INVERSION

Inversion is an alternative formal structure which you can use after negative adverbial
phrases (see table). The word order is:
Negative phrase + aux. + subject + main verb

Seldom ..+ inv. / rarely / never

Barely + inv. when……
Scarcely + inv. when……
Hardly + inv. when……

No sooner .+ inv. . than……

Not only + inv. but also …….

Only …………..+ inv.

Not until……….+ inv.
Only after……..+ inv.
Little + inv. / Not for one minute

Under no circumstances + inv.

On no account + inv.
At no time + inv.

Present tense:
I seldom drink coffee.
Seldom do I drink coffee.

Present continuous
I´m doing a joint degree and I´m also studying Chinese.
Not only am I doing a joint degree but I´m also studying Chinese.

Past:
It was only after a year that I saw the results of my work.
Only after a year did I see the results of my work.

I didn´t think for a minute that I would like him.

Not for a minute did I think I would like him.

Present perfect:
I have never seen anything so awful.
Never have I seen anything so awful.

Past perfect:
I had just arrived when the phone rang.
No sooner had I arrived when the phone rang.

Modal verbs:
I could play the saxophone and also the piano.
Not only could I play the saxophone but I could also play the piano.
Exercise
Invert the following sentences making sure that the meaning stays the same and using
the following expressions:

no sooner, only, hardly, never before, scarcely, on no account, seldom, rarely,

nowhere, not until

1) As soon as I got into the bath, someone knocked at the door.

………………………….…………….………………………………………………………

2) It's not common for there to be so much rain in March.

………………………...................................................................................................

3) You won't be allowed in until your identity has been checked.

…………………...........................................................................................................

4) Just after the play started there was a power failure.

…… ...............................................................................................................................

5) The Prime Minister has hardly ever made a speech as inept as this.
………………………………...............................................................................................

6) We had only just arrived home when the police called.

……………………………………….....................................................................................

7) Press photographers are banned from taking photographs backstage.

…………………………………............................................................................................

8) The way so much money has been spent to so little purpose must be a
record!
…………………………………………….............................................................................
9) You can go home when you have finished your work and not before!
…………………………………….......................................................................................

10) You won´t find a better restaurant anywhere.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………
Answers:

1) No sooner had I got into the bath than someone knocked on the door.

2) Rarely/seldom is there so much rain in March.

3) Not until your identity has been checked will you be allowed in.

4) Scarcely/barely/hardly had the play started when there was a power failure.

5) Never before has the Prime Minister has made a speech as inept as this.

6) No sooner had we arrived home when the police called.

7) On no account/ under no circumstances are press photographers allowed to take

photographs backstage.

8) Never before/ rarely has so much money been spent to so little purpose!

9) Only when you have finished your work can you go home

10) Nowhere will you find a better restaurant.