INVERSION AUXILIARY VERB + SUBJECT + MAIN VERB
We use Inversion for emphasis in formal and written English
when the following words and expressions are at the beginning of a sentence:
Seldom Scarcely (ever) …… when Only in this way
Rarely Hardly (ever) …… when Only then
Never No sooner ….. than In no way
Never before Not only…... but also On no account
Little Not even once On no occasion
Barely Nowhere In/ Under no circumstances
Rarely do we go out in winter.
No sooner had the Browns got in their house than they realized that
someone had broken into.
Under no circumstances should you sign this contract.
NOTE: After Not until, Not since, Only when, Only if, Only after,
Only by, the inversion comes in the main clause.
Not until I had reached the office did I remember that I had left the kitchen
window open.
Only after she had left the supermarket did she realize that she hadn’t bought
any cheese.
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after so and such (a/ an) when the are at the beginning of a sentence,
to express result:
So tired did he feel that he fell asleep at his desk.
Such a lovely day was it that we had lunch in the garden.
after so, neither/ nor when they are at the beginning of a sentence,
to express agreement:
“ I love comedies. ” “ So do we. ”
“ He isn’t coming to the party. “ Neither/ Nor am I. ”
with should, were, had at the beginning of conditional sentences
when if is omitted:
Should you finish the project today, e mail it to me. (Type 1)
Were I you, I would confess. (Type 2)
Had I seen John, I would have told him. (Type 3)
with here and there when they are at the beginning of a sentence:
Here comes the bride !
There goes the bus !
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Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first.
1 - We had never seen such an outstanding performance before.
Never ________________________________________________________________
2 - As soon as I left home it started raining.
No sooner ____________________________________________________________
3 - My husband doesn’t often read magazines.
Rarely _______________________________________________________________
4 - She didn’t speak to him until he apologized to her.
Not until _____________________________________________________________
5 - You won’t finish this project today unless you start working on it now.
Only if _______________________________________________________________
6 - They had no idea what damage they would cause.
Little ________________________________________________________________
7 - This rare species of bird doesn’t live anywhere else in the world.
Nowhere _____________________________________________________________
8 - My sister is such a bright student that she’s got straight As.
Such ________________________________________________________________
9 - You must not open this letter under no circumstances.
Under no circumstances ________________________________________________
10 - He fell asleep after I had read him a story.
Only after ____________________________________________________________
11 - I lost my passport as well as my credit card.
Not only _____________________________________________________________
12 - You aren’t allowed to purchase alcohol until you are eighteen.
Not until ____________________________________________________________
13 - They will watch the film and then they will be able to form an opinion.
Only when __________________________________________________________
14 - They didn’t recognize me until I took off my mask.
Only when __________________________________________________________
15 - We hadn’t seen such interesting museums since we went to Italy.
Not since ____________________________________________________________
16 - She’s a successful politician as well as a devoted mother.
Not only _____________________________________________________________
17 - The little girl got so scared that she screamed. iSLCollective.com
So __________________________________________________________________
18 - I wouldn’t go out with my boss in any way.
In no way ____________________________________________________________
19 - The dog attacked him as soon as he walked in.
No sooner ____________________________________________________________
20 - If you see Mary, tell her to call me.
Should _______________________________________________________________
1 - We had never seen such an outstanding performance before.
Never before had we seen such an outstanding performance.
2 - As soon as we left home it started raining.
No sooner had we left home than it started raining.
3 - My husband doesn’t often read magazines.
Rarely does my husband read magazines.
4 - She didn’t speak to him until he apologized.
Not until he apologized did she speak to him.
5 - You won’t finish this project on time unless you start working on it now.
Only if you start working on this project now will you finish it on time.
6 - They had no idea what damage they would cause.
Little did they know what damage they would cause.
7 - This rare species of bird doesn’t live anywhere else in the world.
Nowhere else in the world does this rare species of bird live.
8 - My sister is such a bright student that she’s got straight As.
Such a bright student is my sister that she’s got straight As.
9 - You must not open this letter under no circumstances.
Under no circumstances must you open this letter.
10 - He fell asleep after I had read him a story.
Only after I had read him a story, did he fall asleep.
11 - I lost my passport as well as my credit card.
Not only did I lose my passport but I also lost my credit card.
12 - You aren’t allowed to purchase alcohol until you are eighteen.
Not until you are eighteen are you allowed to purchase alcohol.
13 - They will watch the film and then they will be able to form an opinion.
Only when they watch the film will they be able to form an opinion.
14 - They didn’t recognize me until I took off my mask.
Only when I took of my mask did they recognize me.
15 - We hadn’t visited such interesting museums since we went to Italy.
Not since we went to Italy had we visited such interesting museums. iSLCollective.com
16 - She’s a successful politician as well as a devoted mother.
Not only is she a successful politician but she’s also a devoted mother.
17 - The little girl got so scared that she screamed.
So scared did the little girl get that she screamed.
18 - I wouldn’t go out with my boss in any way.
In no way would I go out with my boss.
19 - The dog attacked him as soon as he walked in.
No sooner had he walked in than the dog attacked him.
20 - If you see Mary, tell her to call me.
Should you see Mary, tell her to call me.
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