Unit 7
Sentence Transformation

Learning Outcomes

Prerequisites

Key words

Sentences, Transformation, Simple, Compound, Complex

3.7.1 Sentence Transformation

You might be familiar with the word transformation. It simply means a change in nature or form. What do you mean by Sentence Transformation? In English grammar, a Simple sentence can be converted into a Complex or Compound sentence and vice versa. Thus, the Sentence Transformation refers to the change in the form and structure of a sentence without altering its meaning. There occurs different situations and causes to conduct the Sentence Transformation process which will be explained in the following sections.

3.7.2 Conversion of Simple Sentences to Compound Sentences

A Simple sentence is a sentence with one Main Clause, which contains a single subject and predicate, whereas a Compound sentence contains two or more Main Clauses. Now, look at the following sentences:

Being a sculptor, he made a gigantic statue of a mermaid (Simple).

He is a sculptor and he made a gigantic statue of a mermaid (Compound).

Here a Simple sentence is converted into a Compound sentence. What do you think are the changes that occur when a Simple sentence is converted to a Compound sentence?

The phrase being a sculptor in the Simple sentence is transformed into a Clause, he is a sculptor. Then, the converted Clause joins with the original Clause, he made a gigantic statue of a mermaid, by employing the co-ordinating conjunction and. This way, a Simple sentence is changed into a Compound one.

A Simple sentence can be converted into a Compound sentence by:

• Elaborating a word or a phrase into a Clause.
• Connecting the Clauses with co-or-dinating conjunctions, such as and, but, or, yet, for, not only…but also, etc.

Eg: Besides being diligent, he is rational (simple).
He is not only diligent but also rational (compound).
In spite of his popularity, he failed in the poll (simple).
He was popular but he failed in the poll (compound).
He is tall enough to catch that ball (simple).
He is very tall and he can catch that ball (compound).
Owing to heavy rains, the authorities cancelled the match (simple).
It was raining heavily and the authorities cancelled the match. (compound).
You must have the perseverance to achieve success in your life (simple).
You must have perseverance or you will not achieve success in your life(compound).
Seeing his friends, Kiran walked towards them (simple).
Seeing his friends, Kiran walked towards them (simple).
Kiran saw his friends and walked towards them (compound).
Obeying their teacher’s words, the students stopped talking to each other (simple).
The students obeyed their teacher’s words and stopped talking to each other (compound)

3.7.3 Conversion of Compound Sentences to Simple Sentences

Look at the following sentences:
He was sick and he went to hospital (compound). Owing to his sickness, he went to hospital (simple).

In the above example, a Compound sentence is converted into a Simple sentence. Here the Clause he was sick is reduced to a phrase owing to his sickness. This leads to the understanding that a Compound sentence can be changed into a Simple sentence by converting a Clause into a phrase or word.

Note: Simple sentences can be formed by:

1. Using Participial constructions. (verb +ing)
   Eg: They walked through the jungle and they saw a lion (compound).
   Walking through the jungle, they saw a lion (simple).
   He failed again, therefore he decided to quit. (compound)
   Having failed again, he decided to quit. (simple)
   
2. Using an Infinitive
   Eg: She is busy and she can’t talk now. (compound)
   She is too busy to talk now. (simple)
3. Using a Gerund
   Eg: He told the truth and was released from jail. (compound)
   Telling the truth, he was released from jail. (simple)
   
4. Using a Preposition with a noun
   Eg: Yadu is a singer as well as a dancer. (compound)
   Besides being a singer, Yadu is a dancer. (simple)
5. Using an Adverb or Adverbial phrase
   Eg: He was fortunate or he wouldn’t have reached there on time. (compound)
   Fortunately, he reached there on time. (simple)
   Eg: You must exercise daily otherwise you won’t stay healthy. (compound)
   You must exercise daily to stay healthy. (simple)
   She is a poor woman, yet she helps other people in her village. (compound)
   In spite of her poverty, she helps other people in her village. (simple)
   He must walk fast or he will not reach on time. (compound)
   He must walk fast to reach on time. (simple)
   She was a careless girl; therefore, she made many mistakes in the examination. (compound)
   Being a careless girl, she made many mistakes in the examination. (simple)
   Not only money but also some ornaments were robbed from that house. (compound) Besides money, some ornaments were robbed from that house. (simple)
   Students must study well or they will not get good marks. (compound)
   Students must study well to get good marks. (simple)
   

3.7.4 Conversion of Simple Sentences to Complex Sentences

We have already learned that a Simple sentence has only one Main Clause. A Complex sentence is a sentence which has one Main Clause and one or more Subordinate Clauses.

For converting a Simple sentence to a Compound sentence, we have elaborated the word or phrase in the Simple sentence into a Clause. Similarly, for converting a Simple sentence to a Complex sentence we need to elaborate a word or a phrase into a Subordinate Clause.

Note 1: Complex sentences can be formed by:

1. Using a Noun Clause
Eg: He admitted his ignorance. (simple)
He admitted that he was ignorant. (complex)
The King ordered to hang the traitor.(simple)
The King ordered that the traitor should be hanged. (complex)

2. Using an Adjective Clause
Eg: Shajahan built this monument. (simple)
This is the monument which was built by Shajahan. (complex)
We met an illiterate man. (simple)
We met a man who was illiterate. (complex)

3. Using an Adverb Clause
Eg: Join an aviation course to become a pilot. (simple)
If you want to become a pilot, join an aviation course. (complex)
Despite being an eminent officer, she is criticized by the media. (simple)
Although she is an eminent officer, she is criticized by the media. (complex)

Note 2: Noun Clause, Adjective Clause and Adverb Clause are three kinds of Subordinate Clauses

1. Noun Clause: The Main Clause which acts like a noun.

Eg: What she said was not the truth.

2. Adjective Clause: An Adjective Clause qualifies a noun or pronoun in the Main Clause.

Eg: This is the car which I wish to buy.

3. Adverb Clause: An Adverb Clause modifies a Verb, an Adjective or an Adverb in the Main Clause.

Eg: She is happy because she got a gift from her friend.
Eg: He was too poor to take his son to a hospital. (simple)
He was so poor that he could not take his son to a hospital. (complex)
He bought a car from his friend. (simple)
He bought a car which belonged to his friend. (complex)
Rony is a man of sincerity. (simple)
Rony is a man who is very sincere. (complex)
On seeing the clown, the little boy began to laugh. (simple)
The little boy began to laugh as soon as he saw the clown. (complex)
Despite his injury, the wrestler performed well. (simple)
Even though the wrestler was injured, he performed well. (complex)
This is the pathway leading to the park. (simple)
This is the pathway that leads to the park. (complex)
The manager of the company approved of my recommendations. (simple)
The manager of the company approved of what I recommended. (complex)

3.7.5 Conversion of Complex Sentences to Simple Sentences

Read the following sentences:

While we were walking to our school, we met our aunt. (complex)
Walking to our school, we met our aunt. (simple)

Here a Complex sentence is converted to a Simple sentence. You might have noticed that the Subordinate Clause in the Complex sentence is reduced to a phrase in the Simple sentence, i.e., While we were walking to our school is changed to walking to our school. Thus, a Complex sentence can be converted to a Simple sentence by reducing a Subordinate Clause to a phrase or a word.

Eg: She said that her grandmother was a righteous woman. (complex)
She stated her grandmother’s righteousness. (simple)
The teacher remarked how smart the boy was. (complex)
The teacher remarked on the boy’s smartness. (simple)
Smoking is so dangerous that it can cause cancer. (complex)
Smoking is dangerous enough to cause cancer. (simple)

Anna is a clever girl that she will surely find a solution to our problem. (complex)
Being a clever girl, Anna will surely find a solution to our problem. (simple)
The farmer found a land which was very barren. (complex)
The farmer found a barren land. (simple)
Although she was educated, she couldn’t find a job for herself. (complex)
In spite of being educated, she couldn’t find a job for herself. (simple)

3.7.6 Conversion of Compound Sentences to Complex Sentences

How is a Compound sentence different from a Complex sentence? A Compound sentence has two or more Main Clauses and a Complex sentence has a Main Clause and one or more Subordinate Clauses. Now look at the following sentences:

You must obey my words or you will be punished. (compound)
If you don’t obey my words, you will be punished. (complex)

When a Compound sentence is changed to a Complex sentence, the Main clause, you must obey my words is changed to a Subordinate Clause if you don’t obey my words. Thus, to convert a Compound sentence to a Complex sentence, one of the Main Clauses is changed to a Subordinate Clause. Subordinating conjunctions like that, though, if, when, which, who, after, before, so…that, unless, whether, etc. are used to connect the Clauses.

Eg: Shakespeare is a well-known writer and he belongs to the Elizabethan era. (compound)
Shakespeare is a well-known writer who belongs to the Elizabethan era. (complex)
He studied well but he did not pass the examination. (compound)
Even though he studied well, he did not pass the examination. (complex)
You should tell the truth otherwise you will be arrested. (compound)
You should tell the truth so that you will not be arrested. (complex)
The driver saw the red signal and he stopped the vehicle. (compound)
When the driver saw the red signal, he stopped the vehicle. (complex)
AIDS is a fatal disease and it is caused by a virus. (compound)
AIDS is a fatal disease which is caused by a virus. (complex)
It was his first film, yet he won the best actor award for that film. (compound)
Though it was his first film, he won the best actor award for that film. (complex)

3.7.7 Conversion of Complex Sentences to Compound Sentences

Look at the following sentences:

Unless you start at once, you will be late.(complex)
You start at once otherwise you will be late. (compound)

How can we convert a Complex sentence to a Compound sentence? A Complex sentence can be converted to a Compound sentence by modifying the Subordinate Clause into a Main Clause. In the above example, the Subordinate Clause, unless you start at once is modified to a Main Clause you start at once. Let us look at more examples.

Eg: He ran away lest he should be seen. (complex)
He ran away or he would be seen. (compound)
Though he wished to become a director, he did not join any film institute. (complex)
He wished to become a director but he did not join any film institute. (compound)
As soon as he finished his work, he went to the post office. (complex)
He finished his work and went to the post office. (compound)
Although it is raining, you must leave now. (complex)
It is raining but you must leave now. (compound)
This is the shop which sells fruits and vegetables. (complex)
This shop sells fruits as well as vegetables. (compound)
Though he is impolite, we admire him for his courage. (complex)
He is impolite yet we admire him for his courage. (compound)

3.7.8 Transformation of the Degrees of Comparison

A degree of a sentence can be changed without changing its meaning in the following ways:

• Goa is the smallest state in India. (Superlative Degree)
  Goa is smaller than any other state in India. (Comparative Degree)
  Goa is smaller than most other states in India. (Comparative Degree)
  Most other states in India are not so small as Goa. (Positive Degree)
  Very few states in India are as small as Goa. (Positive Degree)
• Russia is the largest country in the world. (Superlative Degree)
  Russia is larger than any other country in the world. (Comparative Degree)
  Russia is larger than most other countries in the world. (Comparative Degree)
  Very few countries in the world are as large as Russia. (Positive Degree)
  Most other countries in the world are not so large as Russia. (Positive Degree)
• Talc is the softest mineral on the earth. (Superlative Degree)
  Talc is softer than any other mineral on the earth. (Comparative Degree)
  Talc is softer than most other minerals on the earth. (Comparative Degree)
  Very few minerals on the earth are as soft as talc. (Positive Degree)
  Most other minerals on the earth are not so soft as talc. (Positive Degree)
  
• The Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in Dubai. (Superlative Degree)
  The Burj Khalifa is taller than any other building in Dubai. (Comparative Degree)
  The Burj Khalifa is taller than most other buildings in Dubai. (Comparative Degree)
  Very few buildings in Dubai are as tall as the Burj Khalifa. (Positive Degree)
  Most other buildings in Dubai are not so tall as the Burj Khalifa. (Positive Degree)
  
• The Blue Whale is the biggest animal on our planet. (Superlative Degree)
  The Blue Whale is bigger than any other animal on our planet. (Comparative Degree)
  The Blue Whale is bigger than most other animals on our planet. (Comparative Degree)
  Very few animals on our planet are as big as the Blue Whale. (Positive Degree)
  Most other animals on our planet are not big as the Blue Whale. (Positive Degree)
  
• The Red Diamond is the rarest diamond found in India. (Superlative Degree)
  The Red Diamond is rarer than any other diamond found in India. (Comparative Degree)
  The Red Diamond is rarer than most other diamonds found in India. (Comparative Degree)
  Very few diamonds found in India are as rare as the Red Diamond. (Positive Degree)
  Most other diamonds found in India are not so rare as the Red Diamond. (Positive Degree)
  

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