Rephrasing

For each question, complete the second sentence so that it means the same
as the first, using no more than three words. Contractions count as two
words.
1. My bike was cheaper than my sister’s.
My sister’s bike was .................................. mine.
2. The last time Paula went on holiday was two years ago.
Paula .................................. on holiday for two years.
3. Parking the car is difficult if you arrive late.
It’s difficult to park the car .................................. early.
4. The weather was very bad. I couldn’t stay outside.
It was such .................................. that I couldn’t stay
outside.
5. Can we have permission to miss the class this afternoon?
Would you .................................. to miss the class this
afternoon?
6. I had never stayed in such an expensive hotel before.
That was the first time .................................. in such an
expensive hotel.
7. Italian and French food is served in Luigi’s restaurant.
Luigi’s restaurant .................................. Italian and French
food.
8. I haven’t got as much homework as you.
I’ve got .................................. you.
9. Jaime hasn’t been to England before.
This is the first time that Jaime ..................................
England.
10. We might miss the last train – then we’d have to walk home.
We’d have to walk home if we .................................. the last
train.
11. My sister was born two years before me.
My sister is two years.................................. me.
12. It was a useful qualification and everyone wanted to get it.
It was such .................................. that everyone wanted to
get it.
13. She said that she wanted to see me that day.
She said, ‘I .................................. you today’
14. He finished his homework before I arrived.
When I arrived, he .................................. his homework.
15. The end is easy to guess.
It isn’t .................................. guess the end.
16. Fortunately, I managed to win the last game.
Fortunately, I was .................................. win the last game.
17. I’m not as good at English as my mother.
My mother is .................................. than me.
18. Could you tell me when we get to the station, please?
Would you let .................................. when we get to the
station, please?
19. Are you still reading that guidebook?.
Haven’t you .................................. that guidebook?.
20. They said, ‘Don’t worry about the weather’.
They told us .................................. about the weather.
21. They play jazz in the restaurant every Saturday evening.
Every Saturday evening, jazz .................................. in the
restaurant.
22. He paid me a very low salary. I decided to find another job.
He paid me such .................................. that I decided to
find another job.
23. I did the work very carefully, as I knew it was important.
Since I knew the work was important, ..................................
very carefully.
24. Where was the concert?.
Do you know .................................. was?
25. That computer is too expensive for me.
I haven’t got .................................. that computer.
26. The computers were very old and they were always breaking down.
The computers were so.................................. they were always
breaking down.
27. Jane said, ‘We’ve already finished the work’.
Jane said that they .................................. the work.
28. Are they coming or not?
Do you .................................. are coming or not?

29. He can’t play tennis any more because he had his left arm broken in
an accident.
He isn’t .................................. play tennis any more
because he had his left arm broken in an accident.
30. Can you lend me your dictionary?
Can I .................................. your dictionary?
31. This is the first time she’s been in trouble.
She’s never .................................. before.
32. Could I open the window for a minute?.
I wonder if .................................. the window for a minute.
33. It is difficult to put this book down.
This book .................................. to put down.
34. The film has some frightening scenes.
There .................................. scenes in the film.
35. She knew how to drive a car when she was nine.
By the time she was nine, she had .................................. to
drive a car.
36. She asked if I wanted to go to the theatre with her.
She said, ‘ .................................. to go to the theatre with
me?’
37. The film was shorter than I had expected.
The film was not .................................. I had expected.
38. At the weekend, the meals were usually cooked by my mother.
My mother usually .................................. the meals at the
weekend.
39. The office was very cold. As a result, I got ill.
The office was so .................................. got ill.
40. He learned to drive in order to get a job as a salesman.
He learned to drive so .................................. a job as a
salesman.
41. I ate all the biscuits before teatime.
By teatime, I .................................. all the biscuits.
42. Our house needs painting.
We need to have .................................. painted.
43. The weather in Oxford was colder than I had expected.
The weather in Oxford was not .................................. I had
expected.
44. I can’t go swimming because the waves are so big.
The waves are too big for .................................. swimming.
45. I am not having a very good time.
I am not enjoying .................................. very much.
46. It’s a three-roomed flat.
There ................................................ in the flat.
47. He spends two hours a week sorting out stamps.
Sorting out his stamps ......................................... two
hours a week.
48. I like horror films but I like comedies better.
I prefer
...................................................................
horror films.
49. ‘Liar Liar’ is the funniest film I’ve ever seen.
I’ve never seen a
................................................................... ‘Liar
Liar’
50. Shall we travel by air?
What about ............................................ by air?

Answers 26. old that

27. had already finished
1. more expensive than
28. know if they
2. has not gone
29. able to
3. unless you arrive
30. borrow
4. bad weather
31. been in trouble
5. allow us
32. I could open
6. I had stayed
33. is difficult
7. serves
34. are some frightening
8. more homework than
35. (already) learnt / learned
9. has been to
36. do you want
10. missed
37. as long as
11. older than
38. cooked
12. a useful qualification
39. cold that I
13. want to see
40. he could get
14. had (already) finished
41. had eaten
15. difficult / hard to
42. our house
16. able to
43. as warm / hot as
17. better at English
44. me to go
18. me know
45. myself
19. finished reading
46. are three rooms
20. not to worry
47. takes him
21. is played
48. comedies to
22. a low salary
49. funnier film than
23. I did it
50. travelling
24. where the concert
25. enough money