20 Key Word Transformation Practice Questions with Answers | Cambridge C1 Advanced
Key Word Transformation is Part 4 of the Reading and Use of English paper in Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE). 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 three to six words, including the key word. It tests your grammar, vocabulary, and collocations. This post gives you 20 Cambridge C1 Advanced 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
They postponed the meeting until next week.
Key word: PUT
The meeting ______ next week.
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Answer: The meeting was put off until next week.
PUT is retained in the passive phrasal verb 'put off'.
Question 2
We investigated the complaint.
Key word: LOOKED
We ______ complaint.
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Answer: We looked into the complaint.
LOOKED is retained in 'looked into'.
Question 3
The woman who lives next door is an architect.
Key word: LIVING
The woman ______ is an architect.
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Answer: The woman living next door is an architect.
LIVING reduces the defining relative clause.
Question 4
Because he was completely exhausted, he left early.
Key word: BEING
______, he left early.
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Answer: being completely exhausted, he left early.
BEING introduces a participle clause giving the reason.
Question 5
She explained her point clearly.
Key word: ACROSS
She ______ clearly.
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Answer: She got her point across clearly.
ACROSS is retained in 'get a point across'.
Question 6
He told me about the plan confidentially.
Key word: CONFIDENCE
He told me ______.
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Answer: He told me about the plan in confidence.
CONFIDENCE appears in 'in confidence'.
Question 7
Surely Tomas forgot the meeting.
Key word: MUST
Tomas ______ the meeting.
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Answer: Tomas must have forgotten the meeting.
MUST with the perfect infinitive expresses a strong deduction about the past.
Question 8
We managed to finish before dark.
Key word: SUCCEEDED
We ______ before dark.
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Answer: We succeeded in finishing before dark.
SUCCEEDED is followed by 'in' and a gerund to express successful completion.
Question 9
The committee postponed making a decision until next month.
Key word: DEFERRED
The committee ______ next month.
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Answer: The committee deferred making a decision until next month.
DEFERRED is retained with a gerund to express postponement.
Question 10
The board proceeded with the plan despite its reservations.
Key word: AHEAD
The board ______ plan despite its reservations.
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Answer: The board went ahead with the plan despite its reservations.
AHEAD is retained in the phrasal verb 'went ahead with'.
Question 11
I suddenly remembered the appointment.
Key word: CAME
The appointment ______ me.
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Answer: The appointment suddenly came back to me.
CAME is retained in 'came back to'.
Question 12
I do not remember meeting her before.
Key word: RECOLLECTION
I ______ her before.
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Answer: I have no recollection of meeting her before.
RECOLLECTION is followed by 'of' and a gerund.
Question 13
I regret not checking the figures.
Key word: WISH
I ______ the figures.
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Answer: I wish I had checked the figures.
WISH with the past perfect expresses regret about not checking the figures.
Question 14
The manager criticised us for arriving late.
Key word: DISAPPROVAL
The manager ______ late.
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Answer: The manager expressed disapproval of our arriving late.
DISAPPROVAL appears in 'expressed disapproval of', followed by a possessive and gerund.
Question 15
The news shocked us.
Key word: TAKEN
We ______ news.
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Answer: We were taken aback by the news.
TAKEN appears in the passive idiom 'taken aback'.
Question 16
I was extremely worried.
Key word: MYSELF
I was ______ worry.
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Answer: I was beside myself with worry.
MYSELF is retained in the idiom 'beside myself with'.
Question 17
Buying the camera is worthwhile.
Key word: WORTH
It ______ camera.
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Answer: It is worth buying the camera.
WORTH is followed by a gerund.
Question 18
They charged me too much for the meal.
Key word: OVERCHARGED
I ______ meal.
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Answer: I was overcharged for the meal.
OVERCHARGED forms the equivalent passive.
Question 19
The method has gradually become popular in recent years.
Key word: GAINED
The method ______ years.
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Answer: The method has gradually gained popularity in recent years.
GAINED is retained in the collocation 'gradually gained popularity'.
Question 20
Attendance is double last year's figure.
Key word: TWICE
Attendance ______ last year.
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Answer: Attendance is twice as high as last year.
TWICE is retained in the multiplier comparison 'twice as high as'.