Sentence transformations for English language learners; examples of semantic ambiguity

Essay by sophia_lispectator June 2005

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SEMANTIC AMBIGUITY: REWRITE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES SO AS TO CONVEY TWO DIFFERENT MEANINGS PER SENTENCE:

1.Police squad help dog bite victim.

a)_______________________________________________________________________

b)_______________________________________________________________________

2.Man eating piranha mistakenly sold as house pet.

a)_______________________________________________________________________

b)_______________________________________________________________________

3.We saw the Eiffel Tower flying from London to Paris.

a)_______________________________________________________________________

b);_______________________________________________________________________

4.The police were ordered to stop drinking after midnight.

a)_______________________________________________________________________

b)_______________________________________________________________________

5.A sailor was dancing with a wooden leg.

a)_______________________________________________________________________

b)_______________________________________________________________________

6.She made Arthur a good husband.

a)_______________________________________________________________________

b)_______________________________________________________________________

7. She made Arthur a good wife.

a)_______________________________________________________________________

b)_______________________________________________________________________

8.She made Arthur a good dinner.

a)_______________________________________________________________________

b)_______________________________________________________________________

9.The chicken is ready to eat.

a)_______________________________________________________________________

b)_______________________________________________________________________

10.A friend in need is a friend in deed.

a)_______________________________________________________________________

b)_______________________________________________________________________

REWRITE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES USING THE WORDS IN CAPITALS SO THAT THE MEANING REMAINS APPROXIMATELY THE SAME:

1. I am sure that the United will win the match against the City.

(BOUND)

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2.I actually find studying English enjoyable. (ENJOYING)

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3.His new hobby is swimming. (TAKEN)

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4.What do you think about our new teacher? (OPINION)

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5.What are you thinking about at the moment? (MIND)

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6.I have an annoying habit of interrupting people while they speak. (ALWAYS)

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

REWRITE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES BEGINNING AS SHOWN SO THAT THE MEANING REMAINS APPROXIMATELY THE SAME:

1. After I arrived here, I started feeling better.

Since arriving here ______________________________________________________________

2. This is my first journey abroad.

This is the first time _____________________________________________________________

3. We haven't been to Greece for ages.

It's ages ______________________________________________________________________

4. She doesn't intend to give up her hobby.

She has ______________________________________________________________________

5. John had already left before we reached the hotel.

By the time ____________________________________________________________________

6. We'll have to leave as soon as the dinner begins.

The moment ___________________________________________________________________

REWRITE THE...