Types of inversion
. Inversions after negative adverbials
This happens when the adverbial occurs at the beginning of a clause and
usually in formal contexts, with present perfect, past perfect or modals
(can or could). And it’s determined by the word or phrase at the beginning
of the sentence. For example:
Time expressions: never, rarely, seldom.
Rarely can a teacher relax in the afternoons. (modal: can)
Seldom have the students behaved so badly. (present perfect)
Never had I had so much work to do. (past perfect)
Time expressions: hardly, barely, scarcely, no sooner, for
events that quickly follow another in the past. Note the words
used in the contrasting clause. This happens typically with
past perfect or past simple (no sooner).
Hardly had I parked the car, when you rang me. (past perfect)
Scarcely had she finished cooking when her son arrived home. (past
perfect)
No sooner had I left the shop than I realised the item was faulty. (past
perfect)
No sooner was she on her way to work than it started raining. (past simple)
After only: combined with other time expressions and usually
with the past simple.
Only after hanging up did I remember that I had forgotten to congratulate
her.
Only then did I realise she had been kidding.
Only when he started crying did she understand how he really felt.
Phrases containing no/not: on no account, under no
circumstances, at no time, in no way, on no condition, not until,
not only…(but also), etc.
On no condition are you to park in front of the emergency door.
Not until she told me did I notice that she’d had her hair cut.
After little: when little has a negative or restrictive meaning.
Little did she imaginewhat his real intentions were.
EXERCISE:
UNDER NO CIRCUNSTANCES ….WILL YOU EAT FOOD WITH.......................
SALT IF YOU HAVE PRESSURE ISSUES
ONLY AFTER FINISHING THE EXAM …...DID I REALISE I HAD COMMITTED A LOT
OF MISTAKES....................................................
NO SOONER ….........HAD I GOT OFF THE SUBWAY....................... THAN I
REALISED I HAD BEEN STO
Inversions after so/such with that
It takes place when so/such occurs at the beginning of a clause.
After so when the main verb is be: used for emphasis.
So exhausting was the race that his knees were not responding properly
anymore.
After such when the main verb is be: it means so much/so
great.
Such was the pain in his ankle that he could not carry on with the race.
Inversions in Conditional Sentences without if
If you (should) have any further questions, please contact me. (first
conditional)
Inversion: Should you have any further questions, please contact me.
If we were to visit you, could you put us up? (second conditional with were to
+ infinitive)
Inversion: Were we to visit you, could you put us up?
If he had found out what you did, he would have fired you. (third conditional)
Inversion: Had he found out what you did, he would have fired you.
Inversions after as
Typically occurs in formal or written language.
We were fed up with all the noise, as were most of our neighbours.
Inversions after so, neither, and nor
This happens in echoing statements, agreeing or disagreeing.
A: I’ll have a coke, please.
B: So will I.