Inversion:
Exercise 1
(https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/c1-grammar/inversion-after-negative-adverbials)
1.
We have rarely seen weather like this in October.
Rarely ................................. weather like this in October.
2.
He's won the election and got ninety per cent of the vote.
Not ................................. won the election but he's got ninety per cent of the vote.
3.
The film started just as we found our seats.
No sooner ................................. our seats than the film started.
4.
People can rarely photograph the Amur leopard.
Rarely ................................. the Amur leopard.
5.
We couldn't relax until we heard they'd arrived safely.
Only when ................................. they'd arrived safely could we relax.
6.
I didn't realise at the time how soon I'd need your help.
Little ................................. at the time how soon I'd need your help.
7.
I really didn't expect a reaction like this.
In no way ................................. a reaction like this.
8.
There has never been such a good time to do this.
Never before ................................. such a good time to do this.
Exercise 2
(https://milablogiton.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/inversionexercises.pdf)
Using INVERSION, rewrite the following sentences beginning with the words given.
1. You come to realise the significance of the murder only in the last few pages of the
book.
Only in the last __________________________________________________________
2. The demands of her job are such that she is rarely able to take a holiday.
Such __________________________________________________________________
3. The matter could be explained in no other way.
In ____________________________________________________________________
4. I have seldom heard such beautiful singing.
Seldom ________________________________________________________________
1
5. Peter didn't realize that he had lost his keys until he got home.
Not ___________________________________________________________________
6. If Mr Chan had been kinder to his employees, his business would not have collapsed.
______________________________________________________________________
7. If an emergency should arise, dial 999.
______________________________________________________________________
8. There are no circumstances where audience members may consume alcohol.
Under no circumstances __________________________________________________
9. They started to argue soon after they had got married.
No sooner _____________________________________________________________
10. You can't use my new car at any time.
At no time _____________________________________________________________
Exercise 3
Choose the correct option to complete the sentences.
1. _______________________ that I was speaking to someone as important as
Professor Sims.
a) Little have I known b) Little did I know
c) Little I knew d) I knew little
2. In no way ___________________ question his honesty, although I think that
he made some wrong decisions.
a) did I ever b) I ever did
c) had I ever d) I had ever
3. Hardly _____________________ we were told that it would soon be time for
lunch.
a) we had finished breakfast that b) had we finished breakfast that
c) had we finished breakfast when d) we had finished breakfast when
4. At no time before I accepted the job ___________________ that I would have
to do so much travelling around the country.
a) did they told b) I was told
c) I had been told d) was I told
5. Not since the 1960s _______________ attended an anti-war demonstration in
London.
a) so many people have b) have so many people
c) did so many people have d) had so many people had
