Types of sentences and transformation of sentences - English

On this page

1. Sentences by structure
2. Sentences by function
3. Joining sentences
4. The papers items, answered
How this is examined

Cases checked to exist. Read the judgment before quoting a holding.

Every case cited here has been checked to exist — the citation resolves and names the right parties. The propositions attributed to each case have not been verified line by line against the judgment. Case names link through to the full judgment: read it before quoting a holding in an examination answer, and never carry a proposition from notes into court on trust.

The examinable core. “Do as directed (any 5)” carries 5 marks in the 80-mark paper (Q.8(A)(ii)) and forms half of Q.9(A) in the 100-mark paper. The same dozen conversions recur: simple ↔ complex ↔ compound, assertive ↔ interrogative, exclamatory → assertive, affirmative → negative, and joining with both … and, neither … nor. The meaning must not change.

1. Sentences by structure

Simple: one finite verb, one main clause. Being tired, he went to sleep.
Compound: two or more main clauses joined by a co-ordinating conjunction (and, but, or, so, yet, for, either … or, neither … nor, not only … but also). He was tired, so he went to sleep.
Complex: one main clause and one or more subordinate clauses introduced by that, because, as, since, when, if, unless, though, who, which, where. As he was tired, he went to sleep.

Conversion table

Simple (phrase)	Compound	Complex
Being tired, he slept.	He was tired and (so) he slept.	As he was tired, he slept.
In spite of running fast, he missed the train.	He ran fast but missed the train.	Though he ran fast, he missed the train.
Besides being industrious, he is wise.	He is not only industrious but also wise.	—
He is too fat to fit in the chair.	He is very fat, so he cannot fit in the chair.	He is so fat that he cannot fit in the chair.
We eat to live.	We want to live, so we eat.	We eat that we may live.
This is the rebels’ meeting place.	—	This is the place where the rebels meet.
Without wasting, you will not want.	Do not waste, and you will not want.	If you do not waste, you will not want.

Key patterns: so … that (complex) ↔ too … to (simple); that … may (complex) ↔ to + verb (simple); though (complex) ↔ but (compound) ↔ in spite of (simple); if … not / unless (complex) ↔ or / and after an imperative (compound).

2. Sentences by function

Assertive (declarative): states a fact. He has caught it.
Interrogative: asks. Has he caught it?
Imperative: commands or requests. Always speak the truth.
Exclamatory: expresses feeling. How sweetly she sings!

Assertive ↔ interrogative

A yes/no question becomes an assertive by moving the auxiliary back after the subject: Has he caught it? → He has caught it. A rhetorical question is converted with the meaning reversed: a positive question makes a negative statement and vice versa.

One cannot gather figs from thorns. → Can one gather figs from thorns?
Who does not love his country? → Everyone loves his country.
He is writing a letter. → Is he writing a letter? (a plain change, since the instruction is just “change into interrogative”)

Exclamatory ↔ assertive

What a great win! → It is a very great win.
What a great victory it was! → It was a very great victory.
She sings very sweetly. → How sweetly she sings!
Alas! He is dead. → It is sad that he is dead.

Affirmative ↔ negative

Change the sentence to negative without changing the meaning, usually by using an antonym with not, or no one / none:

He is rich. → He is not poor.
Always speak the truth. → Never tell a lie. (or Do not ever tell a lie.)
Everyone was present. → No one was absent.
Only a fool would do this. → None but a fool would do this.
As soon as he came, the meeting began. → No sooner did he come than the meeting began.

3. Joining sentences

Both … and: He is hardworking. He is sincere. → He is both hardworking and sincere.
Neither … nor: Don’t borrow. Don’t lend. → Neither a borrower nor a lender be, or simply Neither borrow nor lend.
Either … or: You may stay. You may go. → You may either stay or go.
Not only … but also: He is clever. He is honest. → He is not only clever but also honest.

Trap. In “change to simple” questions, a simple sentence may have only one finite verb. “He is too fat to be fit in the chair” is correct because to be is non-finite. Writing “He is very fat and cannot fit in the chair” is compound, not simple, and earns nothing.

4. The papers’ items, answered

January 2026 (80 marks):

He is so fat that he cannot be fit in the chair. (simple) → He is too fat to fit in the chair.
Has he caught it? (assertive) → He has caught it.
Waste not, want not. (complex) → If you do not waste, you will not want.
He is hardworking. He is sincere. (both … and) → He is both hardworking and sincere.
Don’t borrow. Don’t lend. (neither … nor) → Neither borrow nor lend.
She sings very sweetly. (exclamatory) → How sweetly she sings!

January 2026 (100 marks): Being tired he went to sleep (compound) → He was tired, so he went to sleep. He ran fast but missed the train (complex) → Though he ran fast, he missed the train. Always speak the truth (negative) → Never tell a lie. One cannot gather figs from thorns (interrogative) → Can one gather figs from thorns? What a great win! (assertive) → It is a very great win.

June 2025 (80 marks): We eat that we may live (simple) → We eat to live. What a great victory it was! (assertive) → It was a very great victory. Besides being industrious he is wise (compound) → He is not only industrious but also wise (or He is industrious and wise). He is rich (negative) → He is not poor. He is writing a letter (interrogative) → Is he writing a letter? This is the rebel’s meeting place (complex) → This is the place where the rebel meets.

How this is examined

Six items, any five, one mark each, in every 80-mark paper; five items in Q.9(A)(i) of the 100-mark paper. Write the converted sentence in full and put the instruction in brackets after the number. Check two things before moving on: the meaning is unchanged, and the structure is really the one asked for (one finite verb for simple, a co-ordinating conjunction for compound, a subordinate clause for complex).