given below.
Climbing up the tree, he plucked some mangoes. (Simple Sentence)
Here we changed the participial phrase 'Climbing up the tree' into the clause 'He climbed up the
tree' and connected it to the original clause with the coordinating conjunction and. Thus a simple
sentence can be converted into a compound sentence by expanding a word or a phrase into a
clause and by using the coordinating conjunction to connect the clauses. More examples are
given below.
He was driven by rain and took shelter under a tree. (Compound Sentence)
Exercise
Convert the following simple sentences into compound sentences.
Answers
2. He was not only thrown into jail but also heavily fined.
We can convert a compound sentence into a simple sentence by reducing the number of clauses
into one.
He gave them not only a house but some land also. (Simple Sentence)
Here we reduced the clause 'he gave them some land also' into the prepositional phrase 'besides a
house'.
Now we have seen that to convert compound sentences into simple sentences, clauses have to
Exercise
Convert the following compound sentences into simple sentences.
1. You must take your medicine, otherwise you cannot get well.
3. Not only the crops, but cattle and sheep also were destroyed by the flood.
Answers
3. Besides the crops, cattle and sheep were also destroyed by the flood.
A simple sentence can be converted into a complex sentence by expanding a word or phrase
into a subordinate clause - which can be a noun clause, an adjective clause or an adverb clause.
Noun clause
He liked my suggestion. (Simple sentence)
She was so poor that she could not educate her children. (Compound sentence)
A complex sentence can be converted to a simple sentence by changing noun clauses, adjective
clauses and adverb clauses to a word or phrase.
Noun clauses
He admitted that he was guilty. (Complex sentence)
People who live in glass houses should not throw stones. (Complex sentence)
People living in glass houses should not throw stones. (Simple sentence)
This is the place where the meeting will be held. (Complex sentence)