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inversion - brief explanation and practice

The document explains the concept of inversions in English, which are used for emphasis, dramatic effect, or formality by placing negative and limiting adverbs at the beginning of a sentence. It provides examples of how to invert sentences by moving the adverbial and inverting the subject and auxiliary verb. Additionally, it includes practice exercises for readers to apply the inversion rules.

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constanza garcia
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3 views

inversion - brief explanation and practice

The document explains the concept of inversions in English, which are used for emphasis, dramatic effect, or formality by placing negative and limiting adverbs at the beginning of a sentence. It provides examples of how to invert sentences by moving the adverbial and inverting the subject and auxiliary verb. Additionally, it includes practice exercises for readers to apply the inversion rules.

Uploaded by

constanza garcia
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Inversions

Inversions happen in English for emphasis, dramatic purpose or formality.


This type of inversion uses negative and limiting adverbs - these are a group of adverbs which
limit the meaning of a verb or make it negative. Examples are never, hardly, no, only...and there
are others.
To make an inverted sentence or “an inversion” move the adverbial to the beginning of the
sentence and invert the subject and auxiliary verb:

So, it is as simple as changing the order between auxiliary and subject giving the
first place in the sentence to the negative adverb.
I have never heard such a beautiful place.

Never have I heard such a beautiful place.


More examples:
You mustn’t at no time go out alone. (normal sentence)
Negative adverb

At no time must you go out alone

When we place the negative adverbial at the beginning we are also


adding the negative component of the sentence, so the auxiliary verb will
not take the negative particle again. The rest is to place the auxiliary verb
before the subject.

I rarely go out on Saturdays. (normal sentence)

This type of inversion requires us to add the auxiliary verb. As it is in the


present simple tense, the auxiliary will be do or does depending on the
subject.

Rarely do I go out on Saturdays

Here we have a new component in our inversion. It only happens in


sentences expressed in the Present or Past simple tenses. So the only
additional auxiliaries are: DO/DOES or DID.
Practise.
a. We have seldom fished so much here.

Seldom____________________________________________________________________________

b. They are in no way responsible for what occurred last night.

In no way__________________________________________________________________________
c. You should not on any account take these pills when you drink alcohol.

On no account______________________________________________________________________
d. She not once offered us her help.

Not once ____________________________________________________________________________


e. I did not become aware of what was going on at any time.

At any time_____________________________________________________________________________

f. He was so tired that he slept for fourteen hours.

So tired _____________________________________________________________________________
g. My delight was such that I bought everybody a drink.

Such __________________________________________________________________________________

h. They not only supply us with food, but also with drinks.

Not only _____________________________________________________________________________


i. We had no sooner eaten it than we had a terrible stomach-ache.

No sooner ___________________________________________________________________________
j. I had hardly gone to bed when the telephone rang.

Hardly _______________________________________________________________________________

K. I had no sooner switched on the dishwasher than it broke down.

No sooner __________________________________________________________________________

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