Sentence transformation is the process of changing the form of a sentence without changing its meaning. Below is a detailed breakdown of the rules and examples for Class 10 and higher levels.
Interchange of Assertive and Interrogative Sentences
1. No Helping Verb available → Using Do/Does/Did
If we find that there is no helping verb in the assertive sentence, we will write an interrogative sentence using “Do/Does/Did”.
Assertive: They play cricket. | Interrogative: Do they not play cricket?
Assertive: Manaj reads English newspapers. | Interrogative: Does not Manaj read English newspapers?
Assertive: He went to market. | Interrogative: Did he not go to market?
Assertive: Manaj reads English newspapers. | Interrogative: Does not Manaj read English newspapers?
Assertive: He went to market. | Interrogative: Did he not go to market?
2. Never → Ever
If we find the word “Never” in the assertive sentence, we will write the word “Ever” instead of that word [Never] at the time of the interrogative sentence.
Assertive: Ranjan never takes tea. | Interrogative: Does Ranjan ever take tea?
Assertive: She never loved me. | Interrogative: Did she ever love me?
Assertive: You can never forget her. | Interrogative: Can you ever forget her?
Assertive: She never loved me. | Interrogative: Did she ever love me?
Assertive: You can never forget her. | Interrogative: Can you ever forget her?
3. Nothing → Anything
If we find the word “Nothing” in the assertive sentence, we will write the word “Anything” instead of that word [Nothing] at the time of the interrogative sentence.
Assertive: He said nothing about this matter. | Interrogative: Did he say anything about this matter?
Assertive: I have nothing to do. | Interrogative: Have you anything to do?
Assertive: There is nothing better than honesty. | Interrogative: Is there anything better than honesty?
Assertive: I have nothing to do. | Interrogative: Have you anything to do?
Assertive: There is nothing better than honesty. | Interrogative: Is there anything better than honesty?
4. Nothing but → Anything but / What
If we find “Nothing but” in the assertive sentence, we will write “Anything but” or use “What” instead of [Nothing but] at the time of the interrogative sentence.
Assertive: Our life is nothing but a walking shadow. | Interrogative: Is our life anything but a walking shadow? Or What is our life but a walking shadow?
Assertive: He gave me nothing but love. | Interrogative: Did he give me anything but love? Or What did he give me but love?
Assertive: Ramen wants nothing but a government job. | Interrogative: What does Ramen want but a government job?
Assertive: He gave me nothing but love. | Interrogative: Did he give me anything but love? Or What did he give me but love?
Assertive: Ramen wants nothing but a government job. | Interrogative: What does Ramen want but a government job?
5. Every + Noun → Is there any + noun + who + negative
Assertive: Every man wishes to be happy. | Interrogative: Is there any man who does not wish to be happy?
Assertive: Every mother loves her child. | Interrogative: Is there any mother who does not love her child?
Assertive: Every man wishes to be powerful. | Interrogative: Is there any man who does not wish to be powerful?
Assertive: Every mother loves her child. | Interrogative: Is there any mother who does not love her child?
Assertive: Every man wishes to be powerful. | Interrogative: Is there any man who does not wish to be powerful?
6. Someone/Everybody/Nobody... → Who (Affirmative-Negative Swap)
If we find the words “Someone/ somebody/ everybody/ everyone/ no one/ nobody/ anybody/ anyone” in assertive sentence, we will write the word “Who” instead of those words and make the affirmative sentence into negative and the negative into affirmative sentence.
Assertive: Everybody loves her children. | Interrogative: Who does not love her children?
Assertive: Everybody has some needs. | Interrogative: Who has no needs?
Assertive: Nobody trusts a lair. | Interrogative: Who trusts a lair?
Assertive: No one can lie alone. | Interrogative: Who can live alone?
Assertive: Everybody has some needs. | Interrogative: Who has no needs?
Assertive: Nobody trusts a lair. | Interrogative: Who trusts a lair?
Assertive: No one can lie alone. | Interrogative: Who can live alone?
7. General Affirmative to Negative Interrogative
Most of the time we should make the assertive (affirmative) sentences negative interrogative if we want to make interrogative.
Assertive: He reads in this college. | Interrogative: Does he not read in this college?
Assertive: The sun rises in the east. | Interrogative: Does not the sun rise in the east?
Assertive: It was a good idea. | Interrogative: Was it not a good idea?
Assertive: The sun rises in the east. | Interrogative: Does not the sun rise in the east?
Assertive: It was a good idea. | Interrogative: Was it not a good idea?
Short-Cut Rules:
Assertive → Interrogative
- Never → Ever
- Nothing → Anything
- Nothing but → Anything but/ what
- Every + noun → Is there any + noun + who + negative
- Someone/ somebody/ everybody/ everyone/ no one/ nobody/ anybody/ anyone → who (Affirmative–Negative) (Negative–Affirmative)
- If the auxiliary or helping verb is not available → Using Do/Does/Did
- Most of the time we should make the assertive (affirmative) sentence negative interrogative if we want to make interrogative
Transformation of Sentences: Affirmative and Negative
1. Always → Never (Opposite word of Verb, Adjective and Noun)
• Affirmative: I will always remember you. | Negative: I will never forget you.
• Affirmative: He is always present. | Negative: He is never absent.
• Affirmative: You should always speak the truth. | Negative: You should never tell a lie.
• Affirmative: He is always present. | Negative: He is never absent.
• Affirmative: You should always speak the truth. | Negative: You should never tell a lie.
2. Sometimes → (Not) always (Opposite word of Verb, Adjective, Noun)
• Affirmative: He sometimes smokes. | Negative: He does not always smoke.
• Affirmative: The rich are sometimes happy. | Negative: The rich are not always happy.
• Affirmative: A scholar is sometimes wrong. | Negative: A scholar is not always right.
• Affirmative: The rich are sometimes happy. | Negative: The rich are not always happy.
• Affirmative: A scholar is sometimes wrong. | Negative: A scholar is not always right.
3. Must → cannot but / cannot help
• Affirmative: He must buy a grammar book. | Negative: He cannot but buy a grammar book. Or He cannot help buying a grammar book.
• Affirmative: We must love one another. | Negative: We cannot but love one another. Or We cannot help loving one another.
• Affirmative: You must listen to your teacher. | Negative: You cannot but listen to your teacher.
• Affirmative: We must love one another. | Negative: We cannot but love one another. Or We cannot help loving one another.
• Affirmative: You must listen to your teacher. | Negative: You cannot but listen to your teacher.
4. All → No (Opposite word of Adjective, Verb)
• Affirmative: All men are mortal. | Negative: No man is immortal.
• Affirmative: All must die. | Negative: No one can escape death.
• Affirmative: All must submit to destiny. | Negative: No one can escape his destiny.
• Affirmative: All must die. | Negative: No one can escape death.
• Affirmative: All must submit to destiny. | Negative: No one can escape his destiny.
5. For good / Forever → Never (Opposite word of Verb)
• Affirmative: I have sold the house forever. | Negative: I will never buy the house.
• Affirmative: He has left the village forever. | Negative: He will never come to the village again.
• Affirmative: I have given up smoking forever. | Negative: I shall never smoke again.
• Affirmative: He has left the village forever. | Negative: He will never come to the village again.
• Affirmative: I have given up smoking forever. | Negative: I shall never smoke again.
6. Every → No (Opposite word of Verb, Adjective)
• Affirmative: Everybody is dependent. | Negative: Nobody is independent.
• Affirmative: Everyone loves flowers. | Negative: No one hates flowers.
• Affirmative: Everyone loves him. | Negative: No one hates him. Or There is no one who does not love him. Or There is no one but loves him.
• Affirmative: Everyone loves flowers. | Negative: No one hates flowers.
• Affirmative: Everyone loves him. | Negative: No one hates him. Or There is no one who does not love him. Or There is no one but loves him.
7. Have to / Has to → cannot but / cannot but help v-ing
• Affirmative: I have to buy a new house. | Negative: I can not buy a new house. OR I cannot help buying a new house.
8. As soon as → No sooner had —than
• Affirmative: As soon as I arrived house, it began to rain. | Negative: No sooner had I arrived house than it began to rain.
• Affirmative: As soon as the man saw the tiger, he ran away. | Negative: No sooner had the man seen the tiger, he ran away.
• Affirmative: As soon as the man saw the tiger, he ran away. | Negative: No sooner had the man seen the tiger, he ran away.
9. Many / A few / Much / A little
• Many → (Not) a few: I have many friends. | Neg: I do not have a few friends. (They gave me many gifts... | Neg: They did not give me a few gifts...)
• A few → (Not) many: I have bought a few books. | Neg: I have not bought many books. (He ate a few mangoes. | Neg: He did not eat many mangoes.)
• Much → (Not) a little: He wants much water. | Neg: He does not want a little water. (Ramesh has sold much honey. | Neg: Ramesh has not sold a little honey.)
• A little → (Not) much: I want a little milk. | Neg: I do not want much milk. (We sold a little honey. | Neg: We did not sell much honey.)
• A few → (Not) many: I have bought a few books. | Neg: I have not bought many books. (He ate a few mangoes. | Neg: He did not eat many mangoes.)
• Much → (Not) a little: He wants much water. | Neg: He does not want a little water. (Ramesh has sold much honey. | Neg: Ramesh has not sold a little honey.)
• A little → (Not) much: I want a little milk. | Neg: I do not want much milk. (We sold a little honey. | Neg: We did not sell much honey.)
10. Only / Alone Transformations
• Only (Person) → None but: Only god can help us. | Neg: None but God can help us. (Only he can do the sum. | Neg: None but he can do the sum.)
• Only (Thing) → Nothing but: Only the moon was visible. | Neg: Nothing but the moon was visible. (I played only cricket... | Neg: I played nothing but cricket.) (I like only mango. | Neg: I like nothing but mango.)
• Only (Number/age) → Not more than/not less than: Amit is only 16 years old. | Neg: Amit is not less than 16 years old. (You got only 50 %... | Neg: You got not more than 50 % marks in English.)
• Alone (Person) → None but: God alone can help me... | Neg: None but God can help me... (Mother alone loves her child. | Neg: None but the mother loves her child.)
• Only (Thing) → Nothing but: Only the moon was visible. | Neg: Nothing but the moon was visible. (I played only cricket... | Neg: I played nothing but cricket.) (I like only mango. | Neg: I like nothing but mango.)
• Only (Number/age) → Not more than/not less than: Amit is only 16 years old. | Neg: Amit is not less than 16 years old. (You got only 50 %... | Neg: You got not more than 50 % marks in English.)
• Alone (Person) → None but: God alone can help me... | Neg: None but God can help me... (Mother alone loves her child. | Neg: None but the mother loves her child.)
11. Both___ and / As___ as
• Both___ and → Not only __ but also: Both Rita and Gita were beautiful. | Neg: Not only Rita but also Gita was beautiful. (Ramen is both honest and faithful. | Neg: Ramen is not only honest but also faithful.)
• As- as → Not less- than: Rupali is as beautiful as Sonali. | Neg: Rupali is not less beautiful than Sonali. (Hasan is as strong as Karim. | Neg: Hasan is not less strong than Karim. OR Karim is not stronger than Hasan.)
• As- as → Not less- than: Rupali is as beautiful as Sonali. | Neg: Rupali is not less beautiful than Sonali. (Hasan is as strong as Karim. | Neg: Hasan is not less strong than Karim. OR Karim is not stronger than Hasan.)
12. Too → to || Superlative Degree
• Too...to → So...that: He is too weak to walk. | Neg: He is so weak that he cannot walk. (The child was too tiny to climb... | Neg: The child was so tiny that he could not climb up the tree.)
• Superlative (The best) → No other: Arun is the best boy... | Neg: No other boy in the class is as good as Arun. (Tendulkar is the best batsman... | Neg: No other batsman in India is as good as Tendulkar.)
• Than any other/all other → No other: Sumit is better than any other boy... | Neg: No other boy in the class is as good as Sumit. (Mumbai is bigger than all other cities... | Neg: No other city in India is as big as Mumbai.)
• Superlative (The best) → No other: Arun is the best boy... | Neg: No other boy in the class is as good as Arun. (Tendulkar is the best batsman... | Neg: No other batsman in India is as good as Tendulkar.)
• Than any other/all other → No other: Sumit is better than any other boy... | Neg: No other boy in the class is as good as Sumit. (Mumbai is bigger than all other cities... | Neg: No other city in India is as big as Mumbai.)
13. Special Phrases & Double Negatives
• For the last time → Never: I warn you for the last time. | Neg: I shall never warn you again. (They came here for the last time. | Neg: They will never come here.)
• Helping verb + not without: You have power. | Neg: You are not without power. (I hate you. | Neg: I am not without hate for you.) (We respect you. | Neg: We are not without respect for you.)
• Using of “Not fail to”: He plays football. | Neg: He does not fail to play football. (Speak the truth. | Neg: Don’t fail to speak the truth.) (I saw the Victoria Memorial Hall. | Neg: I did not fail to see the Victoria Memorial Hall.)
• Double Negative (Every → No ... Un-): He answered every question. | Neg: He left no questions unanswered. (You read every story. | Neg: You left no story unread.) (The boy solved every problem. | Neg: The boy left no problem unsolved.)
• Helping verb + not without: You have power. | Neg: You are not without power. (I hate you. | Neg: I am not without hate for you.) (We respect you. | Neg: We are not without respect for you.)
• Using of “Not fail to”: He plays football. | Neg: He does not fail to play football. (Speak the truth. | Neg: Don’t fail to speak the truth.) (I saw the Victoria Memorial Hall. | Neg: I did not fail to see the Victoria Memorial Hall.)
• Double Negative (Every → No ... Un-): He answered every question. | Neg: He left no questions unanswered. (You read every story. | Neg: You left no story unread.) (The boy solved every problem. | Neg: The boy left no problem unsolved.)
14. Universal Truth & State Verbs
• Universal Truth → Interrogative Negative: The sun rises in the east. | Neg: Does not the sunrise in the east? (The earth is round. | Neg: Is not the earth round?) (Honesty is the best policy. | Neg: Is not honesty the best policy?)
• Am, is, are, was, were + adjective → Not + Opposite: Man is mortal. | Neg: Man is not immortal. (She is present. | Neg: She is not absent.) (My brother is a good boy. | Neg: My brother is not bad boy.)
• Am, is, are, was, were + adjective → Not + Opposite: Man is mortal. | Neg: Man is not immortal. (She is present. | Neg: She is not absent.) (My brother is a good boy. | Neg: My brother is not bad boy.)
Shortcut Method: Affirmative to Negative
- For the last time → Never
- Alone (Person) → None but
- (Too—-to) → So—that
- Superlative degree → No other
- Than any other / all other → No other
- Using helping verb + not without
- Using of “ Not fail to”
- Making double Negative
- Universal truth → Interrogative negative
- Am/is/are/was/were + adj → negative + opposite adj
| Affirmative | Negative Transformation |
|---|---|
| Always | Never (+ Opposite word) |
| Sometimes | (Not) always (+ Opposite word) |
| Must | Cannot but / cannot help |
| All | No (+ Opposite word) |
| For good / forever | Never (+ Opposite word) |
| Every | No (+ Opposite word) |
| Have to / has to | Cannot but / cannot but help v-ing |
| As soon as | No sooner had —than |
| Many / Much | (Not) a few / (Not) a little |
| A few / A little | (Not) many / (Not) much |
| Only (Person / Thing / Number) | None but / Nothing but / Not more than |
| Both___ and | Not only __ but also |
| As- as | Not less- than |
More Exercise: Transform to Negative
- Affirmative – Hardly had Ram seen me when he called me.
Negative – No sooner had Ram seen me than he called me. - Affirmative – It is unlikely that Rakesh will help you.
Negative – It is not likely that Rakesh will help you. - Affirmative – Only good girls got good marks.
Negative – None but good girls got good marks. - Affirmative – My shirt is loose.
Negative – My shirt is not tight. - Affirmative – As soon as the clock struck ten, we went to sleep.
Negative – No sooner did the clock strike ten than we went to sleep. - Affirmative – As soon as he came, it began to rain.
Negative – No sooner did he come than it began to run. - Affirmative – He is too miserly to spend any money.
Negative – He is so miserly that he can not spend any money. - Affirmative – He loves all.
Negative – He does not hate all. (Or: He does not hate anyone.) - Affirmative – Iron is more useful than gold.
Negative – Gold is not so useful as Iron. - Affirmative – He found him dishonest.
Negative – He did not find him honest. (Or: He did not fail to find him dishonest.) - Affirmative – They should attend the marriage.
Negative – They should not fail to attend the marriage. - Affirmative – She is as dull as an ass.
Negative – An ass is not duller than she. - Affirmative – Ram is taller than Sita.
Negative – Sits is not so tall as Ram. - Affirmative – The question is difficult.
Negative – The question is not easy. - Affirmative – He goes to bed after midnight.
Negative – He does not fail to go to bed after midnight. (Or: He does not go to bed before midnight.) - Affirmative – Only a little child would talk like this.
Negative – None but a little child would talk like this. - Affirmative – He is too old to work.
Negative – He is so old that he can not work. - Affirmative – He saw the Taj.
Negative – He did not fail to see the Taj. - Affirmative – I was doubtful whether it was you.
Negative – I was not sure whether it was you. - Affirmative – He is richer than I.
Negative – I am not so rich as he. - Affirmative – As soon as he saw us, he ran away.
Negative – No sooner did he see us than he ran away. - Affirmative – He is greater than I.
Negative – I am not so great as he. - Affirmative – Great man make a sacrifice when necessary.
Negative – Great man does not fail to make a sacrifice when necessary. - Affirmative – Karim is taller than Sohan.
Negative – Sohan is not so tall as Karim. - Affirmative – Gopal is very careful about his studies.
Negative – Gopal is not careless about his studies. - Affirmative – As soon as we came out, it started raining.
Negative – No sooner did we come out than it started raining. - Affirmative – Only good boys are successful.
Negative – None but good boys are successful. - Affirmative – He helped me in my need.
Negative – He did not fail to help me in my need. - Affirmative – Fortune favours the brave.
Negative – Fortune does not fail to favour the brave. - Affirmative – False friends will come to you only when you have money.
Negative – False friends will not fail to come to you when you have money. (Or: False friends will not come to you without you have money.) - Affirmative – She proved to be a faithful wife.
Negative – She did not fail to prove to be a faithful wife.