Affirmative & Negative Transformation of Sentence: (The Basics)

Transformation of Sentence: Affirmative & Negative (The Basics)

Sentences can be transformed from affirmative (positive) to negative and vice versa in the following ways:-

1. Only – none but

Only you deserve to get the promotion. – None but you deserve to get the promotion.

Only a fool would think that way. – None but a fool would think that way.

2. As soon as – no sooner than

As soon as → No sooner did + Verb1 / No sooner had + Verb3

The comma (,) must be replaced by “than”.

As soon as we reached the station, the train arrived. – No sooner did we reach the station than the train arrive.

As soon as I reached home,it started raining. – No sooner had I reached home than it started raining. 

3. Too…to – so…that

too → so

to → that + sub + negative

She is too weak to walk. – She is so weak that she cannot walk.

Yash was too proud to ask for forgiveness. – Yash was so proud that he could not ask for forgiveness.

These sums are too easy to need an explanation. – These sums are so easy that it does not need an explanation.

It is raining too hard for us to go out for the picnic. – It is raining so hard that we cannot go out for the picnic 

4. If – unless

unless = if not

Unless he tells me that he is sorry, I won’t forgive him. – If he tells me that he is sorry, I will forgive him .

If you don’t work hard, you will fail. – Unless you work hard, you will fail.

5. Changing degree of adjectives

Affirmative Sentences can be transformed into negative and vice versa by changing the degree of adjectives (Full guide on Degree of Adjectives here).

Bangalore is cleaner than Kolkata. – Kolkata is not so clean as Bangalore.

All subjects are equally important. – No subject is more important than the other.

6. Negative using opposite word

He is a careless man. – He is not a careful man.

Please keep silence. – Please do not make sound.

7. Negative using interrogative

She is a good singer. – Isn’t she a good singer?

He was not present there. – Was he present there?

8. Negative using ‘not only … but also’

He is both a teacher and a doctor. – He is not only a teacher but also a doctor.

The restaurant serves both veg and non-veg dishes. – Not only does the restaurant serve veg dishes but also non-veg dishes.

9. Miscellaneous negative sentences

It is a pity he did not win the prize. – It is a pity he failed to win the prize.

Never again will we have class together. – This is the last time we are having class together.

All young princes desired her hand. – There was hardly any young prince who did not desire her hand.

I cannot but help him. – I am compelled to help him. / I am unable to avoid helping him.