B2 First Reading & Use of English Part 4
Key word transformations
What is Part 4 Key word transformations?
6 questions, 2 marks per question.
You rewrite a sentence so it has the same or a similar meaning, using a given keyword.
You must use 2–5 words, including the key word.
What it tests
1. Grammar - accurate use of B2-level grammatical structures.
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Tenses
- have been / had been / will have -
Passive voice
- was built / has been repaired -
Conditionals
- If I were…, If I had known… -
Reported speech
- He said that… -
Modal verbs
- must have / might have / should have -
Gerund & infinitive patterns
- avoid doing / manage to do
2. Paraphrasing - expressing the same meaning using different structures or vocabulary.
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Synonyms
- begin → start
- important → essential -
Change of structure- It’s too cold to swim → It isn’t warm enough to swim
-
Negative ↔ positive forms
- hardly ever → almost never -
Active ↔ passive
- People believe… → It is believed… -
Direct ↔ indirect language
- “I’m sorry” → He apologised
3. Lexico-grammatical accuracy - combining grammar and vocabulary precisely within the word limit.
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Collocations
- make a decision / take responsibility -
Fixed expressions
- in spite of / as long as -
Prepositions
- responsible for / interested in -
Verb patterns
- accuse someone of / succeed in -
Set phrases with modals
- didn’t need to / needn’t have
Suggested strategy
-
Do NOT change the key word
-
Count words carefully (2–5)
-
Check tense and meaning match the original
Common mistakes
-
Using too many words
-
Changing the key word
-
Changing the meaning slightly
1. Grammar - accurate use of B2-level grammatical structures.
-
Tenses
- have been / had been / will have -
Passive voice
- was built / has been repaired -
Conditionals
- If I were…, If I had known… -
Reported speech
- He said that… -
Modal verbs
- must have / might have / should have -
Gerund & infinitive patterns
- avoid doing / manage to do
Part 4 Key Word Transformations Format
Answers to this sample can be found in the interactive exercise below.
