Sentence Transformation Rules

english hum-1109 Hum-1109 Technical English

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Part 1: The Rule Book (External Additions)

Since your sources lack these rules, memorize these standard “Cheat Codes” for the exam.

Type A: Structure (Simple $\leftrightarrow$ Complex $\leftrightarrow$ Compound)

Simple (One Subject + One Verb)	Complex (Subordinate Marker)	Compound (Fanboys: And, But, Or)
Too… to (e.g., Too weak to walk)	So… that + can/could not	Very… and
In spite of / Despite	Though / Although	But
Because of / Due to	Since / As / Because	And / And so
By + (verb+ing)	If + Affirmative	And
Without + (verb+ing)	If + Negative / Unless	Or
Present Participle (Going home, he ate)	When / As / Since	And

Type B: Voice (Active $\leftrightarrow$ Passive)

• Universal Rule: Object becomes Subject + [Be Verb] + V3 + by + Subject.
• “It is time” Rule: It is time to start the work $\to$ It is time for the work to be started.
• “Known” Exception: I know him $\to$ He is known to me (Not ‘by’ me).

Type C: Degree (Positive $\leftrightarrow$ Comparative $\leftrightarrow$ Superlative)

• Superlative: He is the best boy.
• Comparative: He is better than any other boy.
• Positive: No other boy is as good as him.

Type D: Negative Conversion

• Only/Alone (Person/God): Replace with “None but”.
• Only (Thing): Replace with “Nothing but”.
• Must: Replace with “Cannot but” or “Cannot help (+v-ing)“.
• As soon as: Replace with “No sooner had… than…“.

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Part 2: PYQ Practice (Year-Wise & Categorized)

I have extracted and sorted every transformation question from your PYQ files.

Category 1: Simple, Complex, Compound

• (2024 CSE): I called but you did not respond. (Simple) $\to$ I called without getting a response.
• (2024 CSE): I saw him playing. (Complex) $\to$ I saw him while he was playing.
• (2024): He is too weak to move just an inch. (Simple - Likely error in question label, already simple. Maybe asked for Complex?) $\to$ He is so weak that he cannot move just an inch.
• (2023): I know that he is honest. (Simple) $\to$ I know him to be honest.
• (2023): I lost the book yesterday. (Complex) $\to$ It was the book that I lost yesterday.
• (2023): Father wants me to be an engineer. (Compound) $\to$ Father wants me to be an engineer and I must try.
• (2022): He is fired for his negligence. (Complex) $\to$ He is fired because he was negligent.
• (2022): This is what you want. (Compound) $\to$ You want this and here it is.
• (2022): Your play is death to us. (Simple - Already simple? Maybe Complex?) $\to$ It is your play which is death to us.
• (2021): That you read a book is a good habit. (Simple) $\to$ Reading a book is a good habit.
• (2021): Liza, a banker, works hard. (Complex) $\to$ Liza, who is a banker, works hard.
• (2021): Besides reading the novel he wrote an article on the novel. (Compound) $\to$ He not only read the novel but also wrote an article on it.
• (2020): He woke up during drizzling. (Complex) $\to$ He woke up when it was drizzling.
• (2020): He ate not only an apple but also an orange. (Simple) $\to$ He ate both an apple and an orange. (or) Besides eating an apple, he ate an orange.
• (2019): The weather was very hot and they could not go out. (Simple) $\to$ The weather being very hot, they could not go out.
• (2019): The weather was very hot and they could not go out. (Complex) $\to$ Since the weather was very hot, they could not go out.
• (2018): There stood two people on board. (Complex) $\to$ There stood two people who were on board.
• (2018): Since he is talented, he can cut a good figure in exam. (Simple) $\to$ Being talented, he can cut a good figure in exam.
• (2018): Father wants me to be a teacher. (Compound) $\to$ Father wants me to be a teacher and…
• (2017): The man who is walking along the road looks tired. (Simple) $\to$ The man walking along the road looks tired.
• (2017): I have no money to spare. (Complex) $\to$ I have no money that I can spare.
• (2017): He is short but his wife is tall. (Complex) $\to$ Although he is short, his wife is tall.
• (2016): Habib, a man of strict principle, works in a bank. (Complex) $\to$ Habib, who is a man of strict principle, works in a bank.
• (2016): Your play is death to us. (Complex) $\to$ It is your play that is death to us.
• (2016): Since he cares for honesty and foresight he can do well in business. (Simple) $\to$ Because of his care for honesty…
• (2016): Try to complete the task as we direct. (Simple) $\to$ Try to complete the task according to our direction.
• (2015): Nasim, a good student, stood first in the first year exam. (Complex) $\to$ Nasim, who is a good student…
• (2015): Since he studies much he can do well in teaching. (Simple) $\to$ By studying much…
• (2015): Pip not only fears but also loves Estella. (Simple) $\to$ Pip loves Estella besides fearing her.
• (2015): Reza could play football at sixteen. (Complex) $\to$ Reza could play football when he was sixteen.
• (2015): It is loving that he obeys his parents. (Simple) $\to$ He obeys his parents lovingly.
• (2015): He is sincere in studies, but can’t do well in exam. (Complex) $\to$ Though he is sincere…

Category 2: Voice (Active / Passive)

• (2024 CSE): We are going to publish a book. (Passive) $\to$ A book is going to be published by us.
• (2024): Who taught you English? (Passive - Question implied from similar years) $\to$ By whom were you taught English?
• (2023): What is lotted cannot be blotted. (Active) $\to$ We cannot blot what is lotted. (or) God lotted what cannot be blotted.
• (2022): I know that he has done it. (Passive) $\to$ It is known to me that it has been done by him.
• (2021): It is time to start the business. (Passive) $\to$ It is time for the business to be started.
• (2018): What is lotted cannot be blotted. (Active) $\to$ One cannot blot what is lotted.
• (2017): Please come immediately. (Passive) $\to$ You are requested to come immediately.
• (2015): Panic seized the writer. (Passive) $\to$ The writer was seized with panic.

Category 3: Negative & Affirmative

• (2024 CSE): Rahim always minds his lesson. (Negative) $\to$ Rahim never neglects his lesson.
• (2023): Only the moon is visible. (Negative) $\to$ Nothing but the moon is visible.
• (2023): They were hungrier than I thought. (Positive) $\to$ I did not think they were as hungry as they were.
• (2022): The ship rested unmoving. (Negative) $\to$ The ship did not move.
• (2022): He is the worst guy. (Positive) $\to$ No other guy is as bad as he is.
• (2020): Only the stars are visible. (Negative) $\to$ Nothing but the stars are visible.
• (2019): Everyone will realize that I am right. (Negative) $\to$ No one will fail to realize that I am right.
• (2018): The ship rested unmoving. (Negative) $\to$ The ship did not move.
• (2018): They were hungrier than I thought. (Positive) $\to$ I did not think they were so hungry.
• (2017): As soon as I reached the station, the train left. (Negative) $\to$ No sooner had I reached the station than the train left.
• (2016): He is aware of his word. (Negative) $\to$ He is not unaware of his word.
• (2016): No one will deny that he is brave. (Affirmative) $\to$ Everyone will admit that he is brave.
• (2015): Mim is less meritorious than his brother. (Positive) $\to$ Mim is not as meritorious as his brother.

Category 4: Interrogative, Assertive, Exclamatory

• (2024 CSE): It matters little if I go. (Interrogative) $\to$ Does it matter much if I go? (or) What does it matter if I go?
• (2024 CSE): Had I possessed the mine of Solomon! (Assertive) $\to$ I wish I had possessed the mine of Solomon.
• (2024): How sweetly the bird sings! (Assertive) $\to$ The bird sings very sweetly.
• (2023): The man shot the bird. (Interrogative) $\to$ Did the man shoot the bird?
• (2022): How hotly the sun shone overhead! (Assertive) $\to$ The sun shone very hotly overhead.
• (2021): I could not perform it well. (Interrogative) $\to$ Could I perform it well?
• (2020): Everybody longs for happiness. (Interrogative) $\to$ Who does not long for happiness?
• (2019): I could not perform it well. (Interrogative) $\to$ Could I perform it well?
• (2019): A little learning is a dangerous thing. (Exclamatory) $\to$ What a dangerous thing a little learning is!
• (2019): We should not tell a lie. (Imperative) $\to$ Let us not tell a lie.
• (2016): Were I a child! (Assertive) $\to$ I wish I were a child.

Category 5: Degree of Comparison

• (2024): Walking is the best exercise. (Comparative) $\to$ Walking is better than any other exercise.
• (2021): Mamun is as hard in principle as the other ones in his office. (Comparative) $\to$ The other ones in his office are not harder in principle than Mamun. (Note: Check the specific logic of “as…as”).
• (2018): Lipi is as talented as other students in the class. (Superlative) $\to$ Lipi is not the most talented student in the class. (Tricky one: If “as…as”, it means equal. If “Lipi is the most talented”, the positive would be “No other student…”). Better answer: Lipi is one of the most talented students.
• (2017): Dhaka is the largest city in Bangladesh. (Comparative) $\to$ Dhaka is larger than any other city in Bangladesh.
• (2017): Dhaka is the largest city in Bangladesh. (Positive) $\to$ No other city in Bangladesh is as large as Dhaka.

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Expert Comments & Helpful Hacks

1. The “Subjective” Passive Trap:

   • In 2022, the question was: I know that he has done it. (Passive).
   • Many students fail this. It has two clauses. You must change the main clause too.
   • Correct: It is known to me that it has been done by him.
   • Note: Use “to me”, not “by me” for the verb “Know”.

2. Degree “One of the” Hack:

   • If the question says “One of the best”, the Positive form MUST start with “Very few”.
   • If it just says “The best”, start with “No other”.

3. Simple $\to$ Complex “Reason” Hack:

   • If the Simple sentence uses “Because of” (e.g., Because of his illness, he failed), the Complex version almost always uses “Since/As” (Since he was ill, he failed).

Study Strategy: Focus heavily on the 2024 CSE, 2023, and 2022 questions listed above. The patterns in these three years (especially Simple/Complex/Compound and Degree) are extremely likely to repeat.