L aw (2)

I nversion after neither/nor, so & such

Neither/nor
When you use neither or nor to add a further negative comment to a negative sentence with the verb be, you invert the
subject and verb. The subject after neither/nor is affirmative.
They weren't hungry and nor were tlie� thirsty.

When you use an auxiliary or a modal auxiliary, you invert the subject and auxiliary.
Heinz doesn't contribute to class very much, hor d9es he put much effort into his homework.
Jon hasn't seen him lately, and neither has he talked to him on the phone.
He wasn't seeking recognition, and nor did .he1 appreciate it when it came.
I was not at all impressed by the acting, and rteither could I understand half of the dialogue.

A less formal alternative is to use not . . . either, in which case there is no inversion.
I wasn't at all impressed by the acting, and I couldn't understand half of the dialogue, either.

So/such
When you use so or such at the beginning of a sentence with the verb be, you invert the subject and verb. So is
usually followed by an adjective, a form of be, and a subject.
So excited is she by the idea of winning the car, she has spent all her money on tickets.
•-. -.--r________...

So can sometimes be followed by an adverb. Here you invert the subject and auxiliary.
So well did lie dance1 he was chosen to play one of the dancers in Billy Elliot.
Such is followed by be and a subject.
Such was tlie scile of tne diiii"age, it was hard to imagine how normality could ever be restored.
- .. .. . .. .

Note: You tend to use these structures in formal contexts and they are more usually found in writing than in speech.
In less formal contexts, you do not use inversion.

The plOf'Of the novel is so intricatt; that even the author himself has said he finds it difficult to follow.
-e danced so well that he was chosen to play one of the dancers in Billy Elliot.

So & neither/nor in short answers

In conversation, you can also invert the subject and auxiliary when you use so, neither or nor at the beginning of a
short answer to show agreement. You use so to agree with an affirmative statement and neither/nor to agree with a
negative statement.

I'm wondering what she's going to do next. So am I.

I don't know what all the fuss is about. !SoL do I.
I didn't really follow the plot of the movie. Nor did I.
I wouldn't like to live in one of those new flats. Neither would I.

When the tense is present simple or past simple in the affirmative, there is no auxiliary in the main sentence, but
when you are making a short answer you use the auxiliaries do, does or did.
I 'JiateJ that first day back at work after the holidays. So do I!
I thought you weren't allowed to use a mobile phone when driving. So did I.

32 Law (2)
 b) Schumacher was so dominant that for a few
9 {2) Pract i ce
seasons the result of the Fl driver's
1 Complete these newspaper extracts, beginning with
championship was a foregone conclusion.
so or such.
Such that for
a) was the hectic pace of the game, a few seasons the result of the Fl driver's
that it came as no surprise when Miller scored championship was a foregone conclusion.
his second goal shortly before half-time. c) Such was his determination to get back a
b) is the attraction and fascination of regular first team place that he trained well
reality shows that talentless show-offs and into the night.
casting agency rejects have become in-demand So that he
celebrities. trained well into the night.
c) outraged by her dismissal were d) Such was their desperation that a single grain
Jones's eo-workers that they organized a of rice was worth fighting over.
walkout and demanded her immediate So that
reinstatement. a single grain of rice was worth fighting over.
d) has been the show's popularity that
it is still running more than forty years after its
4 Rewrite the sentences linking the ideas with neither
opening night. or nor.
e) nervous was he that he would
a) The staff weren't friendly and they weren't
forget his lines.
helpful.
The stt:lff weren't friendl:;t t1 n d nor were the:;t
2 Write an alternative sentence beginning for these
helpful .
extracts, starting with the word underlined.
b) The software is not as easy to install and it's
a) She is so technophobic I So tec h nophobic is not as user-friendly.
she that almost every e-mail she sends is
accompanied by a phone call to confirm its
receipt. c) If he isn't going to say anything then I won't
b) The weather was such I either.
that the race had to be postponed.
c) He was so hungry I
that he devoured almost the entire contents
of the fridge.
5 Write responses agreeing to the statements using
d) The importance of training is such I So do I, Neither did I, So can I etc.
that we have committed
a) I can speak English.
ourselves to a programme of investment of
b) I can't speak Arabic.
£1.7 billion.
c) I've never been to Spain.
e) The tackle was so ferocious I
d) I've been to the UK.
that Keane faces a
e) I don't like football.
minimum six match suspension.
f) I prefer white wine to red.
g) I didn't go out last night.
3 Rewrite the extracts beginning with the word given
h) I live with my parents.
so that the meaning is similar. You will need to
change adjectives to nouns and vice versa. i) I'm not tired.
j) I'm going out tonight.
a) So angry are they about increased ticket prices
k) I enjoy studying.
that many fans are staying away in protest.
Such is their t:l n(ijer t1 bout incret:lsed ticket
6 Which of the statements in exercise 5 are true for
prices that many fans are staying away in
you? (Circle) the responses to these statements.
protest.

Law (2) 33