EXERCISES ON INVERSIONS

Exercise 1 - Fill the gaps using the words in the box.

has · before · than · audience · then · was

started · will · can · did · so many · had

1. Hardly ever an athlete won so many medals in such a short time.

2. Little we realise what a social faux-pas we had committed.
3. Scarcely the match started when the trouble began.
4. Only by standing on tip-toe I able to see anything at all.
5. Seldom can an have heard a better interpretation of this symphony.
6. Hardly had the controversial opera when people began to walk out.
7. Only if we leave now we be in time to catch the train.
8. Never have I seen people turn out for this event.
9. Rarely a remark have been more ill-judged.
10. Only did it become clear what the extent of the damage was.
11. Barely had we had time to pack up the picnic things the heavens opened
12. No sooner had we asked for a quieter room room, we were given one.

Exercise 2 - Fill the gaps using the words in the box.

else · way · did · circumstances · nothing · such

nor · until · would · account · only · even

1. At no time he seem to realise what an idiot he was making of himself.

2. At no time before have I heard arrant nonsense.
3. Nowhere do they charge you so much for water
4. On no should you miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
5. Under no must this door be left unlocked.
6. Not she apologises for what she said will I speak to her again.
7. Not if they halved the price would I buy such a heap of old rubbish.
8. Not for all the money in the world I do what you're suggesting.
9. Not do I know you're wrong, but I can also prove you're wrong.
10. Neither was the food up to standard was the service particularly good.
11. Everyone except me got soaked. Not for do I always carry an umbrella.
12. No am I going to jump into that icy cold water!
Exercise 3 - Make inverted sentences from the sentences given, using the
words in brackets ().

1. You shouldn't tell him about my trip to China. (On no ...)

2. You are not going to get me to eat that! (No way ... !)

3. I have seldom seen such a brilliant goal. (Seldom ...)

4. Such a hurricane has rarely happened in Hereford. (Hardly ever ...)

5. I wouldn't want to hurt your feelings for all the world. (Not ...)

6. They were never aware of the danger that threatened them. (At no time ...)

7. This must not leak out to the press. (Under ...)

8. He wasn't rich and he wasn't handsome. (Neither ...)

9. We haven't often witnessed such artistry. (Rarely ...)

10. The bridge collapsed as soon as we managed to get across. (No sooner ...)

11. We were only able to cross the border by offering him a bribe. (Only ...)
 Immediately he opened his mouth he started complaining about everything. (Barely ...
12.
before ...)

Exercise 4 - Make inverted sentences from the sentences given, using the
words in brackets ().

1. She has no idea what a surprise she's going to get. (Little ... know)

The bell had barely started to ring when the children rushed out of the classroom.
2.
(Scarcely)

3. He didn't start his speech until there was absolute silence in the hall (Not ...)

4. We will only be able to accept your offer if we are offered free delivery (Only ...)

5. It is with good reason that Edinburgh is known as the Athens of the North (Not for ...)

6. We have never been so well wined and dined in our lives (Never ...)

7. She didn't break the news of her engagement until after dinner (Only ...)

8. We weren't told that we would need our passports. (At no time ...)

9. They don't charge you as much for water anywhere else. (Nowhere else ...)

10. I wouldn't fly with them again even if they offered me a free flight. (Not even ...)

11. We had barely entered the shop when an assistant jumped on us. (Hardly ... when ...)

12. He is both charming and very rich. (Not only ..., but ... also ...)

EX 5: Change the normal sentence into one with inversion. For

example: "We had hardly arrived when Julie burst into the house"
becomes "Hardly had we arrived when Julie burst into the house".
1) John had never been to such a fantastic restaurant.

2) I in no way want to be associated with this project.

3) They had no sooner eaten dinner than the ceiling crashed onto the dining table.

4) I had scarcely finished writing my essay when the examiner announced the end of the exam.

5) I seldom leave my house so early.

6) People rarely appreciate this musician's talent.

7) We would understand what had happened that night only later.

8) They had met such rude people nowhere before.

9) He understood little about the situation.

10) The children should on no account go on their own.

EX 6: Choose the best inversion structure to complete each sentence.

1. _________ should children be allowed to drive.

no sooner

under no circumstances
2. _________ after months of planning were they ready for the conference.

rarely

only

3. _________ had I left than I heard them laughing.

no sooner

only when

4. Now _________ to escape and she jumped from the window.

was the time

the time was

5. Many a time _________ plan to divorce her husband, but she never did.

she did

did she

6. Only _________ can we start the party.

when Jane has arrived

when has Jane arrived

7. _________ who borrowed the money.

Max it was

It was Max

8. What _________ is simply not true.

are you saying

you are saying

Ex 7: Rewrite the sentences:

1. I have never before been asked to accept a bribe.

____________________________________________________________

2. He had hardly left the house when the storm broke.

____________________________________________________________

3. As soon as he had left the house the storm broke.

____________________________________________________________

4. This switch must not be touched on any account.

____________________________________________________________

5. She rarely has any money to spare.

____________________________________________________________

6. He hardly speaks to anyone.

____________________________________________________________

7. The nation has seldom been faced with such difficulties.

____________________________________________________________

8. They had hardly started playing tennis when it began to rain.

____________________________________________________________

9. A father has seldom sacrificed so much for his child.

____________________________________________________________

10. You may not return after midnight on any account.

____________________________________________________________

11. He would not give up writing his satires under any circumstances.

____________________________________________________________

12. He realized the danger he had been in only after he had read the newspaper the following
morning.

Only after ____________________________________________________________

13. They were not able to assess the damage until the floods had subsided.

Not until ____________________________________________________________

14. He only stays in bed if he is seriously ill.

Only if ____________________________________________________________

15. We only then realized how much he had suffered.

Only then ____________________________________________________________

16. He was only able to do the exercise with a great deal of effort.

Only ____________________________________________________________

17. He didn’t manage to get permission until she had calmed down.

Not until ____________________________________________________________

18. He was so anxious to start a new life that he actually changed his name.

So anxious ____________________________________________________________

19. He could only make himself heard by shouting at the top of his voice.
Only by ____________________________________________________________

20. No director has made such an intellectually challenging sci-fi movie since Kubrick’s
2001.

Not since ____________________________________________________________

21. He became so suspicious that he didn’t even trust his family.

So suspicious ____________________________________________________________

22. He laughed so much that tears rolled down his cheeks.

So much ____________________________________________________________

23. Her business was so successful that Marie was able to retire at the age of 50.

So successful ____________________________________________________________

24. If you were less than delighted with our product, we will refund your money immediately.

Were ____________________________________________________________

25. If you were to accept our offer, we could avoid the costs of a court case.

Were ____________________________________________________________

26. If the builders were to finish their work to schedule, they would receive a bonus.

Were ____________________________________________________________

27. If the tickets should fail to arrive before the departure date, we would arrange to have
duplicates waiting at the airport.

Should ____________________________________________________________

28. If the film had been released in the summer, it would not have been so successful.

Had ____________________________________________________________

29. He had no money and his sister didn’t have any either.

He had no money, neither / nor ________________________________

30. They have no intention of paying and we don’t either.

They have no intention of paying and nor / neither _____________________

31. I couldn’t face my father and Jane couldn’t either.

I couldn’t face my father and neither / nor _____________________

32. Tom came in.

In _____________________________________________

33. Two large dogs jumped up.

Up ______________________________________________

34. Half a dozen apples fell down.

Down ____________________________________________

35. The body of our late lamented sovereign lies here.

Here ______________________________________________