Inversion Inversion after negative adverbials 78 Inversion Explanations The term inversion covers two different grammatical operations, + Using a question form of the main verb Not only did he fail to report the accident, but also later denied that he had been driving the car. Never have I enjoyed myself more! + Changing the normal positions of verb and subject Along the street came a strange procession. See Grammar 14 for an explanation of this example. + This only occurs when the adverbial occurs at the beginning of a clause. All the examples below are used in formal language, usually for rhetorical effect, such as in political speeches. They are not usual in everyday spoken language. Compar: Never have I heard a weaker excuse! Thave never heard a weaker excuse! + Time expressions: never, rarely, seldom These are most commonly used with present perfect or past perfect, or with modals such as can and could, Sentences of this type often contain comparatives. Rarely can a minister have been faced with such a problem. Seldom has the team given a worse performance. Rarely had I had so much responsibility. + Time expressions: hardly, barely, scarcely, no sooner These refer to an event which quickly follows another in the past. They are usually used with past perfect, although no sooner can be followed by past simple. Note the words used in the contrasting clause. Hardly had the train left the station, when there was an explosion. Scarcely had I entered the room when the phone rang. No sooner had I reached the door than I realised it was locked. No sooner was the team back on the pitch than it started raining. + After only Here only combines with other time expressions and is usually used with past simple. Only after posting the letter did 1 remember that I had forgotten to put on a stamp. Other examples are only ifiwhen, only then, only later.Inversion after so/such with that Inverted conditional sentences without tt GRAMMAR 13. INVERSION Note that when only refers to ‘the state of being the only one’, there is no inversion following it. Only Mary realised that the door was not locked. Phrases containing no/not These include under no circumstances, on no account, at no time, inno way, on no condition, not until, not only ... (but also). On no condition are they 10 open fire without a warning. Not until | got home did I notice that I had the wrong umbrella, Little Little also has a negative or restrictive meaning in this sense: Little does the government appreciate what the results will be. This occurs with so and adjectives when the main verb is be. It is used for emphasis and is more common than the example with such. So devastating were the floods that some areas may never recover. Such used with be means so much/so great Such was the force of the storm that trees were uprooted. As in the examples with such, inversion only occurs if so/such is the first word in the clause, Three types of /f- sentence can be inverted without Jf. This makes the sentences more formal and makes the event less likely. Ithey were to escape, there would be an outcry. Were they to escape, there would be an outcry. Ifthe police had found out, I would have been in trouble. Were the police to have found out, I would have been in trouble. Ifyou should hear anything, let me know. Should you hear anything, let me know. Ifhe has cheated, he will have to be punished. Should he have cheated, he will have to be punished. Ifl had known, I would have protested strongly: Had I known, I would have protested strongly. Inversion after as This is more common in formal or written language. We were short ofmoney, as were mostpeople in our neighbourhood. I thought, as did my colleagues, that the recession would soon be over. Inversion after so, neither and nor ‘These are used in ‘echoing’ statements, agreeing or disagreeing A: /am going home. B: So am I. A: / don't like meat. B: Neither do I. ‘See Grammar 14 for ways of giving emphasis without inverting after so. 9ADVANCED LANGUAGE PRACTICE cla tte) Complete each sentence by using the phrases from the box. .. We arrived at the hotel, when there was a power members of staff to accept gratuities from Detective Dawson realise what she was to discover! a, to pay the full amount now, there would be a ten per cent discount. e) I supposed, most people, that I would be retiring at 60. f). the doctors seen a more difficult case. 2. Jean win first prize, but she was also offered a promotion. h). late arrivals be admitted to the theatre before the interval, i) one missing child been found, than another three disappeared, dD so many employees taken sick leave at the same time.GRAMMAR 12 INVERSION 2 Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. a) It was only when the office phoned me that I found out about the meeting. find Notuntil, the. office phoned me. did I find out... about the meeting. b) The facts were not all made public at the time, later Only. all made publie. ¢) The response to our appeal was so great that we had to take on more staff, response Such. to our appeal that we had to take on more staff. 4) Harry broke his leg, and also injured his shoulder. but Not only. also injured his shoulder. €) The police didn't suspect at all that the judge was the murderer. did Little. as being the murderer. f) The bus driver cannot be blamed for the accident in any way. held In responsible for the accident. g) Ifthe government raised interest rates, they would lose the election raise Were, interest rates, they would lose the election, h) As soon as I got home, I realised I'd left my bag in the shops. had No sooner. I realised I'd left my bag in the shops, i) It was only when I asked a passer-by that I realised where I was. did Not until. where I was. 4) The minister was interrupted just after starting his speech. when Hardly. he was interrupted. 81ADVANCED LANGUAGE PRACTICE 82 Decide which sentences are inappropriate in the contexts given. a) Guest to host: 'So nice was that pudding, that I would like to have some more. inappropriate, b) Witness to court: 'No sooner had I turned out the light, than I heard a noise outside.’ c) News reader: ‘Such was the force of the earthquake, that whole villages have been devastated.’ d) Parent to child: 'Should you fancy a pizza, let's order one now.’ e) Friend to friend: ‘Never before have I seen this film.’ f) Politician to audience: 'Seldom has the country faced a greater threat.’ g) Celebrity to interviewer: 'Were I to have the time, I'd go climbing more often.’ h) Victim to police officer: 'Searcely had we been introduced when he punched me for no reason.’ i) Printed notice: 'Under no cireumstances is this control panel to be left unattended ) Colleague to colleague: 'Should you change your mind, just let me know.’ Complete each sentence with a suitable phrase contai ‘an appropriate form. 1g the verb in brackets in a) Should .You..need, (need) anything, could you let me know? b) Were the plane. (take off), everyone in it would have been killed. ©) Had (study) harder, I would probably have passed all my exams @) Should (be) in the neighbourhood, drop in. ©) Had (g0) to the doctor immediately, your daughter would not be so ill. 1) Never before (spend) so much money on her daughter's birthday, g) Should. (feel) hungry, just call room service, and order a meal, h) Were (offer) her the job, we couldn't be sure that she would accept. i) Had, (take) the necessary measures, this political crisis could have been avoided, i) Scareely (get) home when the police called us with news of Geofitey.GRAMMAR 13. INVERSION 5 Underline the correct word or phrase in each sentence. 2) Jim promised that he would never/never would he tell anyone else. b) Not until it was too late / remembered/did I remember to call Susan. ©) Hardly had we settled down in our seats than/when the lights went out. 4) Only after checking three times / was/was I certain of the answer. e) Atno time J was aware/was J aware of anything out of the ordinary. f) Only Catherine and Sally passed/did they pass the final examination. ) Only when Pete has arrived/has Pete arrived can we begin the programme, hh) No sooner had it stopped raining than/when the sun came out. 6 Complete the text by using the words and phrases from the box. litle such not only under no circumstances had seldom along Re-sooneE as scarcely Well, ladies and gentlemen, we've done it again - another election victory. The last four years of office has been a wonderful time for the party, a tale of adversity overcome. No. Seaner, had we come to office than the Stock Market crashed. But we survived that scare, and we came out of it stronger for the experience. The opposition claimed we were faltering. @ ‘have I heard such hypocrisy from a party which continued to squabble intemally for the next four years. Then GB). came a fellow called David Rew, with his new breakaway Democratic party - but he didn't have much success in the opinion polls! (4), did he claim he'd become Prime Minister within three years, he also reckoned that this party was now unpopular with younger voters. (5) did he realise that it would be the young voters who gave us an overwhelming vote of confidence in yesterday's election. (6) had the first votes rolled in when it was obvious that we would be re-elected with a huge majority. . was the extent of our victory that the New Democrats obtained a meagre five seats. (8) they known they would perform so poorly, I don't think they would have been quite so scathing in their criticism of our economic policy. But rest assured, ladies and gentlemen, (9), will we rest on our laurels. There is no room for complacency in this government. And I am confident, (10) I'm sure are most of you, that the next four years will be a resounding success. Thank you. 83,ADVANCED LANGUAGE PRACTICE 7 Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. a) Please never ever interrupt me when I'm in a meeting. am Onno account att. (ever)..t0. be. interrupted. when I'm in a meeting b) Nobody from this school has ever written a better composition, anyone Never written a better composition, ) Such was the demand for tickets that people queued day and night. great The demand for tickets that people queued day and night. 4) The money is not to be paid under any circumstances. no Under. to be paid. e) Three days passed before we arrived at the first oasis. had Not until at the first oasis. 1) Little did Brenda know what she was letting herself in for. no Brenda. what she was letting herself in for. g) It was only when I stopped that I realised something was wrong. did Only. ‘that something was wrong. hh) The accused never expressed regret for what he had done. time AL regret for what he had done. i) Exhaustion prevented any of the runners from finishing the race. were So. of them finished the race. j) Is not common for there to be so much rain in March. see Seldom. so much rain in March.