Cambridge B2: Part 4 - Mastering Key Word Transformation for Exam Success

Autor: Altus Team

B2 Use of English Part 4: Exam Logistics 📝

Before we start mastering the "transformation magic," let’s look at the rules of the game. Understanding the format is half the battle!

Total Time: You have 1 hour and 15 minutes for the entire Reading and Use of English paper (7 parts total).
Total Questions: 52 questions in the whole paper.
Part 4 Specifics: It consists of 6 questions (numbers 25 to 30).
Scoring: This is the only part where you can get up to 2 marks per question! 🌟
Format: Available in both Paper-based (pencil) and Digital-based (computer) versions.

Top Tip: In Part 4, you get 1 mark for getting part of the sentence right, and 2 marks for getting the whole thing perfect!

Welcome to the Transformation Lab! 🚀

Hello there! I'm so glad you're here. I know Part 4 can feel a bit intimidating—it’s often called the hardest part of the exam—but I promise you, with the right training and a bit of "detective work," you are going to ace it! 😊

In this lesson, we are going to learn how to rephrase sentences like a pro. We will cover:

The "Golden Rules" of Part 4.
Common traps that catch students off guard.
A winning strategy to solve every question.
A real exam example solved step-by-step!

Don't worry, I'll be with you every step of the way. Let's get started! ✨

The Mission: Part 4 Explained 🔍

In this section, you are given a sentence, followed by a Key Word in capital letters, and a second sentence with a gap. Your job is to complete the second sentence so it means the exact same thing as the first one.

The Golden Rules:

You MUST use the key word provided.
You MUST NOT change the key word in any way.
You must use between 2 and 5 words (including the key word).

Real Example (2022 Sample): 25. A very friendly taxi driver drove us into town. DRIVEN We ............................................................ a very friendly taxi driver.

Think you know the answer? Hold that thought! We'll solve it together soon. 🤔

For questions 25 – 30, complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words, including the word given. Here is an example (0).
Example:
0 A very friendly taxi driver drove us into town.
DRIVEN
We ................................................................................. a very friendly taxi driver.
The gap can be filled by the words ‘were driven into town by’, so you write:
Example: 0 WERE DRIVEN INTO TOWN BY
Write only the missing words IN CAPITAL LETTERS on the separate answer sheet.

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25. Joan was in favour of visiting the museum.

IDEA

Joan thought it would be ................................................................................. to the museum.

26. Arthur has the talent to become a concert pianist.

THAT

Arthur is so ................................................................................. could become a concert pianist.

27. ‘Do you know when the match starts, Sally?’ asked Mary.

Mary asked Sally ................................................................................. time the match started.

28. I knocked for ages at Ruth’s door but I got no reply.

LONG

I ................................................................................. knocking at Ruth’s door but I got no reply.

29. Everyone says that the band is planning to go on a world tour next year.

SAID

The band ................................................................................. planning to go on a world tour next year.

30. I’d prefer not to cancel the meeting.

CALL

I’d rather ................................................................................. the meeting.

The 3 Most Common Traps 🪤

Examiners love to see if you are paying attention! Here is where most students lose marks:

Changing the Keyword: If the word is "DRIVEN" and you write "driving," you get 0 marks. Period. 🚫
The Word Count: Writing 6 words or only 1 word. Remember: 2 to 5 words only! (Contractions like "don't" count as 2 words).
Missing the Tense: If the original sentence is in the past, your transformation usually needs to reflect that same time frame.
Poor Time Management: Many students spend too long reading the text from start to finish. You need to scan.

Stay sharp! A small mistake can cost you big points. 🧠

Your Step-by-Step Strategy 🏆

Don't just guess! Follow this plan for every question:

Identify the Grammar: Look at the original sentence. Is it Passive? A Conditional? Reported speech?
Look at the Keyword: How does it fit? If the keyword is "DRIVEN," it’s a huge clue that you might need a Passive Voice structure.
Count on your fingers: Literally! Count each word you write to make sure you are between 2 and 5.
Check the Meaning: Does your new sentence say the exact same thing? If you added or removed information, it's wrong.
Final Polish: Read it to yourself. Does it sound like natural English? 🗣️

Let's Solve Example 0! 🤝

Original: A very friendly taxi driver drove us into town.

Keyword: DRIVEN

The Logic Step-by-Step:

1. Grammar: The original is Active ("drove us"). The keyword is a past participle ("DRIVEN"), which suggests the Passive Voice.
2. Transformation: "We were driven..."
3. Completing the meaning: We need to mention "into town" and "by the driver."
4. Draft: "We were driven into town by a very friendly taxi driver."
5. Word Count Check: 1: were | 2: driven | 3: into | 4: town | 5: by. (5 words!) Perfect. ✅

Correct Answer: were driven into town by

Autor: Altus Team

The Ultimate Transformation Cheat Sheet 🏆💎

Welcome to the "Master Level," my dear students! Part 4 is where you show the examiners that you don't just know English, you own it. This is a collection of the most frequent grammar "swaps" you will see on exam day. Save this, study it, and love it! 😊

1. The "Must-Know" Grammar Shifts

In Part 4, Cambridge is always testing the same "math equations" with words. If you see X, you probably need Y:

If the sentence uses...	The Keyword often triggers...	Example
Direct Speech	Reported Speech	"I'll go," said Tom → Tom said (that) he would go.
Active Voice	Passive Voice	They are building a bridge → A bridge is being built by them.
"If" (Conditionals)	UNLESS / WISH / HAD	If it doesn't rain... → Unless it rains...
Too / Enough	SO / SUCH	It was too cold to swim → It wasn't warm enough to go swimming.
Comparatives	AS ... AS	He is taller than me → I am not as tall as he is.

2. Modal Verbs & Speculation (The "Tricky" Ones)

This is a favorite! They want to see if you can express certainty or regret about the past:

POSSIBILITY: "Perhaps he forgot" ➡️ He might have forgotten.
CERTAINTY (Negative): "I'm sure she wasn't there" ➡️ She can't have been there.
REGRET: "It was a mistake to go" ➡️ I shouldn't have gone.
ADVICE: "If I were you, I'd stay" ➡️ You ought to stay.

3. Master Table: 50 Common B2 Transformation "Swaps"

Here are the most common "Word Pairs" that appear in Part 4. These are like shortcuts for your brain! 🧠⚡

Original Structure	Key Word	The "Swap" (Transformation)
1. I'm sure he did it.	MUST	He must have done it.
2. I suggest we leave.	SUGGESTED	He suggested (that) we (should) leave.
3. It's too hot to run.	ENOUGH	It is not cool enough to run.
4. They made him wait.	WAS	He was made to wait by them.
5. I last saw him in 2010.	SINCE	I have not seen him since 2010.
6. "Don't go!" she said.	WARNED	She warned me not to go.
7. He can't wait to see you.	FORWARD	He is looking forward to seeing you.
8. I prefer tea to coffee.	RATHER	I would rather drink tea than coffee.
9. Although it was raining...	SPITE	In spite of the rain...
10. It was a mistake to lie.	SHOULD	You should not have told a lie.
11. He isn't allowed to stay.	LET	His parents won't let him stay.
12. Can you help me?	MIND	Would you mind helping me?
13. It's a pity I can't go.	WISH	I wish I could go.
14. He only arrived late once.	TIME	It was the first time he had arrived late.
15. I think you should go.	WERE	If I were you, I would go.
16. It's not necessary to pay.	HAVE	You don't have to pay.
17. He is a very fast runner.	RUNS	He runs very quickly.
18. I can't solve this.	SOLUTION	I can't find a solution to this.
19. They cancelled the game.	OFF	The game was called off.
20. It was too expensive.	SO	It was so expensive that we couldn't...
(Continue practicing these patterns to build your confidence!)

💡 Teacher's Golden Rule: Remember, you have up to 5 words. If your answer has 6, it's wrong. If you change the Keyword, it's wrong. Be a perfectionist! You can do it! ⭐

You've Got This! 🌟

We've reached the end of our Part 4 journey! I know it's a lot to take in, but remember: you don't have to be perfect from day one. Accuracy comes with practice! 🤗

Final Reminders:

Every gap counts: You get 1 mark for correctly using the keyword and 1 mark for the rest of the grammar. Total: 2 marks!
Never leave a blank: Cambridge does not subtract points for wrong answers. Write your best guess—you might get 1 mark even if the whole thing isn't perfect! 🍀

Be kind to yourself while you learn. You are already doing the hard work just by being here. Keep practicing, and I'll see you in the next lesson! 💖💪

This activity is based on the official Cambridge B2 First Sample Paper 2 (2022) – Reading and Use of English: Part 4

Key Word Transformation Practice - Set 1

Pregunta 1: She is better than her sister at tennis.
GOOD
Her sister is not as ______ she is at tennis.

Pregunta 2: I haven’t seen him for two months.
LAST
The ______ two months ago.

Pregunta 3: The manager postponed the meeting.
PUT
The meeting was ______ the manager.

Pregunta 4: I regret not inviting her to the party.
WISH
I ______ her to the party.

Pregunta 5: He didn’t manage to solve the problem.
ABLE
He ______ solve the problem.

Pregunta 6: It’s too cold to go outside.
ENOUGH
It is not ______ to go outside.

Pregunta 7: This car is less expensive than that one.
MORE
That car is ______ this one.

Pregunta 8: I started learning Spanish three years ago.
FOR
I ______ three years.

Key Word Transformation Practice - Set 2

Pregunta 1: I haven’t eaten sushi in months.
SINCE
It has ______ sushi.

Pregunta 2: The students are too noisy for the library.
SUITABLE
The library is not ______ the students.

Pregunta 3: The teacher asked her to explain the answer.
EXPLANATION
The teacher asked her for ______ the answer.

Pregunta 4: They are decorating the house now.
BEING
The house ______ now.

Pregunta 5: The weather was too bad to go hiking.
SO
The weather ______ we couldn’t go hiking.

Pregunta 6: He can’t lift the box because it’s so heavy.
TOO
The box ______ him to lift.

Pregunta 7: She completed the painting last week.
FINISHED
The painting ______ last week.

Pregunta 8: I am certain she didn’t know about the meeting.
HAVE
She ______ about the meeting.

Key Word Transformation Practice - Set 3

Pregunta 1: She eventually accepted the job offer.
TOOK
She eventually ______ the job offer.

Pregunta 2: I regret saying those words to her.
WISH
I ______ those words to her.

Pregunta 3: They postponed the concert because of the rain.
OFF
The concert was ______ because of the rain.

Pregunta 4: I couldn’t understand her because she spoke too fast.
SLOWLY
If she had spoken ______ understood her.

Pregunta 5: It’s possible that he forgot about the meeting.
MIGHT
He ______ about the meeting.

Pregunta 6: I haven’t gone swimming for months.
BEEN
It has ______ swimming.

Pregunta 7: The teacher encouraged me to try harder.
URGED
The teacher ______ harder.

Pregunta 8: I can’t wait to go on holiday.
FORWARD
I am ______ on holiday.

Key Word Transformation Practice - Set 4

Pregunta 1: She arrived at the party at 8 p.m.
TURNED
She ______ the party at 8 p.m.

Pregunta 2: It’s impossible for him to win the race.
CHANCE
He has ______ the race.

Pregunta 3: We cancelled the meeting because of the weather.
CALLED
The meeting was ______ the weather.

Pregunta 4: He was about to leave when the phone rang.
POINT
He was ______ the phone rang.

Pregunta 5: The book is too complicated for me to understand.
ENOUGH
The book is not ______ understand.

Pregunta 6: I found her behavior completely unacceptable.
PUT
I couldn’t ______ her behavior.

Pregunta 7: She is unlikely to accept the job offer.
DOUBT
I ______ the job offer.

Pregunta 8: I could only finish the task with her help.
WITHOUT
I couldn’t ______ her help.

Key Word Transformation Practice - Set 5

Pregunta 1: I don’t think he will arrive on time.
LIKELY
He is not ______ on time.

Pregunta 2: I missed the bus because I woke up late.
HAVE
If I had woken up earlier, I ______ the bus.

Pregunta 3: She couldn’t concentrate because of the noise.
FOCUS
She couldn’t ______ the noise.

Pregunta 4: This soup is too hot to eat.
ENOUGH
This soup is not ______ eat.

Pregunta 5: She immediately started crying when she heard the news.
BURST
She ______ tears when she heard the news.

Pregunta 6: We’ll only go if the weather improves.
LONG
We’ll go ______ the weather improves.

Pregunta 7: He finally decided to give up smoking.
MADE
He finally ______ to give up smoking.

Pregunta 8: I haven’t heard from her for weeks.
SINCE
It’s weeks ______ from her.

Key Word Transformation Practice - Set 6

Pregunta 1: He is too young to drive a car.
ENOUGH
He is not ______ drive a car.

Pregunta 2: We must complete the project by Friday.
DEADLINE
The ______ is Friday.

Pregunta 3: She solved the problem very quickly.
TIME
She solved the problem in ______ all.

Pregunta 4: I couldn’t understand his explanation.
SENSE
I couldn’t ______ his explanation.

Pregunta 5: It’s a good idea to check your work before handing it in.
SHOULD
You ______ your work before handing it in.

Pregunta 6: He didn’t manage to pass the exam.
FAILED
He ______ the exam.

Pregunta 7: The children couldn’t wait to open their presents.
LOOKING
The children were ______ their presents.

Pregunta 8: She prefers tea to coffee.
RATHER
She would ______ coffee.

B2 First – Key Word Transformation (Official Exam Part 4)

Pregunta 1:

Part 4 Instructions

Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words, including the word given.

Joan was in favour of visiting the museum.
IDEA
Joan thought it would be 1 to the museum.

Pregunta 2: Arthur has the talent to become a concert pianist.
THAT
Arthur is so 1 could become a concert pianist.

Pregunta 3: ‘Do you know when the match starts, Sally?’ asked Mary.
IF
Mary asked Sally 1 time the match started.

Pregunta 4: I knocked for ages at Ruth’s door but I got no reply.
LONG
I 1 knocking at Ruth’s door but I got no reply.

Pregunta 5: Everyone says that the band is planning to go on a world tour next year.
SAID
The band 1 planning to go on a world tour next year.

B2 First – Key Word Transformation Practice

Pregunta 1: I’d prefer not to cancel the meeting.
CALL
I’d rather 1 the meeting.

Pregunta 2: It’s possible that John forgot about the meeting.
MAY
John 2 about the meeting.

Pregunta 3: I last saw her two years ago.
FOR
I 3 her for two years.

Pregunta 4: He started working here three months ago.
FOR
He 4 here for three months.

Pregunta 5: She is too young to drive.
ENOUGH
She is not 5 to drive.