Transformation of Sentences

Affirmative to Negative Rules

Rule-1: Only/ alone/ merely → Replaced by → None but (person)/ nothing but (things)/ not more than or not less than (number)

1. Affirmative: Only God can help us.
Negative: None but God can help us.

2. Affirmative: She has only a ball.

Negative: She has nothing but a ball.

3. Affirmative: She has only two dollars.

Negative: She has not more than two dollars.

Rule-2: Must → be Replaced by → cannot but/ cannot help+ (v + ing).

Affirmative: We must obey our parents.
Negative: we cannot but obey our parents/ we cannot help obeying our parents.

Rule-3: Both----and → Replaced by → not only ---- but also.

Affirmative: Both John and Peter were excited.

Negative: Not only John but also Peter were present.

Rule-4: and (if join two words) → Replaced by → Not only ----- but also.

Affirmative: Peter was obedient and gentle.
Negative: Peter was not only obedient but also gentle.

Rule-5: Everyone/ Everybody/Every Person/ (Every + Common Noun)/All → Replaced by → There is no + attached word /Noun + but.

Affirmative: Every mother loves her child.
Negative: There is no mother but loves her child.

Rule-6: As soon as → Replaced by → No sooner had ----- Than.

Affirmative: As soon as the criminal saw the police, he ran away.
Negative: No sooner had the criminal saw the police than he ran away.

Rule-7: Absolute Superlative Degree →Replaced by → No other + Attached word +  Verb + so + Positive form+ as + Subject.

Affirmative: London is the biggest city in England.
Negative: No other city in England is so big as London.

Rule-8: Sometimes affirmative sentences are changed into negative by using opposite words. Before the word, of course, ‘not’ is used.

Affirmative: I shall remember you.
Negative: I shall not forget you.

Rule-9: Always → Replaced by → Never.

Affirmative: Eva always attends the class.
Negative: Eva never misses the class.

Rule-10: Too ---- to → Replaced by → so ---that + cannot/could not (in past).

Affirmative: She is too weak to move.
Negative: She is so weak that he cannot move.

Rule-11: As – as → Replaced by → Not less – than.

Affirmative: Eva was as wise as Riva.
Negative: Eva was not less wise than Riva.

Rule-12: Universal truth are change by making them negative interrogative.

Affirmative: The earth goes around the sun.
Negative: Doesn’t the earth go around the sun?

Rule-13: Sometimes → Replaced by → not + always.

Affirmative: Eva sometimes visits me.
Negative: Eva doesn’t always visit me.

Rule-14: Many → Replaced by → not a few.

Affirmative: I have many friends.
Negative: I don't have few friends.

Rule-15: A few → Replaced by → not many.

Affirmative: Maldives has a few scholars.
Negative: Maldives doesn’t have many scholars.

Rule-16: Much → Replaced by → A little.

Affirmative: She belongs much money.
Negative: She doesn’t belong a little money.

Rule-17: A little → Replaced by → not much.

Affirmative: John has a little riches.
Negative: John doesn’t have much riches.

Assertive to Interrogative Rules

Rule-1: If the sentence is in the affirmative you have to change it into a negative interrogative. If it is negative then you have to change it into bare interrogative.

1. Assertive: John was very gentle.
Interrogative: wasn’t John very gentle?

2. Assertive: John is not a good person.
Interrogative: Is John a good person?

Rule-2: No Auxiliary verb in sentence →Change it by using→ Do/does/did Or Don't/doesn't /didn't

 1. Assertive: He plays cricket.
Interrogative: Does he play cricket?

 2. Assertive: They did not play cricket yesterday.
Interrogative: Did they play cricket yesterday?

Rule-3: Never → Replaced by → Ever.

Assertive: I never drink coffee.
Interrogative: Do I ever drink coffee?

Rule-4: Everybody/everyone/ All →Replaced by →Who + Don’t/ Doesn’t/ Didn’t

Assertive: Everybody wishes to be happy.
Interrogative: Who doesn’t wish to be happy?

Rule-5: Every + noun → Replaced by→ Is there any + noun + Who don’t/doesn’t/didn't

Assertive: Every woman wishes to be happy.
Interrogative: Is there any woman who doesn’t wish to be happy?

Rule-6: Nobody/ no one/none → Replaced by →Who.

Assertive: Nobody could count my love for you.
Interrogative: Who could ever count my love for you?

Rule-7: There is no → Replaced by → Is there any/ Who (person)/ What ( thing).

Assertive: There is no use of this law.
Interrogative: What is the use of this law?

Assertive: There is no man happier than Peter.
Interrogative: Who is happier than Peter?

Rule-8: It is no → Replaced by → Is there any/Why.

Assertive: It is no use in taking unfair means in the exam.
Interrogative: Why take unfair means in the exam?

Rule-9: It doesn’t matter → Replaced by → what though/ does it matter.

Assertive: It does not matter if you fail the exam.
Interrogative: What though if you fail the exam?

Exclamatory to Assertive Rules

 
Rule-1: Subject and Verb of the exclamatory sentence are to be used as the subject and verb of the assertive sentence at the outset of the sentence.

How/What → Replace by → Very (before adjective)/ Great (before noun)

Exclamatory: How fortunate Peter is!
Assertive: Peter is very fortunate.

Exclamatory: What a fool I am!
Assertive: I am a great fool.

Rule-2: Sometimes the subject and verb may be eclipsed.

Exclamatory: What a beautiful scenery!
Assertive: It is very a beautiful scenery.

Exclamatory: What a pity!
Assertive: It is a great pity.

Rule-3: Bravo /Hurrah → Replace by → I/we rejoice that/ It is a matter of joy that.

Exclamatory: Hurrah! We have won the game.
Assertive: It is a matter of joy that we have won the game.

Rule-4: Alas → Replace by → I/we Mourn that/ It is a matter of sorrow or grief that.

Exclamatory: Alas! Peter has failed.
Assertive: We mourn that Peter has failed.

Rule-5: Had/were/If /Would that (at the outset) → Replaced by → I wish + subject again + were/ had+ rest part.

Exclamatory: Had I the wings of a bird!
Assertive: I wish I had the wings of a bird.

Exclamatory: Were I a bird!
Assertive: I wish I were a bird.

Exclamatory: If I were young again!
Assertive: I wish I were young again.

Exclamatory: Would that I could be a child!
Assertive: I wish I could be a child again.

Imperative to Assertive Rules

Rule-1: Add Subject + should in doing Assertive.

Imperative: Do the sum.
Assertive: you should do the sum.

Rule-2: Please/kindly → Replaced by → you are requested to.

Imperative: Please, help me.
Assertive: You are requested to help me.

Rule-3: Do not → Replaced by →You should not.

Imperative: Do not run in the sun.
Assertive: You should not run in the sun.

Rule-4: Never → Replaced by → you should never.

Imperative: Never tell a lie.
Assertive: You should never tell a lie.

Rule-5: Let us → Replaced by → We should.

Imperative: Let us go out for a job.
Assertive: We should go out for a job.

Rule-6: Let + noun/pronoun → Replaced by → Subject + might.

Imperative: Let him play cricket.
Assertive: He might play cricket.

Change of Degree Rules

Rule-1: If the superlative degree says about the best thing then the rule is:-
👉For Comparative, use – Subject + Verb + Adjective/Adverb (Comparative form) + than any other + Rest part.

👉For Positive, use- No other + Rest part after supr. Degree + verb + so/as + Positive form of Adjective/Adverb + as + Subject.

Superlative: John is the tallest boy in the class.
Comparative: John is taller than any other boy in the class.
Positive: No other boy in the class is as tall as John.

Rule-2: If In Superlative Degree ‘One of the’ is transformed in this way:

👉Comparative: Subject + verb + Comparative form +than most other + Rest part.

👉Positive: Very few + Rest part after Superlative Degree + verb + so/as + positive form of adjective/adverb + as + subject.

Superlative: William Wordsworth was one of the greatest poets in England.

Comparative: William Wordsworth was greater than most other poets in England.
Positive: Very few poets in England were as great as William Wordsworth.

[Note: Superlative: Of all/ of any: Comparative: Than all other/than any other. Positive: It does not exist.]

Superlative: Mr Khan is the oldest of all men in the village.
Comparative: Mr Khan is older than all other men in the village.
Positive: No other man is as old as Mr Khan.

Rule-3: Simple Comparative is transformed into Positive by using (not so + adjective / adverb + as )/ (so + adjective / adverb + as) if negative. The second noun or pronoun is used first.

Comparative: Eva is wiser than Elizabeth.
Positive: Elizabeth is not so wise as Eva.

Rule-4: No/not less --- than is transformed into positive by using as + adjective/adverb + as

Comparative: Eva is not less meritorious than Elizabeth.
Positive: Eva is so meritorious as Elizabeth.

Simple Complex Compound Rules

Rule-1: Since/As/When Change is to be made in the subordinate clause. When subjects are the same.

Simple:

1. Omit since/as/when.

2. (Verb + ing) of the subordinate clause.

3. then write the rest part.

4. use the subject with the principal clause.

5. Principal clause remains unchanged.

Compound:

1. Omit since /as /when

2. write down the rest part.

3. join clauses by using and, and so, and therefore.

4. write the main clause unchanged.

Complex: Since the girl worked hard, he made a good result.
Simple: Working hard, the boy made a good result.

Compound: The girl worked hard and made a good result.

Rule-2: In the case of Be verb in the subordinate clause: 1) Use being/ Because of + Pronoun /Noun (possessive form) + being.

Complex: Since he was weak, he could not work hard.
Simple: Because of his being weak, he could not work hard.
Compound: He was weak and therefore could not work hard.

Note: and therefore, is used for showing reasons.

Rule-3: When the subject of clauses are different:

Simple:
1)Subject of the Subordinate Clause

2) Verb + ing (be verb → being; Have verb → having)

Compound: use ‘and therefore to join two clauses.

Complex: Since the weather was bad, we did not go out.
Simple: The weather being bad, we did not go out.

Compound: The weather was bad and therefore we did not go out.

Rule-4: Simple: If,’ is replaced by – ‘by (verb+ing)

Compound: 1) Omit if + subject.

2. Use ‘and’ to join two clauses.

Complex: If you work hard, you will prosper in life.
Simple: By working hard, you will prosper in life.
Compound: Work hard and you will prosper in life.

Rule-5: [Simple: If-not/unless, is replaced by, - without + (verb + ing)]

[Compound: Use or’/otherwise to join two clauses.]

Complex: If you do not work hard, you will fail the exam.
Simple: Without working hard, you will fail the exam.
Compound: Work hard or you will fail the exam.

Rule-6: Simple: Though’ is replaced by In spite of+ Possessive form of the subject+ (verb + ing)

Complex: Though he tried hard and soul, he could not succeed in life.
Simple: In spite of his trying heart and soul he could not succeed in life.
Compound: He tried hard but could not succeed in life.

Rule-7: Simple: So that is replaced by to/in order to.

Compound: “and want/wants to” is used to join two clauses.

Complex: She works hard so that he may prosper in life.

Simple: She works hard to/in order to prosper in life.

Compound: She works hard and wants to prosper in life.

Rule-8: [Simple: ‘so + adjective + that’ is replaced by ‘Too + adjective + to’]

[Compound: Use ‘And Therefore’ to make it a compound sentence.]

Complex: The girl is so foolish that she cannot understand it.
Simple: The girl is too foolish to understand it.

Compound: He is so foolish and therefore cannot understand it.

Rule-9: Simple: When (if mentions time) is replaced by For a short time – At, For month or Season – In, For age--- at the age of.

Compound: Use and to join clauses.

1. Complex: Eva woke up when it was midnight.
Simple: Eva woke up at midnight.

Compound: Eva woke up and it was midnight.

2. Complex: When it is spring, the cuckoo sings.
Simple: In Spring the cuckoo sings.

3. Complex: When Sara was five she went to school.
Simple: At the age of five, Sara went to school.

Rule-10: Simple: If the clause says about a continuous fact then use- At the time of instead of ‘When’
Compound: Use ‘And’.

Complex: When I was reading the phone rang.
Simple: At the time of my reading, the phone rang.
Compound: I was reading and the phone rang.

Rule-11: Simple: Noun clause can be replaced by a noun. Compound: Use ‘And’.

Complex: That she is honest is known to all.

Simple: Her honesty is known to all.
Compound: She is honest and it is known to all.

Rule-12: Simple: If a Complex sentence is made with a relative pronoun (who, what, which, that), omit it and make (verb + ing).

Complex: Peter who is working in the hospital is known to all.
Simple: Peter working in the hospital is known to all.

Note: If the verb is in the Past Participle it remains unchanged.

Complex: The picture which was drawn by Eva is very fine.

Simple: The picture drawn by Eva is very fine.

Rule-13: Simple: Adjective Clause is changed into - Adjective, Past Participle Phrase, Noun in apposition, infinitive.

Adjective:
Complex: A woman who is drowning catches at a straw.
Simple: A drowning woman catches at a straw.
Compound: A woman is drowning and so catches at a straw.

Past Participle Phrase:
Complex: The answer that she wrote was not correct.
Simple: The answer written by her was not correct.
Compound: She wrote the answer and it was not correct.

Gerundial Infinitive:
Complex: I have no money that I can lend her.
Simple: I have no money to lend her.
Compound: I have no money and I cannot lend her.

Rule-14: In the Compound “not only---- But also” is Changed by “Besides + (Verb +ing)” In the Simple.

Complex: Peter not only teaches us English but also writes novels.
Simple: Besides teaching us English, Peter writes novels.