Functional Grammar

Third Year

INVERSION
Explanations
The term 'inversion' covers two different grammatical operations.
Inversion 1. Using a question form of the main verb
Not only did he fail to report the accident, but also later denied that he
had been driving the car.
Never have I enjoyed myself more!
2. Changing the normal positions of verb and subject
Along the street came a strange procession.

Inversion after
1.This only occurs when the adverbial occurs at the beginning of a clause.
negative All the examples below are used in formal language, usually for rhetorical
adverbials effect, such as in political speeches. They are not usual in everyday spoken
language. Compare:
Never have I heard a weaker excuse!
I have never heard a weaker excuse!
2. Time expressions: never, rarely, seldom
These are most commonly used with present perfect or past perfect or with
modals such as can and could. Sentences of this type often contain
comparatives.
Rarely can a minister have been faced with such a problem.
Seldom has the team given a worse performance.
Rarely had I had so much responsibility.
3. Time expressions: hardly, barely, scarcely, no sooner These refer to an
event which quickly follows another. They are usually used with past
perfect, although no sooner can be followed by past simple. Note the words
used in the contrasting clause.
Hardly had the train left the station, when there was an explosion.
Scarcely had I entered the room when the phone rang.
No sooner had I reached the door than I realized it was locked.
No sooner was the team back on the pitch than it started raining.
4. After only
Here only combines with other time expressions and is usually used with
past simple.
Only after posting the letter did I remember that I had forgotten to put on
a stamp.
Other examples are only if/when, only then, only later
Note that when only refers to 'the state of being the only one', there is no
inversion following it.
Only Mary realized that the door was not locked.
5.Phrases containing no/not
These include under no circumstance, on no account, at no time, in no way,
on no condition, not until, not only... (but also). Note that the inverted verb
is the verb describing the event limned by the negative adverbial.
On no condition are they to open fire without a warning.
Not until I got home did I notice that I had the wrong umbrella.
 Little
6.
Little also has a negative or restrictive meaning in this sense:
Little does the government appreciate what the results will be.
Inversion after
so/such with that 1. This occurs with so and adjectives when the main verb is be. It is used for
emphasis and is more common than the examples in 2.
So devastating were the floods that some areas may never recover.
2. Such used with be means so much/so great
Such was the force of the storm that trees were uprooted.
3. As in the examples in 2, inversion only occurs if so/such is the first word
in the clause.
Inverted
1. Three types of If- sentence can be inverted without If. This makes the
conditional
sentences without sentences more formal and makes the event less likely.
If If they were to escape, there would be an outcry.
Were they to escape, there would be an outcry.
If the police had found out, I would have been in trouble.
Were the police to have found out, I would have been in trouble.

If you should hear anything, let me know.

Should you hear anything, let me know.
If he has cheated, he will have to be punished.
Should he have cheated, he will have to be punished.

If I had known, I would have protested strongly.

Had I known, I would have protested strongly.
2. Inversion after as
This is more common in formal or written language.
We were short of money, as were most people in our neighborhood.
I thought, as did my colleagues, that the recession would soon be over.
 Functional Grammar
Third Year

INVERSION
1. Choose the most suitable words underlined.
a) Jim promised that he would never/never would he tell anyone else.
b) Not until it was too late I remembered/did I remember to call Susan.
c) Hardly had we settled down in our seats than/when the lights went out.
d) Only after checking three times I was/was I certain of the answer.
e) At no time I was aware/was I aware of anything out of the usual.
f) Only Catherine and Sally passed/did they pass the final examination.
g) So the waves were high/So high were the waves that swimming was dangerous.
h) Only when Pete has arrived/has Pete arrived can we begin the programme.
i) No sooner had it stopped raining than/when the sun came out.
j) If should you leave early/Should you leave early could you give me a lift?
2. Complete each sentence with a suitable word or phrase.
a) Hardly had we arrived at the hotel, when there was a power cut.
b) ………………………. are members of staff to accept gratuities from clients.
c) ………………………. Detective Dawson realize what she was to discover!
d) ……………………… so many employees taken sick leave at the same time.
e) ………………….. to pay the full amount now, there would be a ten per cent discount.
f) I supposed, as ……………….. most people, that I would be retiring at 60.
g) ………………………………… the doctors seen a more difficult case.
h) ………………………… Jean win first prize, but she was also offered a promotion.
i) …………………….. will late arrivals be admitted to the theatre before the interval.
j) …………………….. one missing child been found, than another three disappeared.
3. Rewrite each sentence, starting as shown, so that the meaning stays the same.
a) It was only when the office phoned me that I found out about the meeting.
Not until the office phoned me did I find out about the meeting.
b) The facts were not all made public until later.
Only ……………………………………………………………………
c) If I had realized what would happen, I wouldn't have accepted the job.
Had ………………………………………………………………………...
d) The response to our appeal was so great that we had to take on more staff.
Such …………………………………………………………………….
e) Harry broke his leg, and also injured his shoulder.
Not only …………………………………………………………………….
f) The police didn't at all suspect that the judge was the murderer.
Little ………………………………………………………………………..
g) If you do happen to see Helen, could you ask her to call me?
Should ………………………………………………………………………
h) The bus driver cannot be blamed for the accident in any way.
In ……………………………………………………………………………
i) The snowfall was so heavy that all the trains had to be cancelled.
So ……………………………………………………………………………
j) If the government raised interest rates, they would lose the election.
Were …………………………………………………………………………
4. Decide which sentences are inappropriate in the contexts given.
a) Guest to host: 'So nice was that pudding, that I would like to have some more.'
b) Witness to court: 'No sooner had I turned out the light, than I heard a noise outside.'
c) News reader: 'Such was force of the earthquake, that whole villages have been
devastated.'
d) Parent to child: ‘Should you fancy a pizza, let’s order one now’.
e) Friend to friend: ‘Never before have I seen this film.’
f) Politician to audience: 'Seldom has the country faced a greater threat.'
g) Celebrity to interviewer: 'Were I to have the time, I'd go climbing more often.
h) Victim to police officer: 'Scarcely had we been introduced when he punched me for
no reason.'
i) Printed notice: 'Under no circumstances is this control panel to be left unattended.'
j) Colleague to colleague: 'Should you change your mind, just let me know.'
5. Complete each sentence with a suitable word or phrase.
a) Scarcely had the plane taken off, when the pilot had to make an emergency landing.
b) Little ……………….. what has been going on in her absence.
c) No sooner ………………. than I realized I'd left my bag on the platform.
d) Only when ………………….. on the light did we notice the hole in the ceiling.
e) Not until I asked a passer-by ……………………………. where I was.
f) Seldom does ………………………….. below freezing at this time of the year.
g) Hardly ……………………………… his speech, when the minister was interrupted.
h) On no account am ……………………. while I am in a meeting.
i) Rarely has …………………… this school written a better composition.
j) In no way ……………….. bear responsibility for injuries to passengers.
6. Rewrite each sentence so that it contains the word or words in capitals, and so that the
meaning stays the same.
a) Were Smith to resign, I might stand a chance of getting his job. IF
………………………………………………………………………
b) Such was the demand for tickets that people queued day and night. GREAT
……………………………………………………………………….
c) The money is not to be paid under any circumstances………………………NO
………………………………………………………………………
d) Three days passed before we arrived at the first oasis. NOT UNTIL
………………………………………………………………………
e) Hardly had the ship left the port, when a violent storm developed. SOON AFTER
………………………………………………………………………
f) They would have discovered land sooner had they carried a compass. IF
………………………………………………………………………
g) Little did Brenda know what she was letting herself in for. IDEA
………………………………………………………………………
h) It was only when I stopped that I realized something was wrong. DID I
………………………………………………………………………
i) The accused never expressed regret for what he had done. AT NO TIME
………………………………………………………………………
j) So exhausted were the runners that none of them finished the race. TOO
………………………………………………………………………
7. Rewrite each sentence, beginning as shown, so that the meaning stays the same.
a) As soon as I got into the bath, someone knocked at the door.
No sooner …………………………………………………………..
b) There was so much uncertainty that the financial markets remained closed.
Such ……………………………………………..………………
c) It’s not common for there to be so much rain in March.
Seldom ……………………………………………………………...
d) You won’t be allowed in until your identity has been checked.
Only …………………………………..………………………….
e) Just after the play started there was a power failure.
Hardly ………………….……………………………………….
f) The Prime Minister has hardly ever made a speech as inept as this.
Rarely ………………………….………………………………..
g) We had only just arrived home when the police called.
Scarcely …………………………………………………………
h) Press photographers are banned from taking photographs backstage.
On no ……………………………………………………………
i) The way so much money has been spent to so little purpose must be a record.
Never before ……………………………………………………
j) The judge was taken ill just after the trial proceedings began.
Barely ……………………………………………………………
8. Complete each sentence with a suitable word or phrase.
a) Should you need anything, could you let me know?
b) Were ……………….., everyone in it would have been killed.
c) Had ………….. harder, I would probably have passed all my exams.
d) Should ………………… neighbourhood, why don't you drop in?
e) Had ……………… immediately, your daughter would not be so ill.
f) Were ………………. you, I would turn you down flat!
g) Should ………………….., just call room service, and order a meal.
h) Were ………………… job, we couldn't be sure that she would accept.
i) Had ……………. measures, this political crisis could have been avoided.
j) Should …………………. lost, we would have heard from him by now.