Lingua inglese - Rewording sentences in English

Hardly had I got home when I realized someone had broken into

• I’m sorry I spent so much money on my mobile phone

I regret spending/having spent so much money on my mobile

• His firm has offered him a job in Singapore

He has been offered a job in Singapore

• I like walking more than cycling

I prefer walking rather than cycling/walking to cycling

• Do you still say you won’t help us?

Do you still refuse to help us?

• She let the children stay up and watch TV

The children were allowed to stay up and watch TV

• It is known that he is interested in buying the house

He is known to be interested in buying the house

• It’s a pity I didn’t buy the dress I saw yesterday

I wish I had bought the dress I saw yesterday

• I still play in a rock band from time to time, even though I have a full-time job

Despite the fact that I have/having a full-time job, I still play in a rock band from time to time

• I’d prefer to go to Venice with a friend than to Florida with my aunt

I’d rather go to Venice with a friend than go to Florida with my aunt

• I should have complained to the newspaper about the unfairness of their article

I regret not having complained about the unfairness of the article

• Mr Jones started teaching when he was twenty-six

Mr Jones has been teaching since he was twenty-six

• Perhaps you did not understand what he said

You might not have understood what he said

• There are certain safety precautions that should be taken before leaving the port

Certain safety precautions are to be taken before leaving the port

• As he had drunk all the Coke he was obliged to drink lemonade

Having drunk all the Coke he was obliged to drink lemonade

• I didn’t imagine that the boss had called me into the office to fire me

Little did I imagine that the boss had called me into the office to fire me

• The wind was so strong that all the trees in the park were blown down

Such the wind was strong that…/Such a strong wind was it that…

• Though Kate is clever, she isn’t doing very well at school

However clever Kate is, she isn’t doing very well at school

• It was discovered that a mechanical fault had caused the problem

A mechanical fault was discovered to have caused the problem

• Sarah exclaimed:” Frank, take the job!”

Sarah encouraged Frank to take the job

• It was a bad idea to put this shirt in the washing machine

This shirt shouldn’t have been put in the washing machine

• We are spending £300 on repairs before we sell the car

By the time we sell the car, we will have spent £300 on repairs

• The room wasn’t only cold, it was also very damp

Not only the room was very cold, but it was also very damp

• The woman was so anxious that she could only go outdoors if she took tranquillizers

Such an anxious woman could only go outdoors if she took tranquillizers

• We went to the National Gallery and also saw a West End musical

Not only we went to the National Gallery, but we also saw a West End musical

• I told him it would be a good idea if he got a burglar alarm fitted

I suggested that he got a burglar alarm fitted

• Antonio only lost the 100-metres race because he fell over

Had Antonio not fallen over, he would have won the 100-metre race

• You should have mentioned this problem to me before

If only you had mentioned this problem to me before

• Mark is a very talented musician even though he has never had any formal tuition

Despite never/not ever having had any formal tuition, Mark is a very talented musician

• I don’t think you should park your car in front of the neighbour’s house

I’d rather you didn’t park your car in front of the neighbour’s house

• I am extremely worried about what my father’s reaction will be when I tell him the news

I dread to think what my father’s reaction will be when I tell him the news

• When I was on holiday I visited the Louvre as well as the main sights in Paris

Besides visiting the Louvre, I visited the main sights in Paris while I was on holiday

• If you take an aspirin, it may help your headache

Try taking an aspirin, it may help your headache

• If the weather stays fine, the match will go ahead on Saturday

Unless the weather changes, the match will go ahead on Saturday

• As soon as I closed the door, I realized my keys were inside

No sooner had I closed the door/did I close the door then I realized my keys were inside

• It’s a shame we don’t have a satellite dish

If only we had a satellite dish

• You’re not allowed to leave the exam room until everyone has given in their tests

Under no circumstances are you allowed to leave the exam room until everyone has given in their tests

• We shouldn’t wait any longer because he’s obviously not going to turn up

There’s no point (in) waiting any longer because he’s obviously not going to turn up

• Although she has been taking that new allergy remedy, her symptoms are no better

Despite the fact that she has been taking/taking that new remedy, her symptoms are no better

• By the time we arrived at the theatre, nearly all the seats had been taken

There were hardly any seats left by the time we arrived at the theatre

• I should really be going home now

It’s time I went home now

• It was only when the office phoned me that I found out about the meeting

Not until the office had phoned me, did I find out about the meeting

• It’s pointless to worry about someone else’s problems

There is no point in worrying about someone else’s problems

• Tony knew what the answer was after reading the book

By the end of the book, Tony knew what the answer was

• Tom suggested climbing to the top of the hill, adding that the view from there was marvelous

Tom said, “Why don’t we climb to the top of the hill? The view from here is marvelous!”

• The number of people who attended the fair exceeded our expectations

More people than we expected attended the fair

• It is thought that the two injured men were repairing overhead cables

The two injured men were thought to be repairing overhead cables