EXERCISE 1

USING INVERSION, REWRITE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES BEGINNING

WITH THE WORDS GIVEN.
1. You come to realize 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 ________________________________________________________.
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 2
REWRITE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES USING INVERSION.
1. The gang didn't know that the police had them under surveillance.
→ Little _________________________________________________________.
2. We won't consider you for the basketball team until you grow up.
→ Not until _______________________________________________________.
3. Nobody has won so many matches for his team since 1994.
 → Not since ______________________________________________________.
4. You will not be allowed to enter the auditorium under any circumstances once the
play has started.
→ Under no circumstances __________________________________________.
5. He would never play in front of a live audience again.
→ Never _________________________________________________________.
6. Amy had not enjoyed herself so much since she went to the circus as a child.
→ Not since ______________________________________________________.
7. I have never seen such a terrible performance of Hamlet before.
→ Never before ___________________________________________________.
8. They only realized the painting had been hung upside down when someone
complained at reception.
→ Only when _____________________________________________________.
9. I had been in the room for a few minutes when I realized that everyone was
staring at me.
→ Only after ______________________________________________________.
10. He discovered that he had injured his knee when he tried to run.
→ Only when _____________________________________________________.
11. The new park was hardly finished when vandals destroyed the flowerbeds.
→ Hardly ________________________________________________________.
12. You shouldn't sign a contract you haven't read thoroughly under any
circumstances.
→ Under no circumstances __________________________________________.

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 C. Little I knew
B. Little did I know D. I knew little
2. In no way ___________________ question his honesty, although I think that he
made some wrong decisions.
A. did I ever C. had I ever
B. I ever did 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
5. to do so much traveling around the country.
A. did they told C. I had been told
B. I was told D. was I told
6. 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

EXERCISE 4
COMPLETE USING THE WORDS IN BRACKETS WITH THE VERB IN THE
CORRECT FORM.
1. Not until the area is made safe _______________________________________.
(construction/can continue)
2. In no way ____________________________________________________ how
strongly we felt about the situation.
(the announcement/affect)
3. Seldom __________________________________________________ a vintage
car in quite such good condition these days.
(you/see)
4. Not only __________________________________________ my birthday, but he
also forgot our wedding anniversary.
(Jerry/forget)
5. At no time _________________________ my opinion on the subject.
(I/ask)
6. Only when I checked the ticket again __________________________ that I had
won first prize!
 (I/realise)
7. Only if the weather is clear _________________________________ to launch.
(the space shuttle/will allow)
8. Such ____________________________ in the wedding that there were over a
dozen photographers.
(the media interest/be)

EXERCISE 5
COMPLETE USING THE WORDS AND PHRASES IN THE BOX.
at no point - in no way - little - never - not - not only - no sooner
only after - scarcely - on no account - rarely - under no circumstances

1. __________________________ were the security guards to blame for what

happened.
2. _________________________ once did the old woman thank me for helping her.
3. __________________________ seeing the doctor was Theresa allowed to leave
hospital.
4. __________________________ will passengers be allowed to carry more than 2
pieces of hand luggage.
5. __________________________ were they late to work, but they also forgot to
bring the reports.
6. __________________________ during the party did anyone mention that Peter
and Julie were getting married.
7. __________________________ had Alan arrived in Mexico when he was
arrested.
8. __________________________ did the passengers know that the driver was
really an undercover police officer.
9. __________________________ do you meet anyone as charming as Mr
Peterson.
10.__________________________ should unaccompanied children be allowed to
enter the pub.
11.__________________________ before has the company found itself facing such
stiff competition.
 12.__________________________ had the alarm gone off than the police cars
arrived.

EXERCISE 6
Make inverted sentences from the sentences given, using the words in brackets
().
1. She has no idea what a surprise she's going to get. (Little ... know)
→ ______________________________________________________________.
2. The bell had barely started to ring when the children rushed out of the classroom.
(Scarcely)
→ ______________________________________________________________.
3. He didn't start his speech until there was absolute silence in the hall (Not ...)
→ ______________________________________________________________.
4. We will only be able to accept your offer if we are offered free delivery (Only ...)
→ ______________________________________________________________.
5. It is with good reason that Edinburgh is known as the Athens of the North (Not
for ...)
→ ______________________________________________________________.
6. We have never been so well wined and dined in our lives (Never ...)
→ ______________________________________________________________.
7. She didn't break the news of her engagement until after dinner (Only ...)
→ ______________________________________________________________.
8. We weren't told that we would need our passports. (At no time ...)
→ ______________________________________________________________.
9. They don't charge you as much for water anywhere else. (Nowhere else …)
→ ______________________________________________________________.
10.I wouldn't fly with them again even if they offered me a free flight. (Not even ...)
→ ______________________________________________________________.
11.We had barely entered the shop when an assistant jumped on us. (Hardly ... when
...)
→ ______________________________________________________________.
12.He is both charming and very rich. (Not only ..., but ... also ...)
→ ______________________________________________________________.
EXERCISE 7
Change the sentences so that they use inversion.
For example:
We had hardly arrived when Julie burst into the house.
→ Hardly had we arrived when Julie burst into the house.
1. John had never been to such a fantastic restaurant.
→ ______________________________________________________________.
2. I in no way want to be associated with this project.
→ ______________________________________________________________.
3. They had no sooner eaten dinner than the ceiling crashed onto the dining table.
→ ______________________________________________________________.
4. I had scarcely finished writing my essay when the examiner announced the end of
the exam.
→ ______________________________________________________________.
5. I seldom leave my house so early.
→ ______________________________________________________________.
6. People rarely appreciate this musician's talent.
→ ______________________________________________________________.
7. We would understand what had happened that night only later.
→ ______________________________________________________________.
8. They had met such rude people nowhere before.
→ ______________________________________________________________.
9. He understood little about the situation.
→ ______________________________________________________________.
10.The children should on no account go on their own.
→ ______________________________________________________________.