Guida alle Key Word Transformations del B2 First
Se c’è una parte dell'esame Cambridge B2 First che molti studenti trovano complessa, è la Use of English Part 4, chiamata anche Key Word Transformations.
Questa sezione valuta la capacità di parafrasare una frase mantenendo esattamente lo stesso significato, utilizzando una parola chiave fornita e senza modificarla. Le risposte devono solitamente essere composte da 2 a 5 parole.
In questo articolo analizzeremo passo passo un esempio in stile d’esame e forniremo 10 esercizi di pratica.
Perché la Part 4 è difficile?
Le Key Word Transformations combinano:
- Grammatica
- Lessico
- Espressioni fisse
- Collocazioni
- Strutture della frase
- Precisione sotto pressione
Gli studenti spesso conoscono le regole grammaticali, ma trovano difficile produrre la frase corretta usando la parola chiave e combinare diversi elementi linguistici in condizioni di tempo limitato.
Analisi di un Esempio
Frase originale:
“I haven’t visited my grandparents for three months.”
Parola chiave:
LAST
Completa la frase:
“It is __________ visited my grandparents.”
Step 1: Comprendere il significato
La frase descrive l’ultima volta in cui l’azione è avvenuta.
Step 2: Identificare la struttura corretta
Con la parola chiave LAST, Cambridge si aspetta una struttura come:
It is + periodo di tempo + since + soggetto + last + verbo
Step 3: Completare la frase
Risposta:
It is three months since I last visited my grandparents. ✅
Perché funziona?
- La parola chiave “last” è inclusa esattamente.
- Esprime la più recente occorrenza dell’azione.
- Rispetta il limite delle 2–5 parole (5 parole esatte).
Strategie per la Part 4
- Memorizza e pratica i pattern di trasformazione più comuni
- Usa sempre la parola chiave esattamente come data
- Controlla grammatica e preposizioni
- Conta le parole
- Allenati con tempi realistici
10 Esempi di pattern comuni
1. Regret not doing something → I wish + past perfect
Original: I regret not studying harder for the exam.
Transformation: I wish I had studied harder for the exam.
2. Too + adjective → not + adjective + enough + to
Original: It’s too cold to go swimming.
Transformation: It’s not warm enough to go swimming.
3. So + adjective → such + noun + that
Original: The film was so boring that we left early.
Transformation: It was such a boring film that we left early.
4. Forget → remember + gerund
Original: In 2019 I went to Hong Kong and I will never forget it.
Transformation: I will always remember going to Hong Kong in 2019.
5. Continue to → carry on + gerund
Original: The athletes continued to run the marathon even though it was raining.
Transformation: The athletes carried on running the marathon even though it was raining.
6. Past simple situation → third conditional
Original: I saw the match begin because I arrived at the stadium on time.
Transformation: If I hadn’t arrived at the stadium on time, I would have missed the beginning of the match.
7. Direct speech → reported speech
Original: “Are you going to the party?” Ingrid asked me.
Transformation: Ingrid asked me if I was going to the party.
8. Active → passive – have something done
Original: Somebody has painted the outside of our house.
Transformation: We have had the outside of our house painted.
9. Active → impersonal passive
Original: People believe he was the worst president in history.
Transformation: He is believed to have been the worst president in history.
10. Direct speech → indirect speech + lend→borrow
Original: Can you lend me your calculator, Maria?
Transformation: Chris asked Maria if he could borrow her calculator.
10 Domande di Pratica
Completa la seconda frase in modo che abbia lo stesso significato della prima usando la parola data. NON CAMBIARE LA PAROLA DATA. Devi usare da due a cinque parole.
1.
Original sentence: I regret not applying for the course.
Key word: WISH
Complete: I ________________________ for the course.
2.
Original sentence: She started learning Spanish two years ago.
Key word: BEEN
Complete: She _____________________ two years.
3.
Original sentence: It’s a long time since I last saw my best friend.
Key word: LAST
Complete: I ________________________a long time ago.
4.
Original sentence: The lecture was so interesting that everyone stayed until the end.
Key word: SUCH
Complete: It ________________________that everyone stayed until the end.
5.
Original sentence: I think you ought to decide about the job offer today.
Key word: WERE
Complete: If I _____________________________ about the job offer today.
6.
Original sentence: If you don’t cut down on cakes and biscuits, you’ll never lose weight.
Key word: UNLESS
Complete: You’ll never lose weight, _________________________ cakes and biscuits.
7.
Original sentence: People rarely invite her to business meetings.
Key word: HARDLY
Complete: She is _____________________________ business meetings.
8.
Original sentence: “I didn’t wake up early enough to catch the train.”
Key word: TOO
Complete: “I ________________________ catch the train.”
9.
Original sentence: “Because of the storm, the football match was cancelled.”
Key word: DUE
Complete: “The football match ____________________ the storm.”
10.
Original sentence: “I used to live in London when I was a child.”
Key word: ANYMORE
Complete: “I don’t _____________________________.”
Risposte
- I wish I had applied for the course.
- She has been learning Spanish for two years.
- I last saw my best friend a long time ago.
- It was such an interesting lecture that everyone stayed until the end.
- If I were you, I’d decide about the job offer today.
- You’ll never lose weight unless you cut down on cakes and biscuits.
- She is hardly ever invited to business meetings.
- I woke up too late to catch the train.
- The football match was cancelled due to the storm.
- I don’t live in London anymore.
Conclusioni
La Part 4 può sembrare difficile, ma con le tecniche giuste e una pratica regolare puoi davvero dominarla.
Punti chiave:
- Impara i pattern più comuni
- Usa sempre la parola chiave esattamente
- Controlla la grammatica e conta le parole
- Allenati con tempi realistici
Resta con noi per altri esercizi sulle KEY WORD TRANSFORMATIONS!
