INVERSIONS

INVERSIONS
INVERSIONS

Inversion refers to an irregular verb

placement form:
Use of Question Form
In this case, the question form (auxiliary +
subject + main verb) takes the place of
the standard positive sentence structure:
Examples :
I not only enjoy classical music, but I also
have a season ticket to the symphony.
Not only do I enjoy classical music, but I
also have a season ticket to the symphony.

Negative Adverbials
Time expressions: never, rarely,
seldom
I have never been more insulted!
Never have I been more insulted!
He has seldom seen anything stranger.
Seldom has he seen anything stranger.

Time expressions: hardly, barely,

no sooner, or scarcely
As soon as he had finished dinner, she
walked in the door.
No sooner had he finished dinner, when she
walked in the door.

After 'Only: Expressions such as

'only after', 'only when', 'only then',
etc.
I only understood the problem
then.
Only then did I understand the problem.
The teacher only makes a
comment after understanding the
situation.
Only after understanding the situation

After 'Little'
'Little' is used in a negative sense.
He understood the situation very
little.
Little did he understand the situation.
I have read little concerning
nanotechnology.
Little have I read concerning
nanotechnology.

Inversion after 'So', 'Such', and 'That'

'So'
The situation was so strange that I
couldnt sleep.
So strange was the situation that I couldn't
sleep.
So difficult is the test that students need
three months to prepare.
.

'Such'
The moment is such that everything
else does not count.
Such is the moment that everything else
does not count.
Dreams are made of that stuff.
Such is the stuff of dreams.

Inverted Conditional
Forms
Sometimes conditional forms are inverted
as a means of sounding more formal. In
this case, the conditional 'if' is dropped
and the inverted forms take the place of
the 'if clause'.
If he had understood the problem, he
wouldnt have committed those mistakes.
Had he understood the problem, he
wouldn't have committed those mistakes.
If he should decide to come, please

EXERCISES
I have seldom heard such beautiful singing.
Seldom have I heard such beautiful singing
He discovered that he had injured his knee when
he tried to run.
Only when .
Only when he tried to run did he discover that he
had injured his knee.

She little suspected that she was cheated

Little did she suspect that she was cheate

You cannot buy such cheap jeans at
anywhere
Nowhere can you buy such cheap jeans

Their situation was so desperate that they decided

to sell their house.
So desperate was their situation that they
decided to sell their house.

He was not only the producer but also

the director of the film.
Not only was he the producer but he was
also the director of the film.

And... that's all!