20 Key Word Transformation Practice Questions with Answers | Cambridge C2 Proficiency
Key Word Transformation is Part 4 of the Reading and Use of English paper in Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE). 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 eight words, including the key word. It tests your grammar, vocabulary, and collocations. This post gives you 20 Cambridge C2 Proficiency 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
The department worked hard and in a coordinated way to improve access.
Key word: CONCERTED
The department ______ access.
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Answer: The department made a concerted effort to improve access.
CONCERTED modifies 'effort' in the collocation 'make a concerted effort to'.
Question 2
The chair formally ended the meeting after the final vote.
Key word: CLOSE
The chair ______ after the final vote.
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Answer: The chair brought the meeting to a close after the final vote.
CLOSE appears in 'bring something to a close', meaning end it formally.
Question 3
It is understood that the delegation left before dawn.
Key word: UNDERSTOOD
The delegation ______ before dawn.
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Answer: The delegation is understood to have left before dawn.
UNDERSTOOD forms a passive reporting structure followed by a perfect infinitive.
Question 4
The archive stopped lending rare books many years ago.
Key word: SINCE
The archive ______ lend rare books.
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Answer: The archive has long since ceased to lend rare books.
SINCE appears in 'long since', while 'has ceased to' expresses a practice that ended.
Question 5
The curator is not at all concerned by the criticism.
Key word: LEAST
The curator ______ by the criticism.
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Answer: The curator is not in the least concerned by the criticism.
LEAST is retained in the emphatic expression 'not in the least', meaning not at all.
Question 6
The new gallery was scheduled to open last month, but it did not.
Key word: DUE
The new gallery ______ last month.
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Answer: The new gallery was due to have opened last month.
DUE is followed by the perfect infinitive to describe a scheduled past event that did not occur.
Question 7
The hikers only just avoided being caught by the flood.
Key word: ESCAPE
The hikers ______ being caught by the flood.
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Answer: The hikers had a narrow escape from being caught by the flood.
ESCAPE appears in 'have a narrow escape from', meaning only just avoid danger.
Question 8
The lecturer is naturally skilled at explaining difficult concepts.
Key word: KNACK
The lecturer ______ difficult concepts.
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Answer: The lecturer has a knack for explaining difficult concepts.
KNACK appears in 'have a knack for' followed by a gerund, meaning possess a natural skill.
Question 9
Investigators attributed the failure to inadequate testing.
Key word: ATTRIBUTED
The failure ______ adequate testing.
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Answer: The failure was attributed to a lack of adequate testing.
ATTRIBUTED is retained in the passive construction 'was attributed to', while 'a lack of adequate testing' preserves the stated cause.
Question 10
Extra staff can be called in if necessary.
Key word: NEED
Extra staff can be called in ______.
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Answer: Extra staff can be called in should the need arise.
NEED appears in the formal conditional phrase 'should the need arise', meaning if necessary.
Question 11
People say that the collector owns several unpublished letters.
Key word: REPUTED
The collector ______ several unpublished letters.
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Answer: The collector is reputed to own several unpublished letters.
REPUTED forms a passive reporting expression followed by the infinitive.
Question 12
The presenter frequently interrupts guests before they finish.
Key word: HABIT
The presenter ______ guests before they finish.
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Answer: The presenter has a habit of interrupting guests before they finish.
HABIT appears in 'have a habit of' followed by a gerund to describe repeated conduct.
Question 13
The committee will proceed even though this requires working late.
Key word: MEANS
The committee will proceed, ______ late.
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Answer: The committee will proceed, even if it means working late.
MEANS appears in the concessive conditional 'even if it means', followed by a gerund.
Question 14
The launch will occur tomorrow if nobody raises an objection.
Key word: ASSUMING
The launch will occur tomorrow ______.
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Answer: The launch will occur tomorrow assuming that no objections are raised.
ASSUMING introduces an explicit condition expressed in the passive.
Question 15
All the signs suggest that demand will continue to rise.
Key word: INDICATION
There ______ demand will continue to rise.
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Answer: There is every indication that demand will continue to rise.
INDICATION appears in 'there is every indication that', expressing strong evidence.
Question 16
The researcher has evidence that the sample was contaminated.
Key word: GROUNDS
The researcher ______ the sample was contaminated.
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Answer: The researcher has grounds for believing the sample was contaminated.
GROUNDS appears in 'have grounds for believing', meaning possess supporting evidence.
Question 17
Without the extra grant, the research project would have ended.
Key word: BEEN
Had ______ the extra grant, the research project would have ended.
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Answer: Had it not been for the extra grant, the research project would have ended.
BEEN is retained in the inverted third conditional 'had it not been for', meaning without.
Question 18
The chair deliberately thanked every volunteer by name.
Key word: POINT
The chair ______ every volunteer by name.
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Answer: The chair made a point of thanking every volunteer by name.
POINT appears in 'make a point of' followed by a gerund, expressing deliberate action.
Question 19
I certainly do not intend to criticise the volunteers.
Key word: FAR
______ criticise the volunteers.
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Answer: far be it from me to criticise the volunteers.
FAR begins the fixed expression 'far be it from me to', distancing the speaker from criticism.
Question 20
The equipment was not damaged by being stored in the cold.
Key word: WORSE
The equipment ______ being stored in the cold.
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Answer: The equipment was none the worse for being stored in the cold.
WORSE appears in 'none the worse for', meaning unaffected or unharmed by something.