“To transform a sentence is to change it from one grammatical form to another without altering its sense.” (Nesfield)
Thus in Transformation we change the construction of a sentence from one grammatical form to another without changing its meaning.
Transformation of Sentences
There are a number of ways in which a given sentence can be transformed from one form to another. The following are the main ways in which the Transformation of Sentences can be carried out:
- Interchange between “too” and “so”.
- Interchange between different forms of Conditional Sentences.
- Interchange between different forms of sentences expressing Concession or Contrast.
- Interchange of Degrees of Adjectives.
- Interchange between two “Voices”—from Active to Passive and Passive to Active.
- Interchange between Affirmative and Negative sentences.
- Interchange between different Parts of Speech.
- Interchange between Exclamatory and Assertive sentences.
- Interchange between Simple and Complex sentences—Noun, Adjective and Adverb clauses.
- Interchange between Simple and Compound sentences.
- Interchange between Complex and Compound sentences.
- Interchange between Principal and Subordinate Clauses.
Let us consider all these methods one by one in detail.
1. Transformation of Sentences Containing “too” or “so”
(i) He is too tired to walk.
‘Too’ in such sentences has a negative meaning, or ‘beyond necessary or desirable limits.’
The above noted sentence can, therefore, be transformed as:
- “He is so tired that he cannot walk.”
In the same way—
- He is too clever to be deceived.
- He is so clever that he cannot be deceived.
- This news is too good to be true.
- This news is so good that it cannot be true.
- He is too lazy to keep pace with you.
- He is so lazy that he cannot keep pace with you.
2. Conditional Sentences
Conditional Sentences have several forms. A given sentence can be transformed into any one of those forms. As:
If you speak the truth, I shall pardon you.
The above sentence can be transformed into any one of the following forms:
Rule 1. By adding Conjunction ‘Unless’
- Unless you speak the truth, I shall not pardon you.
Rule 2. By keeping ‘If’ understood or concealed
- Should you speak the truth, I shall pardon you.
- Had you spoken the truth, I should have pardoned you.
- Were you to speak the truth, I should have pardoned you.
In the last two examples the Tense changes.
Rule 3. By using a Conjunctional Phrase
- In case you speak the truth, I shall pardon you.
Rule 4. By using a Participle Phrase
- I shall pardon you provided you speak the truth.
- Supposing you speak the truth, I shall pardon you.
Rule 5. By using the Imperative Mood
- Speak the truth, and I shall pardon you.
3. Sentences showing Concession or Contrast
These sentences also can have many forms, and they can be transformed into any of them.
- Though he is poor, he is honest.
Rule 1. By using “Notwithstanding”
- He is honest notwithstanding that he is poor.
Rule 2. By using “However”
- However poor he is, he is honest.
Rule 3. By using the Conjunction “As”
- Poor as he is, he is honest.
Rule 4. By using the Phrase “all the same”
- He is poor; all the same he is honest.
Rule 5. By using a “Participle”
- Admitting that he is poor, he is honest.
Rule 6. By using the Phrase “At the same time”
- He is poor; at the same time he is honest.
Rule 7. By using the Phrase “for all that”
- He is poor; for all that he is honest.
Rule 8. By using the Adverb ‘indeed’ followed by the conjunction ‘but’.
- He is poor indeed but he is honest.
4. By changing Degrees of Adjectives
1. No other king in the history of India is as great as Ashok. (Positive degree of Adjective)
In the above sentence the Adjective ‘great’ is in Positive Degree. This can be changed into Comparative or Superlative Degree. As:
- No other king in the history of India is greater than Ashok.
- Ashok is the greatest king in the history of India.
2. Some metals are at least as heavy as iron. (Positive degree)
- Iron is not heavier than some other metals. (Comparative degree)
- Some metals are not less heavy than iron. (Comparative degree)
- Iron is not the heaviest of all metals. (Superlative degree)
5. By interchanging Active and Passive Voices
- Active : The policeman has caught the thief.
- Passive : The thief has been caught by the policeman.
- Passive : My pen has been stolen by this boy.
- Active : This boy has stolen my pen.
6. By interchanging Negative and Affirmative sentences
- Affirmative : America is more powerful than Russia.
- Negative : Russia is not as powerful as America.
- Affirmative : Ramesh is more clever than Ram.
- Negative : Ram is not so clever as Ramesh.
- Negative : There is none who does not love his country.
- Affirmative : Everybody loves his country.
- Negative : He did not find him honest.
- Affirmative : He found him dishonest.
- Negative : His services cannot be forgotten.
- Affirmative : His services have been too great to be forgotten.
- Negative : A wise man will not tell a lie.
- Affirmative : A wise man will abstain himself from telling a lie.
- Negative : None but a lawyer can answer this question.
- Affirmative : A lawyer alone can answer this question.
- Negative : No sooner did I enter the room than he started rebuking me.
- Affirmative : As soon as I entered the room, he started rebuking me.
7. By interchanging Exclamatory and Assertive sentences
- Exclamatory : Oh, what a horrible sight it was !
- Simple : It was a very horrible sight.
- Exclamatory : O, for a beaker of vintage !
- Simple : I wish I had a beaker of vintage.
- Exclamatory : May you live long !
- Simple : I wish you a long life. Or, I wish you may live long.
- Exclamatory : O, that I had the wings of a dove !
- Simple : I wish I had the wings of a dove.
- Exclamatory : What sweet delights a quiet life gives !
- Simple : A quiet life gives very sweet delights.
8. Interchange of One Part of Speech for another
(i) Your work does not satisfy me.
In this sentence the Verb ‘satisfy’ can be changed into a Noun. As:
- Your work does not give me satisfaction.
(ii) Do your work carefully.
In this sentence the Adverb ‘Carefully’ can be changed into a Noun. As:
- Do your work with care.
(iii) He has successfully finished the work.
In this sentence the Adverb ‘successfully’ can be changed into a Verb. As:
- He has succeeded in finishing the work.
(iv) He is a disgrace to the family.
In this sentence the Noun ‘disgrace’ can be changed into a Verb. As:
- He has disgraced the family.
(v) Mohan is more intelligent than his elder brother.
In this sentence the Adjective ‘intelligent’ can
be changed into a Noun. As:
- Mohan has more intelligence than his elder brother.
(vi) He was dismissed on the charge of negligence.
In this sentence the Noun ‘negligence’ can be changed into an Adjective. As:
- He was dismissed because he was negligent.
(vii) The two events occurred differently in point of time.
In this sentence the Adverb ‘differently’ can be changed into an Adjective. As:
- The time of the occurrence of the two events was different.
- Or, The two events occurred at different times.
(viii) His dress was poor and shabby.
In this sentence the Adjectives ‘poor’ and ‘shabby’ can be changed into Adverbs. As:
- He was poorly and shabbily dressed.
(ix) He broke the rule without any intention of doing so.
In this sentence the Noun ‘intention’ can be changed into a Gerund. As:
- He broke the rule without intending to do so.
Transformation of Sentences
9. (A) By converting Simple sentences into Compound sentences
- Simple : He died a brave death leaving an example in the world.
- Compound : He died a brave death and left an example in the world.
- Simple : To his own disadvantage he broke off with his brother.
- Compound : He broke off with his brother and it was to his own disadvantage.
- Simple : Besides robbing the traveller, they also murdered him.
- Compound : They not only robbed the traveller but also murdered him.
- Simple : He must work hard to pass this year.
- Compound : He must work hard or he will not pass this year.
9. (B) By converting Compound sentences into Simple sentences
- Compound : He took a piece of paper and started writing on it.
- Simple : Taking a piece of paper he started writing on it.
- Compound : He was poor but he was respected by all the people of his village.
- Simple : In spite of his poverty, he was respected by all the people of his village.
- Compound : Do not steal or you will be punished.
- Simple : Do not steal on pain of punishment.
- Compound : You must either pay the bill at once or return the goods.
- Simple : Failing prompt payment the goods must be returned.
10. (A) By converting Simple sentences into Complex sentences
- Simple : He admitted his fault.
- Complex : He admitted that he was at fault. (Noun Clause)
- Simple : The king took shelter in the hermit’s hut.
- Complex : The king took shelter in the hut which belonged to the hermit. (Adjective Clause)
- Simple : This bill is likely to be introduced in the parliament at the commencement of the winter session.
- Complex : This bill is likely to be introduced in the Parliament when the winter session commences. (Adverb Clause)
- Simple : Non-vegetarians are not admitted.
- Complex : If you are not a vegetarian, you cannot be admitted. (Adverb Clause)
- Simple : It was the cruelest blow.
- Complex : It was a blow than which no crueler could have been. (Adjective Clause)
- Simple : His silence proves his guilt.
- Complex : The fact that he is silent proves his guilt. (Noun Clause)
- Simple : He owed his success to my help.
- Complex : It was owing to my help that he succeeded. (Noun Clause)
- Simple : The house was thoroughly searched.
- Complex : The house was searched as completely as it was possible. (Adverb Clause)
- Simple : A man’s smartness is in inverse proportion to his bulk.
- Complex : The more bulky a man is the less smart he is. (Adverb Clause)
- Simple : Wise men do not talk too much.
- Complex : The men who are wise do not talk too much. (Adjective Clause)
- Simple : His ambition is to become a doctor.
- Complex : His ambition is that he may become a doctor. (Noun Clause)
- Simple : My son worked on my advice.
- Complex : My son worked as I advised him. (Adverb Clause)
- Simple : He is strong for a child of ten.
- Complex : He is very strong although he is a child of ten. (Adverb Clause)
- Simple : Intelligent boys never fail.
- Complex : The boys who are intelligent never fail. (Adjective Clause)
- Simple : We are sure of winning the match.
- Complex : We are sure that we shall win the match. (Noun Clause)
Thanks for reading about “transformation of sentences”.