Key word transformation CAE

Most common grammar points

1. ADJECTIVES + PREPOSITIONS
2. QUANTIFIERS
3. PREPOSITIONAL VERBS
4. PHRASAL VERBS
5. COMPARATIVES
6. CAUSATIVE VERBS
7. CLEFT SENTENCES
8. CONDITIONALS -MIXED CONDITIONALS
9. DANGLING PARTICIPLES
10.GERUND VS INFINITIVE
11.FRONTING
12.HEADERS and TAILS
13.INVERSIONS IN ENGLISH
14.MODAL VERBS
15.PARALLEL STRUCTURE
16.PASSIVE VOICE
17.PIED-PIPING vs PREPOSITION STRANDING
18.REDUCED RELATIVE CLAUSES
19.SPLIT INFINITIVES
20.WOULD – USED TO
21. COLLOCATIONS
22. IDIOMS /EXPRESSIONS

PROCESS- STRATEGY

EXAMPLES- EXERCISES
Key word transformation CAE

EXTRA PRACTICE

Classroom Activities
An easy start
One option is to give the task with the correct answers already circled,
and ask the students to discuss why the circled option is correct and the
others are wrong. Alternatively, you can give them a text with answers
circled but with a small number (e.g. two) of those answers being
incorrect.
It also makes it easier if they have fewer options to choose from,
something that can be easily prepared by taking an exam task and
crossing off one or two of the options for each space. This can also be
turned into a game, e.g. having “Ask The Audience” and “50/50” options
like the quiz show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire or having four jokers
they can use to cut down the options at any time.
Another option is to give them just the correct answers mixed up at the
bottom rather than the multiple choice questions.
It is also possible to create texts that test only a single language point
such as verb patterns, someone/anyone/no-one/everyone or collocations
with do/make/take/have. Alternatively, you could make the task easier
while keeping the text the same by rewriting the three wrong options to
make them more obviously incorrect.
More challenging activities
One option is to give students the text with just the wrong options, telling
them they should discuss why those options are wrong and then try to
guess the right answer. They could also just read the whole text without the
options and guess as much as they can about words that should go in each
gap before being given them.
The opposite is just to give them the options to discuss first. Students talk
about the (grammatical, meaning and collocation) differences between all
the options before being able to see the text, then do the task (obviously
without looking at any notes they made during the discussion).
You could also give all the options for all the questions mixed up at the
bottom of the text and get students to choose the right ones, maybe also
guessing what the wrong options were for each question.
Finally, you could give them the text with the right answers in and ask them
to predict the trick options that were given.
Testing each other
One way of getting students to test each other is to give them the four
options and ask them to make sentences that match one of the answers
(either the original right answer or any of the four that they choose). They
can then test other people with their questions.
Key word transformation CAE

Alternatively, you can give them the text with the correct answer and tell
them to make false options to try to fool other people/groups. This can
mean them writing all three false options, or just adding one or two to the
ones you have left in. You could also give them all four options and get
them to write a fifth.
A third option is to just give them the three wrong options. They choose a
fourth one that should be the answer and then write a sentence that
matches that.
Key word transformation CAE

Team Transformations
Divide the class into two or three teams. Either by writing on the board
or by using a projector, put a transformation on the board and give
each team two or three minutes to discuss the problem. Give each
team a board pen and ask them to write their answers on the board,
ensuring they go at the same time so there’s no copying. Once each
team has finished they take a step back and compare their answers.

Teams get two points for getting it right first time and one point if they
realise their mistake after they’re given a hint or two.

This allows several steps for students to consider their answer and self
correct. Hints can include showing how many words they need, giving
the first letter of the first word or highlighting where their mistake is. In
this example I could ask the red team if ‘he has stopped’ is past,
present or future. If they have further problems it might indicate we
need a quick revision of past modals.
Key word transformation CAE

When you set up this activity (and most of the activities in this post) it
could be a mixed set of transformations, like the exam, or you could
focus on a particular type of grammar as revision. I would set up the
activity with eight questions and after going through them as a class,
give each student a handout with the same questions for them to do on
their own. This repetition is important and any transformations I cover
in this activity, or during exam practice, will feed into future activities.

This activity is based on something I’ve written about in the past here (part
3), and is a useful tool for encouraging students to work together for a
common goal.
Gallery Walk
The gallery walk is a fairly common practice in TEFL and works well
with transformations. It gives students time to consider each question
in their own time and also gets students out of their seats, which can
feel like a nice break during an otherwise intensive exam course.
Post twelve transformations around the room with the answers hidden.
Students walk around in pairs and discuss the questions before
checking their answers.
Key word transformation CAE

It’s extremely simple but has a number of advantages. As you are

monitoring from the middle of the class you can help students when
necessary, hear incorrect guesses and see which questions are
causing the most difficulty as students spend more time on some than
others.

Key Word Transformation Training

Sentence Completion
Complete the sentences with the key words from the box.

ACROSS LOSS RESULT LIKELY TRACK UP LOOKOUT MUCH RATHER LET PART SUCH
1. You need to be ON THE ________ FOR pickpockets in this area.
2. Plans ARE BEING DRAWN _________ for a new shopping centre on the outskirts of
the city.
3. ________TO OUR HORROR, when we got back to the hotel all our stuff had been
stolen.
4. Would YOU __________ I HAD NOT told them about the party?
5. _________ME KNOW if you can come to the party, I need to buy the food tonight.
6. Andrés WAS AT A _________ TO EXPLAIN why he was late for class again.
7. Failure to show a valid ticket is LIKELY TO ________ IN you having to pay a fine.
8. It is HIGHLY __________ THAT THE FILM WILL win several awards.
9. Quick ACTION ON THE ________ OF the ambulance crew saved the little girl’s life.
Key word transformation CAE

10. How can I GET IT _________ TO HIM that I’m just not that into him.
11. Don’t be silly, there IS NO _________ THING as vampires.
12. I’m so sorry I’m late, I (COMPLETELY) LOST __________ OF TIME!

Missing Words
Complete the expressions with a missing preposition.

1. I was _____ the point ____ leaving the house when the phone rang.
2. He insisted _____ carrying my bag for me.
3. He objected _____ being treated in such a rude way.
4. They accused him _____ being careless and irresponsible
5. Failure to arrive on time for your flight could result ____ you being unable to travel.