WEEK 13: INVERSION

A. LÝ THUYẾT
I. Khái niệm
Đảo ngữ (inversion) là hiện tượng đảo ngược vị trí của động từ/ trợ động từ/ động từ
khuyết thiếu và chủ ngữ trong câu nhằm mục đích nhấn mạnh. Đảo ngữ thường được sử
dụng trong ngôn ngữ có văn phong trang trọng (formal) hoặc ngôn ngữ viết (written
English). Hiện tượng đảo ngữ được dùng trong các trường hợp sau:
1. Trạng từ, trạng ngữ phủ định (never, little, at no time, v.v.) và only ở đầu câu
Seldom Seldom have I seen my father so angry.

Little Little does she know about our plan.

Not only ... but also/ too/ as well ... Not only can she sing but she is also a fantastic
dancer.

Nowhere Nowhere is the treasure to be found.

At no time At no time did he doubt that she was a liar.

In no way In no way am I inviting her!

Under no circumstances / condition Under no circumstances should you lend him

money.

On no account On no account must you disturb me.

Hardly/ Scarcely ... when Hardly had we sat down when the fire alarm
went off.

No sooner ... than ... No sooner had we opened the door than we
realized something went wrong.

Only then/ later/ after/ when/ if/ by - Only after I had heard his reasons did I
forgive him.

- Only later did she realize what had happened.

Not until Not until we met did I realize that I knew him.

2. As, so, neither, nor để thể hiện sự giống nhau

as We always vote Conservative, as do most of our friends.

so Jack has given a Powerpoint presentation and so has Julie.

 neither/ nor Kate won’t be able to come to the meeting and neither/ nor will
Crystal.

3. So, such ở đầu câu

So + adj + be + S + that + S + V + O

So + adv + auxiliary + S + V + that + S + V + O

Ví dụ: - So difficult was the task that expert assistance was required.
- So little did he know about her that he wasn’t even sure of her name.
 Such + be + (a/ an/ the) + N + that + S + V + O

Such + (a/ an/ the) + N + be + S + that + S + V + O

Ví dụ: - Such was his annoyance that he tore up the letter.

- Such a successful advertising campaign was it that the product sold out
within a week.

4. Câu điều kiện

Câu điều kiện loại I: Should the rope break, the dinghy will float away.

Should + S + V

Câu điều kiện loại II: - Were I in your position, I would tell the truth.

Were + S + (to V/ P2) - Were they to offer you the job, would you accept it?

- Were he better trained, he would be more successful.

Câu điều kiện loại III: Had Colin informed the police, he would be safe now.

Had + S + P2

5. Các trạng từ/ trạng ngữ chỉ địa điểm (here, there, in the corner, v.v.) hoặc phương
phước (away, down, v.v.) ở đầu câu. Lưu ý ta đảo động từ chính lên trước chủ ngữ, chứ
không phải trợ động từ như các trường hợp trên.
Ví dụ: - There comes the bus! NOT There does the bus come!
- Along the street came a strange procession. NOT Along the street did a
strange procession come.
* Lưu ý: khi chủ ngữ là đại từ ta KHÔNG đảo động từ chính lên trước chủ ngữ.
Ví dụ: - There it comes!
- Round the corner she ran.

B. LUYỆN TẬP
Exercise 1. Are the following sentences correct or not? If the sentence is correct, put
a tick. If not, underline the mistake and correct it.
E.g. Should you hear anything, let me know. _______ ______
Here the police come! Someone must have called them. _come the police_
1. Not only he twisted his ankle but he also dropped his wallet. _______________
2. Look, there go the children on their way to school. _______________
3. Only recently have scientists discovered a cure for certain _______________
types of leukaemia.
4. "T'd rather have a walk in the morning." - "So I would." _______________
5. Down in the valley did a fertile-looking vineyard lie. _______________
6. Not until do you grow up, we will let you live independently. _______________
7. Into the valley of death rode the six hundred. _______________
8. Everybody didn't believe what she said, and neither didn't I. _______________
9. Right through the underwater tunnel swam she. _______________
10. Such the force of the earthquake it was that the whole village _______________
has been devastated.
Exercise 2. Complete each sentence by using the phrases from the box.

no sooner little not only had only by only then such

as should on no account were at no point not until scarcely

1. ________ are passengers allowed to carry more than two pieces of hand luggage.
2. ________ had the alarm gone off when the police cars arrived.
3. ________ I asked a passer-by did I realize where I was.
4. I thought, ________ did my colleagues, that the recession would soon be over.
5. ________ was the media interest in the wedding that there were over a dozen
photographers.
6. ________ during the party did anyone mention that Peter and Julie were getting
married.
7. ________ you to pay the full amount, there would be a ten percent discount.
8. ________ had it stopped raining than the sun came out.
9. ________ protecting its habitat can we hope to save the species.
10. ________ did the passengers know that the driver was an undercover police officer.

Exercise 3. Rewrite the following sentences, beginning as shown.

1. The substance is so toxic that protective clothing must be worn at all times.
So _________________________________________________________________ .
2. A boy sat on the fence looking lost and alone.
On ________________________________________________________________ .
3. No matter what happens, Jane will never forgive Mark for what he did.
Under ______________________________________________________________ .
4. If everybody in this country contributed one euro, the charity would reach its target.
Were ______________________________________________________________ .
5. I saw Owen last week and I realized then how much weight he had lost.
Only when __________________________________________________________ .
6. It is the first time a book has moved me so much.
Never before ________________________________________________________ .
7. The demands of an astronaut's body are so great that above - average physical fitness is
required.
 Such _______________________________________________________________ .
8. We'd never have trusted him with our money if we'd known the truth.
Had _______________________________________________________________ .
9. Monica won first prize and she was offered a promotion too.
Not only ____________________________________________________________ .
10. The twins started screaming the minute the aeroplane took off.
No sooner ___________________________________________________________ .