Use of English - Keyword Transformation
B2
Cambridge English B2 Exam
For questions 1-6, complete the second sentence so it has a similar meaning to the first one, using the word given. You must use between 2 and 5 words including the word given. Do NOT use contractions.
Keyword Transformation #983
DOES
Tom rarely checks his phone during meetings.
Rarely ............ his phone during meetings.
Use between 2 and 5 words.
Do not use contractions.
HAD
I had just sat down to watch the film when the lights went out.
Hardly ............ to watch the film when the lights went out.
Use between 2 and 5 words.
Do not use contractions.
DID
We only understood how serious the problem was after the manager explained it.
Only after the manager explained it ............ how serious the problem was.
Use between 2 and 5 words.
Do not use contractions.
HAD
She had never seen such an impressive performance before.
Never ............ such an impressive performance before.
Use between 2 and 5 words.
Do not use contractions.
WILL
You will not find a cheaper restaurant anywhere else in the city.
Nowhere else ............ a cheaper restaurant in the city.
Use between 2 and 5 words.
Do not use contractions.
HAD
The concert began, and immediately afterwards the audience started to clap.
No sooner ............ than the audience started to clap.
Use between 2 and 5 words.
Do not use contractions.
About Use of English Keyword Transformation — Cambridge English B2
In this Cambridge English B2 Use of English Key Word Transformation exercise you complete a second sentence so that it means the same as the first, using the key word given. There are 6 questions.
You must not change the key word, and your answer usually uses between two and five words. It tests grammar and vocabulary together, including tenses, passives, reported speech and fixed phrases.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many questions are in this B2 Key Word Transformation exercise?
There are 6 questions, and each one gives you a key word you must use without changing it.
Can I change the key word?
No. The key word must appear in your answer exactly as given — you cannot change its form.
How many words should my answer have?
Keep the meaning identical and stay within the word limit (commonly between two and five words, including the key word).
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What to do
In this part, there are six unconnected sentences. For each one, you complete a new sentence that has a similar meaning.
Utilize the WORD given in capital letters for each sentence, which you must not change.
Don't worry if your alternative answer is correct. In the actual exam, examiners review each solution individually and award extra points if necessary. For convenience, in this app contractions are not allowed, although they are in the real exam.
Find chunks of text that are the same in both sentences and delete them. That helps you to focus on what you actually need to be transforming.
Make sure that the two sentences mean the same thing. For example, if the sentence to transform has names in it, the answer will have to have them too.
Because of the scoring system, it’s possible to get 50% in this section without getting any of the questions 100% correct.
So it’s worth answering every question! Even incomplete answers can get points.
For convenience, in this app, the whole answer must be correct.
Strategy
- Read the sentence carefully and think about its exact meaning.
- Check your tenses – if the first sentence is in the past tense, the second should be, too!
- Contractions (e.g. haven’t) count as two words.
- Try to keep the same meaning – If the first sentence says ‘Tom said…’ then don’t write ‘He said...’ in the second sentence. (Write ‘Tom said’.)