Explanations

Inversion The term inversion covers two different grammatical operations.

• 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!
• Changing the normal positions of verb and subject
Along the street came a strange procession.
See Grammar 14 for an explanation of this example.
Inversion after • 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!
• 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.
• Time expressions: hardly, barely, scarcely, no sooner
These refer to an event which quickly follows another in the past. 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 realised it was locked.
No sooner was the team back on the pitch than it started raining.
• After only
Here only combines with other time expressions and is usually used with past
simple.
Only after posting the letter did 1 remember that I had forgotten to put on a
stamp.
Other examples are only if/when, only then, only later.

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Note that when only refers to 'the state of being the only one', there is no
inversion following it.
Only Mary realised that the door was not locked.
• Phrases containing no/not
These include under no circumstances, on no account, at no time, in no way, on
no condition, not until, not only ... (but also).
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
Little also has a negative or restrictive meaning in this sense:
Little does the government appreciate what the results will be.
Inversion after • This occurs with so and adjectives when the main verb is be. It is used for
so/such with that emphasis and is more common than the example with such.
So devastating were the floods that some areas may never recover.
• Such used with be means so much/so great
Such was the force of the storm that trees were uprooted.
• As in the examples with such, inversion only occurs if so/such is the first
word in the clause.
Inverted • Three types of If- sentence can be inverted without If-. This makes the
conditional sentences more formal and makes the event less likely.
sentences without If they were to escape, there would be an outcry.
If- 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.
• Inversion after as
This is more common in formal or written language.
We were short of money, as were most people in our neighbourhood.
I thought, as did my colleagues, that the recession would soon be over.
• Inversion after so, neither and nor
These are used in 'echoing' statements, agreeing or disagreeing.
A: / am going home. B: So am I.
A: / don't like meat. B: Neither do I.
See Grammar 14 for ways of giving emphasis without inverting after so.

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ADVANCED LANGUAGE PRACTICE

Complete each sentence by using the phrases from the box.

a) we arrived at the hotel, when there was a power

cut.
b) members of staff to accept gratuities from
clients.
c) Detective Dawson realise what she was to
discover!
d) to pay the full amount now, there would be a
ten per cent discount.
e) I supposed, most people, that I would be
retiring at 60.
f) the doctors seen a more difficult case.
g) Jean win first prize, but she was also offered a
promotion.
h) late arrivals be admitted to the theatre before
the interval,
i) one missing child been found, than another
three disappeared,
j) so many employees taken sick leave at the same
time.

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2 Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first
sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given.

a) It was only when the office phoned me that I found out about the meeting.
find
Not until , about the meeting.
b) The facts were not all made public at the time.
later
Only all made public.
c) The response to our appeal was so great that we had to take on more staff.
response
Such to our appeal that we had to
take on more staff.
d) Harry broke his leg, and also injured his shoulder.
but
Not only also injured his shoulder.
e) The police didn't suspect at all that the judge was the murderer.
did
Little as being the murderer.
f) The bus driver cannot be blamed for the accident in any way.
held
In responsible for the accident.
g) If the government raised interest rates, they would lose the election.
raise
Were interest rates, they would
lose the election,
h) As soon as I got home, I realised I'd left my bag in the shops.
had
No sooner I realised I'd left my
bag in the shops,
i) It was only when I asked a passer-by that I realised where I was.
did
Not until where I was.
j) The minister was interrupted just after starting his speech.
when
Hardly he was interrupted.

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ADVANCED LANGUAGE PRACTICE

3 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 the 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.'

4 Complete each sentence with a suitable phrase containing the verb in brackets in
an appropriate form.

a) Should (need) anything, could you let me know?

b) Were the plane (take off), everyone in it would
have been killed.
c) Had (study) harder, I would probably have
passed all my exams.
d) Should (be) in the neighbourhood, drop in.
e) Had (go) to the doctor immediately, your
daughter would not be so ill.
f) Never before (spend) so much money on her
daughter's birthday.
g) Should (feel) hungry, just call room service, and
order a meal.
h) Were (offer) her the job, we couldn't be sure
that she would accept.
i) Had (take) the necessary measures, this political
crisis could have been avoided,
j) Scarcely (get) home when the police called us
with news of Geoffrey.

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5 Underline the correct word or phrase in each sentence.

a) Jim promised that he would never/never would he tell anyone else.

b) Not until it was too late / 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 / was/was I certain of the answer.
e) At no time I was aware/was I aware of anything out of the ordinary.
f) Only Catherine and Sally passed/did they pass the final examination.
g) Only when Pete has arrived/has Pete arrived can we begin the programme,
h) No sooner had it stopped raining than/when the sun came out.

6 Complete the text by using the words and phrases from the box.

Well, ladies and gentlemen, we've done it again - another election victory. The
last four years of office has been a wonderful time for the party, a tale of
adversity overcome. had we come to office than the
Stock Market crashed. But we survived that scare, and we came out of it stronger
for the experience. The opposition claimed we were faltering.
(2) have I heard such hypocrisy from a party which
continued to squabble internally for the next four years. Then
(3) came a fellow called David Rew, with his new
breakaway Democratic party - but he didn't have much success in the opinion
polls! (4) did he claim he'd become Prime Minister
within three years, he also reckoned that this party was now unpopular with
younger voters. (5) did he realise that it would be
the young voters who gave us an overwhelming vote of confidence in
yesterday's election. (6) had the first votes rolled in
when it was obvious that we would be re-elected with a huge majority.
(7) was the extent of our victory that the New
Democrats obtained a meagre five seats. (8) they
known they would perform so poorly, I don't think they would have been quite
so scathing in their criticism of our economic policy. But rest assured, ladies and
gentlemen, (9) will we rest on our laurels. There is
no room for complacency in this government. And I am confident,
(10) I'm sure are most of you, that the next four
years will be a resounding success. Thank you.

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ADVANCED LANGUAGE PRACTICE

7 Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first
sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given.

a) Please never ever interrupt me when I'm in a meeting.

am
On no account when I'm in a meeting.
b) Nobody from this school has ever written a better composition.
anyone
Never written a better composition.
c) Such was the demand for tickets that people queued day and night.
great
The demand for tickets that people
queued day and night.
d) The money is not to be paid under any circumstances.
no
Under to be paid.
e) Three days passed before we arrived at the first oasis.
had
Not until at the first oasis.
f) Little did Brenda know what she was letting herself in for.
no
Brenda what she was letting herself in for.
g) It was only when I stopped that I realised something was wrong.
did
Only that something was wrong.
h) The accused never expressed regret for what he had done.
time
At regret for what he had done.
i) Exhaustion prevented any of the runners from finishing the race.
were
So of them finished the race.
j) It's not common for there to be so much rain in March.
see
Seldom ....................................................................... ..so much rain in March.
Answer Key - Inversions