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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


does the teacher make a comment.
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 couldn’t


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


wouldn’t have committed those mistakes.
Had he understood the problem, he
wouldn't have committed those mistakes.
If he should decide to come, please
telephone.
Should he decide to come, please telephone.
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 cheated

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!

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