Hola candidat@s del examen de Cambridge Advanced (C1), bienvenid@s a este primer post de ayuda para superarlo con éxito. Nuestro profesor experto Patrick Moore compartirá algunos consejos y ejemplos para los diferentes ejercicios que os encontraréis en el examen CAE. ¡Esperamos que os sean útiles!
We dedicate today’s post to Part 4 of the Reading and Use of English Paper in the Cambridge C1 Advanced exam (formerly known as the Certificate in Advanced English), the Key Word Transformation. Students commonly say that of all the parts on the exam, this is the one that causes them the most angst, but it needn’t be so! As with any other part of the exam (and indeed anything in life), the key to mastering the Key Word Transformation task is practice, practice, practice. The good news is that there is a clear pattern of repeated grammatical and lexical structures that are tested in this part of the C1 Advanced exam, and this will become increasingly apparent the more you practice. Let’s take a look at the most common ones.
First see if you can work out the answer yourself. We’ll give you the answers at the end so that you can check your work.
Commonly tested structures
1. comparisons
Alan is a much better pianist than Jenny.
NOWHERE
Jenny is …………………………. the piano as Alan is.
2. phrasal verbs
‘We’ll have to postpone our meeting until next week, as a lot of people are on leave,’ the manager said.
OFF
The manager said the meeting …………………………. until the following week, as a lot of people were on leave.
3. fixed expressions/chunks
The other students don’t mind whether you give your presentation on Thursday or Friday.
DIFFERENCE
It …………………………. the other students whether you give your presentation on Thursday or Friday.
4. so and such
The government is so powerful that it can control people’s lives.
POWER
Such is …………………………. that it can control people’s lives.
5. inversion after emphatic expressions
As soon as the tennis players went onto the court, it started raining.
HAD
No …………………………. onto the court than it started raining.
6. derivations (verbs to nouns etc.)
We were all surprised when she announced that she was engaged to be married.
ANNOUNCEMENT
The …………………………. all by surprise.
7. passive voice with reporting verbs
It is reported that he is now recovering in hospital.
RECOVERY
He is reported …………………………. in hospital.
8. third conditional
Without the help that Joe gave me, I don’t think I’d have finished the course.
BEEN
If it …………………………. help, I don’t think I’d have finished the course.
9. formal expressions
The change in the company’s logo didn’t make any difference to the majority of its customers.
CONSEQUENCE
The change in the company’s logo …………………………. to the majority of its customers.
10. expressions that require the past simple (subjunctive)
Jenny felt she had stayed too long at the party.
HIGH
Jenny felt it …………………………. the party.
Answers
- nowhere near as good at playing
- would have to be put off
- makes no difference to
- the power of the government OR the government’s power
- sooner had the tennis players gone
- announcement of her engagement took us
- to be in recovery
- hadn’t been for Joe’s
- was of no consequence
- was high time (that) she left
How’d you do? We hope not bad! Be sure to write down the answers to any mistakes you made and keep a record for future practice. There’s a good chance you’ll encounter the same construction again!
