Inverted forms Advanced

Compiled by Johnny Quispe Pgina 1

A. Choose the correct option to complete the sentences

1. If I ......... you, I wouldn't risk it.

(a) had been
(b) am
(c) would be
(d) were



2. If they had waited another month, they could probably ......... a better price for their
house

(a) would get
(b) had got
(c) have got
(d) could get

3. It's quite simple really. When it's cold, water ..........

(a) froze
(b) has frozen
(c) freezes
(d) had frozen

4. If he decides to accept that job, he ......... it for the rest of his life.

(a) has regretted
(b) had regretted
(c) is regretting
(d) will regret

5. If you ......... of applying for that job, my advice is: forget it.

(a) are thinking
(b) will think
(c) will be thinking
(d) would think

6. If he hadn't been driving so fast, he ......... have hit the motorcyclist.

(a) didn't
Inverted forms Advanced
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(b) hadn't
(c) wouldn't
(d) hasn't

7. ......... he been more careful, he would have spotted the mistake.

(a) Were
(b) Had
(c) Has
(d) Is


8. If she goes on passing her exams, ......... soon be qualified to practise as a lawyer.

(a) she's
(b) she had
(c) she has
(d) she'll

9. If I pay you twice as much, will you ......... to finish by Tuesday?

(a) are able
(b) is able
(c) be able
(d) can be able

10. If only I'd invested in that company, I'd ......... a millionaire by now.

(a) became
(b) have become
(c) had become
(d) would become



B. Reformulate the following sentences using inversion.


Example : She at no time said she was vegetarian.
>At no time did she say (that) she was vegetarian.


1. I had hardly begun to apologize when the door closed .
_____________________________________________________
2. I have seldom heard such a talented singer.
Inverted forms Advanced
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_____________________________________________________
3. If John had known that she liked curry, he would have brought her to an Indian
restaurant.
_____________________________________________________
4. The artist rarely paid any attention to his agent's advice.
_____________________________________________________
5. He had never felt so depressed.
_____________________________________________________
6. The shop can in no way be held responsible for customers' lost property.
_____________________________________________________
7. The couple had no sooner arrived than the priest started the ceremony.
_____________________________________________________
8. Tom only understood the meaning of the comment when he saw his wife's face.
_____________________________________________________
9. She never at any time said that she was allergic to cats.
_____________________________________________________
10. The restaurant cannot accept animals under any circumstances.
_____________________________________________________

C. Rewrite the following sentences, putting the adverb first and inverting the
subject and verb.
1. I have seldom heard such a beautiful voice.
_____________________________________________________________
2. He had hardly sat down for dinner when someone knocked at the door.
_____________________________________________________________
3. I have never heard such utter nonsense.
_____________________________________________________________
4. They not only looted the shop, but also set fire to it.
_____________________________________________________________

D. For each of the following sentences, add the negative expression shown in brackets at the
beginning of the sentence, and make any other changes that are necessary. For example:
I had reached home when I remembered the message. (hardly)
Hardly had I reached home when I remembered the message.

We had the opportunity to do whatever we wanted. (seldom)
Seldom did we have the opportunity to do whatever we wanted.

1. We had entered the room when the telephone rang. (scarcely)
_____________________________________________________________
2. I have seen a more beautiful ballet than that one. (never)
_____________________________________________________________
3. We realized that a dangerous stretch of road lay ahead of us. (little)
Inverted forms Advanced
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_____________________________________________________________
4. I have worked as hard as I could. (never before)
_____________________________________________________________
5. A writer can express his exact feelings in words. (rarely)
_____________________________________________________________
6. We perceive everything that is around us. (hardly ever)
_____________________________________________________________
7. One can find a more striking example of erosion than the Grand Canyon. (nowhere)
_____________________________________________________________
8. They guessed what was about to happen. (little)
_____________________________________________________________
9. I am entirely satisfied with my situation. (seldom)
_____________________________________________________________
10. One comprehends a complex situation immediately. (rarely)
_____________________________________________________________






























Inverted forms Advanced
Compiled by Johnny Quispe Pgina 5

INVERSIONS QUIZ
The following are the sort of multiple choice grammar questions that typically appear in the
Michigan ECPE. They may (or may not) include inversions. See if you can get them right.

1) Thank goodness ___ hurt in the train accident.

a. didnt more people get
b. didnt get more people
c. more didnt get people
d. more people didnt get

2) The study showed _____ for maternal and child health.

a. how is nutrition important
b. how important nutrition is
c. that how important nutrition is
d. that how nutrition is important

3) Only by working three jobs _____ able to support his large family.

a. he was
b. he is
c. he's being
d. was he

4) The boss didnt know what to do, _____ the rest of us.

a. so did
b. either
c. neither
d. nor did

5) It was not until Andrew stopped smoking ____ healthy again.

a. did he feel
b. that he started to feel
c. then he felt
d. that he did feel

6) ___ you see Frank at the conference, give him my regards.

a. Should
b. Would
c. Might
d. Could
Inverted forms Advanced
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7) Strange ___ , he chose not to undergo surgery.

a. may it seem
b. as may it seem
c. was it that
d. as it may sound

8) Try ___ he could not save the drowning woman.

a. did he hard
b. as he might
c. as hard as
d. though he did

9) So ___ that she licked the plate clean.

a. being hungry
b. great her hunger
c. hungry was she
d. had she hunger

10) Effie disliked the film, ___.

a. as did Frank
b. and also disliked it Frank
c. nor Frank
d. so Frank did

11) ___ the medicine than she began to feel better.

a. Not until she swallowed
b. Hardly did she swallow
c. No sooner had she swallowed
d. Having swallowed

12) Only by speaking more ___ improve your fluency in English.

a. you are able to
b. is it possible to
c. does
d. will it