Inversion is the structure that is used in

statements after certain words that are at the beginning Never before have
of the clause and the subject and the corresponding verb I seen such a
or auxiliary are inverted. stubborn mule!
It looks like a question but it isn’t!
There are two types of inversion
Type 1-with auxiliary verb
Type 2-without auxiliary verb

Type 1-with auxiliary verb

Negative

Negative
words
(Inversion of
Clauses Conditionals
words
the main of result
clause)
Seldom Under/In no Only if So 1st –Should
Rarely circumstances Only when Such 2nd –Were
Scarcely (ever) Never Only after To such a degree 3rd –Had
Scarcely…..when Never before Only by (Omission of If)
Hardly (ever) Not since Not till/until
Hardly….when Not even once Had I known
how happy
No sooner…than On no account
I would be,
Not only….but…. Only in this I would have
also way had a child
Little Only then earlier!
Barely In no way
On no occasion Nowhere

Examples
He is not only clever but he is also educated-Not only is he clever but he is also
educated.
I will lend you my CDs only if you promise to bring them back-
Only if you promise to bring my CDs back will I lend them to you.
He was such a hard-working student that he managed to pass those difficult tests-
Such a hard-working student was he that he managed to pass those difficult tests.
If you should hear from John, tell him to call me-Should you hear from John, tell him to
call me.

Now rewrite the sentences starting with the words given.

1.We didn’t speak to them even once.
Not even once……………………………………………………………………………….
2.He knows little about the subject.
Little…………………………………………………………………………………………
3.You shouldn’t open this door on any occasion.
On no occasion………………………………………………………………………………
4.He had no sooner seen the princess than he fell in love with her.
No sooner…………………………………………………………………………………….
5.If she had been there she would have helped us.
Had……………………………………………………………………………………………
6.You are not under any circumstances allowed to stay out late.
Under no circumstances…………………………………………………………………..
7.I’ll be able to sleep only after the kids have gone to bed.
Only after…………………………………………………………………………………..
8.If I were you I would give him a second chance.
Were………………………………………………………………………………………….
9.We rarely see such birds back home.
Rarely………………………………………………………………………………………..
10He was frightened to such a degree that he couldn’t utter a word.
To such a degree…………………………………………………………………………..
11. We were so happy that we kept singing all night long.
So……………………………………………………………………………………………..
12.They seldom stay at home on Saturday evenings.
Seldom………………………………………………………………………………………..
13.We had never seen such bad behaviour before.
Never before………………………………………………………………..
14.She had scarcely left when it began to rain heavily.
Scarcely…………………………………………………………………………………….
15.You can get better at playing golf only by practicing a lot.
Only by………………………………………………………………………………………
16.You will not find this kind of flowers anywhere.
Nowhere…………………………………………………………………………………….
17.If we should go on holiday together, we are sure to have a lot of fun.
Should………………………………………………………………………………………..
Type 2-without auxiliary verb
Inversion happens after adverbials of place (here, there, down, up, off, back, round,
away, over etc) with verbs of motion or position and when the subject is a noun
(NOT a pronoun).
Examples
Here comes the bride! There stands the statue!
Away ran the children! Up goes the balloon!
Now rewrite the sentences starting with the words given.
1.Your bag is here. 6.The bus goes away.
Here………………………………. Away…………………………………..
2.His glasses fell off. 7.The bee flew round and round.
Off……………………………….. Round and round……………………..
3.The car rolled down the street. 8.The horse galloped back.
Down…………………………………. Back…………………………….
4.All the people go there. 9.The boy jumped over the wall.
There………………………………… Over……………………………….
5.The children went up the hill. 10.The bird flew out.
Up……………………………………. Out…………………………………….
Inversion is the structure that is used in
statements after certain words that are at the beginning Never before have
of the clause and the subject and the corresponding verb I seen such a
or auxiliary are inverted. stubborn mule!
It looks like a question but it isn’t!
There are two types of inversion
Type 1-with auxiliary verb
Type 2-without auxiliary verb

Type 1-with auxiliary verb

Negative

Negative
words
(Inversion of
Clauses Conditionals
words
the main of result
clause)
Seldom Under/In no Only if So 1st –Should
Rarely circumstances Only when Such 2nd –Were
Scarcely (ever) Never Only after To such a degree 3rd –Had
Scarcely…..when Never before Only by (Omission of If)
Hardly (ever) Not since Not till/until
Hardly….when Not even once Had I known
how happy
No sooner…than On no account
I would be,
Not only….but…. Only in this I would have
also way had a child
Little Only then earlier!
Barely In no way
On no occasion Nowhere

Examples
He is not only clever but he is also educated-Not only is he clever but he is also
educated.
I will lend you my CDs only if you promise to bring them back-
Only if you promise to bring my CDs back will I lend them to you.
He was such a hard-working student that he managed to pass those difficult tests-
Such a hard-working student was he that he managed to pass those difficult tests.
If you should hear from John, tell him to call me-Should you hear from John, tell him to
call me.

Now rewrite the sentences starting with the words given.

1.We didn’t speak to them even once.
Not even once……………………………………………………………………………….
2.He knows little about the subject.
Little…………………………………………………………………………………………
3.You shouldn’t open this door on any occasion.
On no occasion………………………………………………………………………………
4.He had no sooner seen the princess than he fell in love with her.
No sooner…………………………………………………………………………………….
5.If she had been there she would have helped us.
Had……………………………………………………………………………………………
6.You are not under any circumstances allowed to stay out late.
Under no circumstances…………………………………………………………………..
7.I’ll be able to sleep only after the kids have gone to bed.
Only after…………………………………………………………………………………..
8.If I were you I would give him a second chance.
Were………………………………………………………………………………………….
9.We rarely see such birds back home.
Rarely………………………………………………………………………………………..
10He was frightened to such a degree that he couldn’t utter a word.
To such a degree…………………………………………………………………………..
11. We were so happy that we kept singing all night long.
So……………………………………………………………………………………………..
12.They seldom stay at home on Saturday evenings.
Seldom………………………………………………………………………………………..
13.We had never seen such bad behaviour before.
Never before………………………………………………………………..
14.She had scarcely left when it began to rain heavily.
Scarcely…………………………………………………………………………………….
15.You can get better at playing golf only by practicing a lot.
Only by………………………………………………………………………………………
16.You will not find this kind of flowers anywhere.
Nowhere…………………………………………………………………………………….
17.If we should go on holiday together, we are sure to have a lot of fun.
Should………………………………………………………………………………………..
Type 2-without auxiliary verb
Inversion happens after adverbials of place (here, there, down, up, off, back, round,
away, over etc) with verbs of motion or position and when the subject is a noun
(NOT a pronoun).
Examples
Here comes the bride! There stands the statue!
Away ran the children! Up goes the balloon!
Now rewrite the sentences starting with the words given.
1.Your bag is here. 6.The bus goes away.
Here………………………………. Away…………………………………..
2.His glasses fell off. 7.The bee flew round and round.
Off……………………………….. Round and round……………………..
3.The car rolled down the street. 8.The horse galloped back.
Down…………………………………. Back…………………………….
4.All the people go there. 9.The boy jumped over the wall.
There………………………………… Over……………………………….
5.The children went up the hill. 10.The bird flew out.
Up……………………………………. Out…………………………………….
Key
1.Not even once did we speak to them.
2.Little does he know about the subject.
3.On no occasion should you open this door.
4.No sooner had he seen the princess than he fell in love with her.
5.had she been there she would have helped us.
6.Under no circumstances are you allowed to stay out late.
7.Only after the kids have gone to bed will I be able to sleep.
8.Were I you I would give him a second chance.
9.Rarely do we see such birds back home.
10.To such a degree was he frightened that he couldn’t utter a word.
11.So happy were we that we kept singing all night long.
12.Seldom do they stay at home on Saturday evenings.
13.Never before had we seen such bad behaviour.
14.Scarcely had she left when it began to rain heavily.
15.Only by practicing a lot can you get better at playing golf.
16.Nowhere will you find this kind of flowers.
17.Should we go on holiday together, we are sure to have a lot of fun.

1.Here is your bag!

2.Off fell his glasses!
3.Down the street rolled the car!
4.There go all the people!
5.Up the hill went the children!
6.Away goes the bus!
7.Round and round flew the bee!
8.Back galloped the horse!
9.Over the wall jumped the boy!
10.Out flew the bird!