Le Hong Phong High school Teacher-in-charge: Nguyen Thuy Lien

ELT Department

1. NEGATIVE ADVERBS:
 Hardly e.g. She hardly ever speaks in public.  Hardly does she speak in public.
 Little e.g. She doesn’t understand me.  Little does she understand me.
 Never (before) e.g. I’ve never been here before.  Never have I been here before.
 Nor e.g. Kate didn’t arrive and Tom didn’t, either.  Kate didn’t arrive and nor did Tom.
 Neither e.g. He isn’t a student and she isn’t, either.  He isn’t a student and neither is she.
 Barely e.g. He barely noticed her presence. Barely did he notice her presence.
 Rarely e.g. I rarely borrow books from the library.  Rarely do I borrow books from the
library.
 Seldom e.g. I have seldom seen my father so angry.  Seldom have I seen my father so
angry.
 Under/In no circumstances e.g. The last thing you should do is to phone the police.  Under no circumstances
should you phone the police.
 On no account e.g. You have to ask me first before doing anything.  On no account should you do
anything without asking me first.
 On no condition e.g. Children should never be allowed to play with matches.  On no condition should
children be allowed to play with matches.
 At no time e.g. He never knew she came from a rich family.  At no time did he know she came
from a rich family.
 In no way e.g. Keith certainly can’t be held responsible for the accident.  In no way can Keith be
held responsible for the accident.
 Not once e.g. She was never late when she worked here.  Not once was she late when she
worked here.
 Nowhere e.g. You can’t find such a good restaurant anywhere in this town.  Nowhere can you
find such a good restaurant in this town.
 No longer e.g. Women don’t have to wash the clothes by hand any more.  No longer do women
have to wash the clothes by hand.
 By no means e.g. She’s not a bad kid, by any means.  By no means is she a bad kid
 No + Noun e.g. He hasn’t made any progress so far.  No progress has he made so far
2. ONLY BY + V.ing/Noun + Inversion
ONLY THEN + Inversion
e.g. We can save the species only by protecting the natural habitat.  Only by protecting the natural habitat can we
save the species.
3. NOT ONLY + SV (Inversion) + BUT + S + ALSO + V / S + be + also
NOT ONLY + SV (Inversion) + BUT + S + V + AS WELL
e.g. She can not only sing but also dance.  Not only can she sing but she can also dance.
4. NO SOONER + had + S + P.P (1st action) + THAN + SV2 (2nd action)
HARDLY + had + S + P.P (1st action) + WHEN + SV2 (2nd action)
BARELY + had + S + P.P (1st action) + WHEN + SV2 (2nd action)
SCARCELY + had + S + P.P (1st action) + WHEN + SV2 (2nd action)
e.g. One of the runners stumbled and fell immediately after the race started.
 No sooner had the race started than one of the runners stumbled and fell.
5. NOT UNTIL + SV / NOUN PHRASE + Inversion (mãi đến khi)
ONLY WHEN (chỉ khi)
ONLY AFTER (chỉ sau khi)
ONLY IF (chỉ nêdu)
e.g. It was not until I had heard his reasons that I forgave him.
 Not until I had heard his reasons did I forgive him.
6. SO + Adj/Adv + Inversion + THAT + SV
SUCH + be + S (Adj -> Noun) + THAT + SV
S (Adj -> Noun) + V + such that + SV
e.g. The man was so angry that he stormed out of the room.
 So angry was the man that he stormed out of the room.
 Such was his anger that he stormed out of the room.
Le Hong Phong High school Teacher-in-charge: Nguyen Thuy Lien
ELT Department
The force of the storm was so great that trees were uprooted.
 Such was the force of the storm that trees were uprooted.
7. Inversion in Conditional Sentences:
If 1: Should + S + V.bare, Main Clause e.g. If there is any problem, contact me.  Should there be any
problems, contact me
If 2: Were + S + to + V.bare, Main Clause If he won a lottery, he’d travel around the world.  Were he to
win a lottery, he’d travel around the world.
If 3: Had + S + (not) + P.P, Main Clause If I hadn’t seen it, I’d not have believed.  Had I not seen it, I’d not
have believed.
8. Inversion in Comparison:
……………AS + Auxiliary + S e.g. I had a good time, as did most of my friends.
…………..THAN + Auxiliary + S e.g. The Moon is much closer to the Earth than is the Sun.
9. ADV of PLACE/DIRECTION + be/sit/stand/lie/come/go/run/fly/climb + S ( NOUN PHRASE)
e.g. Here comes the bus. Down came the rain and washed the spider out.
On the slope lay the ruin of the tree. ( There he is.)
MORE EXERCISES
1. The engineer started writing the letter as soon as he returned from his work. (DOWN)

 Hardly had the engineer returned from his work when he got down to writing letter.

2. An old man sat on the sofa.

 On the sofa sat an old man.

3. The weather condition became so dangerous that all mountain roads were closed.

 So dangerous did the weather condition become that all mountain roads were closed.

4. The punch was so powerful that his opponent fell to the canvas.

 Such was the powerful of the punch that his opponent fell to the canvas.

5. I hadn’t realized that she was English until she spoke.

 Not until she spoke English did I realized that she was English

 It was not until she spoke that I realized that she was English

6. This was the first time the race had been won by a European athlete.

 Never before had a European athlete won the race

7. The plane had only just taken off when smoke started to appear in the cabin.

 Scarcely had the plane taken off when smoke started to appear in the cabin.

8. She made no sound as she crept upstairs.

 No sound did she make as she crept upstairs.

9. The window must not be unlocked without prior permission.

 On no account should the window be unlocked without prior permission.

10. He wouldn’t accept my suggestion until I pointed out the alternatives.

 Only when I pointed out the alternatives would he accept my suggestion.

11. You won’t find a school anywhere whose pupils get such good results.

 Nowhere will you find a school whose pupils get such good results.
Le Hong Phong High school Teacher-in-charge: Nguyen Thuy Lien
ELT Department

12. The only way to earn enough money to buy necessities is to work extremely hard.

 Only by working extremely hard can you make ends meet. (make ends meet: earn enough money to live without

getting into debt)

13. Their sacrifice on behalf of their country will never be forgotten.

 Never will their sacrifice on behalf on their country be forgotten.

14. The tragedy didn’t happen thanks to our early arrival.

 Had we not arrived early, the tragedy would have happened.

Had it not been for our early arrival, the tragedy would have happened.

15. You are not allowed to leave the room before the exam ends.

 Under no circumstances are you allowed to leave the room before the exam ends.

16. She had no idea that he had been unfaithful to her.

 Little did she know that he had been unfaithful to her.

17. It was only then that I understood what she meant. (MAKE)

 Only then did I make out what she meant. (make out: manage with some difficulty to see or hear someone or

something)

18. No sooner had I arrived than the play started.

 Immediately after I had arrived, the play started.

19. You are not allowed to speak during the lecture.

 At no time are you allowed to speak during the lecture.

20. It’s not common for there to be so much rain in March.

 Seldom is there so much rain in March.

21. Press photographers are banned from taking photographs backstage.

 On no account are press photographers allowed to take photographs backstage.

22. I remembered only when it was too late that it was Sarah’s birthday.

 Not until it was too late did I remembered that it was Sarah’s birthday.

23. Brown bread is healthier and tastier than white bread.

 Not only is brown bread healthier but it is also tastier than white bread.

24. He didn’t thank me once for feeding his cat.

 Not once did he thank me for feeding his cat.

25. She didn’t know she was adopted until she was eighteen.

 Not until she was eighteen did she know that she was adopted.

 It was not until she was eighteen that she knew she was adopted.
Le Hong Phong High school Teacher-in-charge: Nguyen Thuy Lien
ELT Department
26. I only realized how much I loved him after he left.

 Not until he left did I realize how much I loved him.

27. Women are no longer content with their traditional roles as housewives and mothers.

 No longer are women content with their traditional roles as housewives and mothers.

28. The boys ran away.

 Away ran the boys.

29. I can’t take you in my boat until your parents permit.

 Not until your parents permit can I take you in my boat.

30. We didn’t arrive home until midnight.

 Not until midnight did we arrive home.

 It was not until midnight that we arrived home.

31. The twins started screaming the minute the plane took off.

 No sooner had the plane taken off than the twins started screaming.

32. If I change my mind, I’ll let you know.

 Should I change my mind, I’ll let you know.

33. He never suspected that money had been stolen.

 At no time did he suspected that money had been stolen.

34. After the explosion Jack couldn’t hear. He couldn’t see either.

 After the explosion Jack couldn’t hear and nor

35. I was astonished to see all the money I had lost on the table.

 To my astonishment, on the table was all the money I had lost.

36. I didn’t take his advice, so I have a lot of trouble now.

 Had I taken his advice, I wouldn't have a lot of trouble now.

37. The Golden Gate Bridge is located between San Francisco and Marin County.

 Located between San Francisco and Marin County is the Golden Bridge.

38. I was so annoyed that I tore up the letter.

 Such was my annoyance that I tore up the letter.

39. She hated publicity so much that she never gave any interviews to the media.

 Such was her hatred for publicity that she never gave any interviews to the media.

40. She was so astonished that she was lost for words.

 Such was her astonishment that she was lost for words.

41. Invitations were sent out as soon as the date was chosen.

 Hardly had the date been chosen when invitations were sent out.
Le Hong Phong High school Teacher-in-charge: Nguyen Thuy Lien
ELT Department
42. The Grand Hotel stands at the foot of the mountain.

 At the foot of the mountain stands the Grand Hotel.

43. I’m sure she would do a good job if she ever became head of department.

 I’m sure she would do a good job were she to become head of department.

44. The pilot agreed to land the plane only when the hijackers threatened to shoot the passengers.

 Only when the hijackers threatened to shoot the passengers did the pilot agree to land the plane.

45. The minute the witness began to speak, the judge interrupted her.

 No sooner had the witness begun to speak than the judge interrupted her.

46. It wasn’t just the weather that spoiled my holiday. I was ill too.

 Not only did the weather spoiled my holiday but I was also ill.

47. She hasn’t had a holiday since she started work.

 Not since she started work has she had a holiday.