Types of sentences In English, there are mainly three types of sentences.

Simple sentence

Compound sentence

Complex sentence

A simple sentence has just one clause.

A complex sentence has one main clause and one or

more subordinate clauses.

A compound sentence has more than one main clause.

Transformation of Sentences We can change a simple sentence into a compound

sentence or a complex sentence.

This is usually done by expanding a word or phrase

into a clause.

In the same way, we can change a complex or

compound sentence into a simple sentence.

This is done by reducing a clause into a word or

phrase.

Transformation of Sentences “It is too late to start a new lesson”.

As you can see this sentence has just one clause and

therefore it is a simple sentence. The number of clauses

in a sentence is equal to the number of finite verbs in it.

Note that to-infinitives and –ing forms are not finite

verbs.

Transformation of Sentences The structure too…to can be replaced by the structure

so…that.

It is so late that we cannot start a new lesson.

As you can see this sentence has two clauses: one main

clause (It is so late) and one subordinate clause (That

we cannot start a new lesson.) We have already learnt that

a sentence containing one main clause and one or more

subordinate clauses is called a complex sentence.

Transformation of Sentences He worked hard that he might pass the examination.

The above sentence is an example of a complex sentence.

It has one main clause (He worked hard) and one

subordinate clause of purpose (That he might pass the

examination). Subordinate clauses of purpose can be

reduced to to-infinitives.

He worked hard to pass the examination. (Simple

sentence)

Transformation of Sentences He ordered that the traitor be jailed. (Complex sentence)

This sentence, too, can be converted into a simple

sentence with the help of a to-infinitive.

He ordered them to jail the traitor.

Transformation-of-Sentences Transformation-of-Sentences is done in various ways.

The nature of the sentences can be changed without changing the meaning of the sentences.

1. Sentences containing the adverb ‘too’:

Example-1:

• My friend is too rich to be my consort.

You can see How the Transformation-of-Sentences, containing the adverb ‘too’, takes place without changing the meaning of the sentence.

• My friend is so rich that he can not be my consort.

Example - 2

The news is too good to be true.

You can see How the Transformation-of-Sentences takes

place into the following version without changing the

meaning of the sentence.

• The news is so good that it can not be true.

Example - 3• He drove too fast for the police to catch.

This sentence can be changed into the following version

without changing the meaning of the sentence.

• He drove so fast that the police can not catch him.

The Transformation-of-Sentences takes place by removing

the adverb ‘too’ and by adding a conjunction ‘so…that’.

In this way, the following sentences have been changed for

your attention.

Examples:

• He is too proud to beg. • He is so proud that he will not beg.

• It is never too late to mend. • It is not so late that it can not be mended.

• He is too ignorant for the post of a postman. • He is so ignorant that he is not suitable for the post of a postman.

• This shirt is too small for me. • This shirt is so small that it is not suitable for me.

• He speaks too fast to be understood. • He speaks so fast that he can not be understood.

Interchange of affirmative and

negative sentencesThe affirmative sentence can be changed into a negative sentence by using ‘not’. Example-1:• Affirmative: I was doubtful whether it was you. • Negative: I was not sure that it was you.

Example-2:• Affirmative: Everybody was present. • Negative: Nobody is absent.

Example-3:• Affirmative: All cheered. • Negative: There was no one present who did not cheer. In this way the negative sentences can be changed into affirmative sentences as follows.

• Negative: God will not forget the cry of the humble.

• Affirmative: God will heed the cry of the humble.

The ‘not’ in the negative sentences should be removed to

convert them into affirmative sentences.

Example-4:

Example-5:

• Negative: No one could deny that she is pretty.

• Affirmative: Every one accepts that she is pretty.

As seen above, the Transformation-of-Sentences can be

made in many ways without changing the meaning of the

sentences.

There are few more ways in which the Transformation-of-

Sentences can be made.

Thanks to … www.stiba-malang.ac.id/uploadbank/.../PRACTICAL%20GRAMMAR.pdf

www.englishgrammar.org/transformation-sentences/

www2.gsu.edu/~eslhpb/grammar/lecture_9/simple.html