20 Key Word Transformation Practice Questions with Answers | Cambridge B2 First
Key Word Transformation is Part 4 of the Reading and Use of English paper in Cambridge B2 First (FCE). For each question you rewrite a sentence so it keeps the same meaning, using a key word that you must not change. You have to use two to five words, including the key word. It tests your grammar, vocabulary, and collocations. This post gives you 20 Cambridge B2 First Key Word Transformation practice questions with answers, each with a short note that explains the change. Try each one first, then open the answer to check your work.
Question 1
It is not necessary for the passenger to book a seat.
Key word: NEED
The passenger ______ a seat.
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Answer: The passenger does not need to book a seat.
NEED is used in the negative form ‘does not need to’ to express lack of necessity.
Question 2
The hotel was cheaper than I expected.
Key word: AS
The hotel ______ I expected.
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Answer: The hotel was not as expensive as I expected.
AS is used twice in the negative equality comparison ‘not as expensive as’.
Question 3
This was the first marathon the runner had completed.
Key word: NEVER
The runner ______ a marathon before.
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Answer: The runner had never completed a marathon before.
NEVER is used with past perfect for no prior experience.
Question 4
I regret starting the race too quickly.
Key word: WISH
I ______ the race so quickly.
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Answer: I wish I had not started the race so quickly.
WISH with past perfect expresses past regret.
Question 5
It was the first time the visitor had seen a live opera.
Key word: NEVER
The visitor ______ a live opera before.
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Answer: The visitor had never seen a live opera before.
NEVER is used with the past perfect to describe no earlier experience.
Question 6
Perhaps the concert will be cancelled.
Key word: MAY
The concert ______ .
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Answer: The concert may be cancelled .
MAY plus the passive infinitive expresses future possibility.
Question 7
My friend said, ‘I will call tonight.’
Key word: WOULD
My friend said ______ that night.
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Answer: My friend said they would call that night.
WOULD replaces WILL in reported speech after a past reporting verb.
Question 8
The party was so noisy that we could not talk.
Key word: TOO
The party was ______ talk.
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Answer: The party was too noisy for us to talk.
TOO is followed by an adjective, FOR plus object, and a to-infinitive.
Question 9
The cleaner started working two hours ago.
Key word: FOR
The cleaner ______ two hours.
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Answer: The cleaner has been working for two hours.
FOR introduces duration after the present perfect continuous.
Question 10
It is pointless to replace the carpet now.
Key word: POINT
There ______ the carpet now.
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Answer: There is no point in replacing the carpet now.
POINT is used in ‘there is no point in’ plus gerund.
Question 11
The match stopped because it rained heavily.
Key word: DUE
The match stopped ______ .
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Answer: The match stopped due to the heavy rain .
DUE is retained in the causal phrase ‘due to the heavy rain’.
Question 12
I do not mind whether we play indoors or outdoors.
Key word: DIFFERENCE
It ______ me whether we play indoors or outdoors.
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Answer: It makes no difference to me whether we play indoors or outdoors.
DIFFERENCE is used in ‘makes no difference to’ to express indifference.
Question 13
The hike was cancelled because there was thick fog.
Key word: DUE
The hike was cancelled ______ .
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Answer: The hike was cancelled due to the thick fog .
DUE is retained in the causal phrase ‘due to’.
Question 14
I have never experienced a hotter day than this one.
Key word: EVER
This is the hottest day ______ .
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Answer: This is the hottest day I have ever experienced .
EVER is used with the present perfect after a superlative.
Question 15
The flat is too expensive for us to rent.
Key word: AFFORD
We ______ the flat.
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Answer: We cannot afford to rent the flat.
AFFORD follows ‘cannot’ and is completed by a to-infinitive.
Question 16
The living room is not as bright as the conservatory.
Key word: THAN
The conservatory ______ the living room.
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Answer: The conservatory is brighter than the living room.
THAN follows the comparative adjective ‘brighter’.
Question 17
The volunteers cleared the park although it was raining heavily.
Key word: SPITE
The volunteers cleared the park ______ rain.
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Answer: The volunteers cleared the park in spite of the heavy rain.
SPITE is retained in ‘in spite of’, followed by a noun phrase.
Question 18
The recycling centre closes at six o'clock.
Key word: UNTIL
The recycling centre ______ six o'clock.
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Answer: The recycling centre will stay open until six o'clock.
UNTIL introduces the time up to which the centre remains open.
Question 19
The student started learning Spanish three years ago.
Key word: FOR
The student ______ three years.
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Answer: The student has been learning Spanish for three years.
FOR closes the present perfect continuous phrase and introduces the duration.
Question 20
The exam was too difficult for the candidate to finish.
Key word: ENOUGH
The exam ______ the candidate to finish.
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Answer: The exam was not easy enough for the candidate to finish.
ENOUGH follows the adjective in the equivalent negative structure ‘not easy enough for’.