C2 Mastery Academic language and C2 style
Sentence transformation & paraphrase
Lesson goal. This lesson helps you review and consolidate the advanced structures learned across C1–C2 through sentence transformation / paraphrase exercises, keeping the original meaning intact.
When to use it
- Reviewing mixed conditionals and past deduction: Were it not for.../ needn't have + V3.
- Reviewing inversion and emphatic structures: No sooner...than / Not until...did / What made it worse was.
- Reviewing contrast connectors and causatives: albeit / notwithstanding / get sb to do.
- Reviewing academic hedging: It could be argued that.
Form
| Original (type) | Transformation |
|---|---|
| regret + V-ing | wish + had + V3 |
| if it hadn't been for | Were it not for |
| too + adj + to V | not + adj + enough + to V |
| it's possible that (past) | might have + V3 |
Step by step
- Identify the core meaning of the original sentence: condition, regret, deduction, emphasis, concession...
- Choose the matching advanced structure learned (see the 'eg' examples and earlier C1–C2 lessons).
- Check the grammar details: tense, verb form (to V/V-ing/V3), whether inversion is needed.
- Re-read the new sentence and compare its meaning to the original — make sure no nuance is lost or added (certainty, regret, concession...).
Quick-reference table of common transformation pairs
| Paraphrase structure |
|---|
| wish + had + V3 / should have + V3 |
| Were it not for / Had it not been for |
| Not until...did / It was not until...that |
| needn't have + V3 |
| Whoever/Whatever/Whichever |
Examples
I wish I hadn't told him the secret.
Were it not for the translator, the negotiation would have failed.
Whoever breaks the rule will be disqualified.
We needn't have booked in advance.
Common mistakes
I wish I don't tell him the secret. → I wish I hadn't told him the secret.
Regret about a past action needs wish + had + V3 (past perfect), not the simple present.
After much persuasion, I got the landlord lower the rent. → After much persuasion, I got the landlord to lower the rent.
get sb to do always needs 'to' — unlike make sb do (no to).
Notwithstanding the risks involved, the board approve the merger. → Notwithstanding the risks involved, the board approved the merger.
When paraphrasing, only the grammatical structure changes — the original tense and nuance (here, the past) must be kept exactly.
Memory tip
When reviewing, ask yourself 3 questions: (1) What type of meaning is this? (2) Which structure expresses it correctly? (3) Are the grammar details (to V/V-ing/V3, inversion) correct?
Summary
- This review lesson consolidates all the advanced C1–C2 structures: conditionals, deduction, inversion, emphasis, connectors, causatives, hedging.
- The golden rule of sentence transformation: keep 100% of the meaning and nuance, only change the grammatical structure.
Practise this lesson
Do exercises with an explanation for every question, take mini tests and track your progress on GrammUp.