Rephrasing
Rewriting Set 1
How much is this magazine? (cost)
👉 How much …?
I haven’t got a car. (own)
👉 I …
We intend to meet for lunch tomorrow. (are)
👉 We …
Brenda plays a lot of football. (often)
👉 Brenda …
The children are quiet at the moment. (talk)
👉 The children …
I’ve got plans to see Paul tonight. (am)
👉 I …
It started to rain in the middle of our picnic. (while)
👉 It …
We found a better flat. Then we moved. (after)
👉 After …
She finished all the work. Then he came to help her. (By the time)
👉 By the time …
I plan to leave in a week. (leaving)
👉 I …
I don’t listen to classical music at all. (never)
👉 I …
George started working here four years ago. (for)
👉 George …
Ben doesn’t eat meat at all. (never)
👉 Ben …
I was in the middle of a conversation with my teacher when you called. (while)
👉 While …
Anne is visiting our country for the first time. (never)
👉 Anne …
John didn’t want to leave before seeing the garden. (seen)
👉 After …
Fashions will be different by the time you are older. (changed)
👉 Fashions …
Paul met Julie in primary school. (known)
👉 Paul …
How long have you had this car? (buy)
👉 When …
We are going to play tennis from five until seven o’clock.
👉 At six o’clock …
Mark left and Nancy cried for an hour.
👉 After Mark …
REWRITING – SET 1
How much does this magazine cost?
I don’t own a car.
We are going to meet for lunch tomorrow.
Brenda often plays football.
The children aren’t talking at the moment.
I am going to see Paul tonight.
It started to rain while we were having a picnic.
After we had found a better flat, we moved.
By the time he came to help her, she had finished all the work.
I am leaving in a week.
I never listen to classical music.
George has worked here for four years.
Ben never eats meat.
While I was talking to my teacher, you called.
Anne has never visited our country (before)
After John had seen the garden, he left.
Fashions will have changed by the time you are older.
Paul has known Julie since primary school.
When did you buy this car?
At six o’clock we will be playing tennis.
After Mark had left, Nancy cried for an hour.
Rewriting - Set 2
In my opinion, he’s not very considerate. (not think)
👉 I …
John is on the phone. (talk)
👉 John …
What is the price of this ring? (cost)
👉 How …
The suitcase is on the scales. (weighing)
👉 Cathy …
Is this your jacket? (belong)
👉 Does …
I have got a meeting with Janine at 6 o’clock. (am)
👉 I …
The wedding took place and then I received the invitation. (By the time)
👉 By the time …
We had cheered him up. Then he felt better. (after)
👉 After …
During the English lesson the lights went out. (while)
👉 While …
We arranged the chairs in circle. Then the guests arrived. (By the time)
👉 By the time …
They were in the middle of the dinner when the table began to shake. (while)
👉 While …
Rachel went home before Sonia arrived. (By the time)
👉 By the time …
He had a job in a restaurant when I first knew him. (working)
👉 He …
As Bill and Ben were on their way to school, it started to rain. (while)
👉 While …
Julie has a habit of falling asleep in lessons. (often)
👉 Julie …
I last saw Barbara two years ago. (seen)
👉 I …
Is this your first visit to New York? (ever)
👉 Have …
We don’t know the election results. (heard)
👉 We …
We got our dog last April. (had)
👉 We …
How long has Paul been a lawyer? (When?)
👉 When …
This is my first time at a hockey match. (never)
👉 I …
Vera is in the middle of her homework. (now)
👉 Vera …
Harriet cleaned the house. Then the guests arrived. (By the time)
👉 By the time …
What’s your opinion about this idea? (think)
👉 What …
How long have you played tennis? (start)
👉 When …
Ben bought his horse two years ago. (for)
👉 Ben …
They are going to rehearse the play from 6.00 to 7.00.
👉 At 6.30 tomorrow …
I don’t think he is very considerate.
John is talking on the phone.
How much does this ring cost?
Cathy is weighing the suitcase.
Does this jacket belong to you?
I am meeting Janine at 6 o’clock.
By the time I received the invitation, the wedding had taken place.
After we had cheered him up, he felt better.
While we were having the English lesson, the lights went out.
By the time the guests arrived, we had arranged the chairs in circles.
While they were having dinner, the table began to shake.
By the time Sonia arrived, Rachel had gone home.
He was working in a restaurant when I first knew him.
While Bill and Ben were going to school, it started to rain.
Julie often falls asleep in lessons.
I haven’t seen Barbara for two years.
Have you ever been to New York?
We haven’t heard the election results.
We have had our dog since last April.
When did Paul become a lawyer?
I have never been to a hockey match.
Vera is doing her homework (now).
By the time the guests arrived, Harriet had cleaned the house.
What do you think about this idea?
When did you start playing / to play tennis?
Ben has had his horse for two years.
At 6.30 tomorrow they will be rehearsing the play.
Rewriting - Set 3
1. I became ill during my visit to my grandmother. (while)
• I
2. Martin never misses a football match. (always)
• Martin
3. Is that ring yours? (belong)
• Does
4. Sally is going to bake the cake at 2.30.
• By 3 o’clock
5. Sally will start baking the cake at 10.00 and will finish at 12.00.
• At 11.00 tomorrow
6. What weight are you?
• How
7. We started studying at 10 and finished at 12. (for)
• We
8. The last time I saw Brian was three months ago. (for)
• I
9. Jimmy hurt himself during a football match. (while)
• Jimmy
10. First Katherine passed her driving test. Then she bought a car. (after) (By the time)
• After
• By the time
• Katherine
11. How long have you known Sarah? (meet)
• When
12. I’m not hungry. Thank you. (eat)
• I
13. What’s your opinion about exams? (think)
• What
14. What are his plans this evening? (do)
• What
15. I don’t think that he’s being honest. (lie)
• I think
16. Our visitors arrived during my favourite TV show. (while)
• Our visitors
17. Alice is planning to play tennis from 8 to 10 o’clock this evening.
• At 9 o'clock this evening
18. Diana fell asleep at 10 o’clock. Her sister arrived home at midnight.
• By the time
19. Patrick has worked here for many years. (started)
• Patrick
I became ill while I was visiting my grandmother.
Martin always goes to football matches.
Does this ring belong to you?
By 3 o’clock, Sally will have backed the cake.
At 11.00 tomorrow, Sally will be baking the cake.
How much do you weigh?
We have studied for two hours / since 10 o'clock. / We have been studying ...
I haven't seen Brian for three months.
Jimmy hurt himself while he was playing football / a football match.
* After Katherine had passed her driving test, she bought a car. | By the time Katherine bought a car, she had passed her driving test. |* Katherine had passed her driving test by the time she bought a car.
When did you meet Sarah?
I'm not going to eat. Thank you.
What do you think about exams?
What is he going to do this evening?/ What is he doing this evening?
I think he 's lying.
Our visitors arrived while I was watching my favourite TV show.
At 9 o'clock this evening Alice will be playing tennis.
By the time Diana's sister arrived, she had fallen asleep.
Patrick started working here many years ago.
1. During Susan’s dancing class, her mobile phone didn’t stop ringing.
While …
2. During our rehearsal for the concert, the conductor fell off the podium.
While …
3. During lunch we will listen to the news on the radio.
While…
4. While we were taking the exam, the bell rang.
During ...
5. While we were having breakfast, we heard the fire-engines go by.
During ...
6. While we are spending our holidays in Paris, the decorators will paint the house.
During ...
7. During dinner we will discuss this.
While ...
e.g. She came to live here thirteen years ago.
➡ She has been living here for thirteen years.
➡ She has been living here since 1997.
1. My father started professional driving 45 years ago.
(since / for)
2. Concord first flew 26 years ago.
(since / for)
3. We started working on this project four weeks ago.
(since / for)
4. I first met Alan ten years ago and we are still friends.
(since / for)
5. Our neighbours last washed their car three weeks ago.
(since / for)
6. He began his stamp collection in 1975.
(since / for)
7. The tourists from Spain arrived in Greece a month ago.
(since / for)
8. The Levi Strauss company started selling jeans in 1849.
(since / for)
9. Rose moved to her new flat 5 years ago. She still lives there.
(since / for)
10. They got engaged three months ago.
(since / for)
11. My husband started working in this company in 1995.
(since /for)
12. We came to live in La Coruña four years ago.
(since / for)
13. I smoked my last cigarettes last year.
(since / for)
14. I haven’t been to an art gallery for three years.
(ago)
15. The last time she wrote a novel was three years ago.
(for)
16. They got married ten years ago.
(for / since)
17. We started writing to each other six years ago.
(since / for)
18. The police started looking for him two months ago.
(since / for)
e.g. Its’s ages since we met the Springers for the last time.
➡ We haven’t met the Springers for ages.
1.Maria hasn’t travelled abroad for years.
It’s …
2. It’s ages since I last had a holiday
I …
3. My parents haven’t gone to the cinema for a long time.
It’s …
4. It’s years since I had such a good time.
I …
5. I haven’t talked to George for four weeks.
It’s …
6. It’s years since he last went to a football match.
He …
7. We haven’t been to the beach for ages.
It’s …
8. I haven’t worked so hard for years.
It’s …
9. We haven’t enjoyed ourselves so much for ages.
It’s …
e.g. I saw this film in January and I saw it again yesterday.
➡ This is the second time I have seen this film this year.
1. Yesterday I locked myself out of the house for the third time this month.
This is the third time ...
2. The series first appeared on TV two years ago and now we can watch it again.
This is the second time...
3. He won the lotto for the first time last year and yesterday he did it again!
This is the second time ...
4. Last week he crashed his car for the third time this year.
This is the third time ...
e. g. When did you start learning English?
➡ How long have you been learning English?
1. When did you start working here?
How long …?
2. How long have you been using a computer?
When…?
3. When did you buy that car?
How long …?
4. When did they move to their new flat?
How long…?
5. When did you start hearing that strange noise in your car?
How long …?
e.g. They finished their homework. Then they went out.
(Time clause) Before + Past simple, (Main clause) Past perfect
Before they went out, they had finished their homework OR They had finished their homework before they went out
(Time clause) After/As soon as/Only after/When + Past perfect, Past simple
After/As soon as/Only after/When they had finished their homework, they went out OR They went out after/as soon as//only after/when they had finished their homework.
1. We sold our house in Madrid and then moved to Granada.
Only after …
Before …
2. She finished writing her book and then published it.
As soon as …
3. He started waiting for the bus at 9.00 and it finally arrived at 11.30.
Before …
After …
4. We arrived at the wedding at 12.15 . The ceremony began at 12.00.
After …
Before …
5. The film began at 9.30 and we arrived at the cinema just after that.
When …
6. The secretary typed all the letters. Then her boss decided to make changes.
When…
1. It’s cold. You decide to close the window.
I think I ...
2. A friend of yours offers you a lift in his car but you decide to walk.
Thank you but ...
3. It’s raining. You decide not to go out.
I don’t think I...
4. You feel tired. You decide to go to bed.
I ...
5. You arranged to play tennis. Now you decide that you don’t want to play.
I think I ...
6. You were going to go swimming. Now you decide that you don’t want to go.
I don’t think I ...
7. I promise to help you when I get home.
I…
1. We have planned the wedding for August the first. (get married)
2. The committee has arranged the meeting for next Monday. (take place)
3. Susan has organized a big party for her birthday next Saturday. (have a birthday party)
4. The school has organized a lecture on English literature for tomorrow. (attend a lecture)
1. The sky is grey and it is extremely cold. (snow)
2. The sky is full of black clouds. (rain)
3. It’s 8.30. Tom is leaving his house. He has to be at work at 8.45 but the journey takes 30 minutes. (be late)
4. Terry is doing his examinations tomorrow. He hasn’t done any work for them and he is not very intelligent. (fail)
5. There is a hole in the bottom of the boat. It is filling up with water very quickly. (sink)
6. Ann is driving. There is very little petrol left in the tank. The nearest petrol station is a long way away. (run out of petrol)
1. Tom and Ann are going to the cinema. The film begins at 7.30 and it is already 7.20. And it will take them 20 minutes to get there.
When they get there , the film ...
2. Jim always goes to bed at 11 o’clock. Tom is going to visit him at 11.30 this evening.
When Tom arrives, Jim ...
3. Tom is on holiday. He has very little money and he is spending too much too quickly.
Before the end of his holiday, he ...
4. Chuck came to Britain from the US nearly three years ago. Next Monday it will be exactly three years since he arrived.
Next Monday he ...
5. My homework will be finished before lunch.
At lunchtime I…
1. I have to work from 8:30 till 14:20 every day.
At 10:00 next Monday I…
2. Tomorrow afternoon I’m going to play tennis from 3 o’clock until 4.30.
So at 4 o’clock tomorrow ...
3. Jim is going to study from 7 o’clock until 10 o’clock this evening.
So at 8.30 this evening he ...
4. We are going to clean the flat tomorrow. It will take from 9 until 11 o’clock.
So at 10 o’clock tomorrow morning...