FCE / B2 PART 4 – Keyword transformations

FCE / B2 PART 4 – Keyword transformations

There are six questions worth two points each, meaning that this section of the test is worth 12 points of the 28 points available. It is also one of the parts which students fear the most. These questions test your knowledge of the points listed below and are sometimes combine so as to test more than one type in a single question.

Instructions:

How are they marked
How to do them

How to get better at them.
Types

Comparative/Superlative
Structures like so/such .., er/as … as or too/enough often appear in this exercise.

Active to Passive / Passive to active

Direct and Indirect Speech
You are sometimes asked to transform a sentence from direct speech to indirect speech or from indirect to direct speech.

Modal verbs
You will often find questions that test your knowledge of auxiliary verbs like ‘will’, ‘have’, ‘must’ etc.

Conditionals

1. Unless the weather improves, we’ll have to cancel the football match.
CALL
If the weather doesn’t off the football match.

‘Imaginary’ past tenses
‘If only I had …’, ‘I wish I had …’, I’d rather have…’

Verb patterns
Your knowledge of verb patterns such as gerund and infinitive is frequently tested.

Phrasal Verbs
Sentences requiring phrasal verbs often appear in this section.

Exercise

I prefer watching Rugby to playing it.
THAN
I’d ____________________play it.

1. Nobody took any notice of his bad behaviour.
   ATTENTION
   Nobody _________ his bad behaviour.
   
2. Marcos doesn’t earn anything like the amount he did before.
   NOWHERE
   Marcos earns _____________ as he did before.
   
3. Could I borrow your pencil?
   LEND
   Could _________your pencil?
   
4. We will have to reduce how much chocolate we eat next year.
   BACK
   We will have _____________ on our chocolate consumption next year.
   
5. Angel did not succeed in finishing the marathon.
   ABLE
   Angel _________ the marathon.
   
6. It is not Rodrigo’s fault that the TV broke.
   BLAME
   You cannot  _________  the TV.
   
7. Was it Daniel’s idea to go to Madrid?
   CAME
   Was it Daniel   _________    the idea of going to Madrid?
   
8. I am starting to find living in Riofrio boring.
   FED
   I am beginning to get _________in Riofrio.
   
9. I went to Japan with the intention of learning Japanese.
   THAT
   I went to Japan ___________  Japanese.
   
10. If you borrow Will’s hammer, don’t forget to return it to him.
    BACK
    If you borrow Will’s hammer, you must ___________ to him.
    
11. Snow delayed my train to Avila this morning.
    HELD
    My train to Avila ___________ this morning.
    
12. It was 12:00 and Will had been waiting for his students since 11:30
    FOR
    It was 12:00 and Will had been waiting ___________ an hour.
    
13. Alba suddenly realised that Natalia was watching her.
    WATCHED
    Alba suddenly realised that she   ___________ Natalia.
    
14. I have only been to Solosancho once before.
    TIME
    This is only the _____________________ to Solosancho.
    
15. Marcos would rather not go to Samoa Disco tonight.
    FEEL
    Marcos _____________________ to Samoa Disco tonight.
    
16. The Cambridge B2 English exam is harder than I thought.
    NOT
    The Cambridge B2 English exam _____________________ I thought.
    
17. My biology teacher always criticises her students.
    TENDENCY
    My biology teacher ___________________________ her students.
    
18. Three days into his trip to Berlin, Rodrigo had very little money left.
    RUNNING
    Three days into his trip to Berlin, Rodrigo __________________ money.
    
19. When Miguel started his speech, he forgot everything he wanted to say.
    ANYTHING
    When Miguel started his speech he _____________________________ he wanted to say.
    
20. Alba couldn’t eat her soup because it was very hot.
    TOO
    The soup _____________________________ Alba to eat.
    
21. Cristiano Ronaldo is always recognised no matter where he goes.
    AVOID
    Cristiano Ronaldo _____________________________ no matter where he goes.
    
22. Alonso said he was sorry he was late for the lesson.
    APOLOGISED
    Alonso_____________________________ for the lesson.
    
23. Juan didn’t succeed in climbing to the summit of Mt. Almanzor..
    REACH
    Juan _____________________________ the summit of Mt. Almanzor.
    
24. Marcos drove a car for the first time this year.
    NEVER
    Marcos ____________ a car before this year.
    
    
25. Benjamin is too young to drink beer
    . (ENOUGH)