INVERSION
What is inversion?
Inversion simply means putting the verb
before the subject, like in questions, for
example. (When did you go to that show?)
It is also used to give more emphasis to what
is being said. (Never would he agree with
you!)
WHERE CAN
INVERSION
HAPPEN?
At the beginning of a clause.
WHEN CAN INVERSION HAPPEN?
1. In questions
Are you sure about it?
Has she been there before?
Who would they call?
3. After neither, nor and so
• We didn’t take a computer course
and neither did he.
• Kyle doesn’t have a car nor is he
interested in buying one.
• They need to update the
operational system and so do we.
3. IN CONDITIONAL
SENTENCES WITH
HAD, WERE OR
SHOULD (FORMAL)
If Sean had met her
before, he might have
married her.
Eliminate “if ” and invert the subject
and the verb.
Had Sean met her before,
he might have married her.
IF THE STAFF WERE
MORE DECISIVE, A
LOT OF TIME COULD
BE SAVED.
Were the staff more
decisive, a lot of time
could be saved.
IF AN OPPORTUNITY
ARISES, I WON’T
PASS IT UP.
Should an opportunity arise, I
won’t pass it up.
4. AFTER NEGATIVE
EXPRESSIONS
Never
Rarely/ seldom
In no way
Under no circumstances
I HAVE NEVER
ATTENDED SUCH AN
INCREDIBLE
PRESENTATION.
Never have I attended such
an incredible presentation.
I WILL RARELY
FIND MISTAKES
IN CARSON’S
WORK.
Rarely will I
find mistakes in
Carson’s work.
YOU CAN’T DISCLOSE
CONFIDENTIAL
INFORMATION IN ANY
WAY.
In no way can you
disclose confidential
information.
YOU SHOULD
REDUCE THE
EMPLOYEES’
SALARIES UNDER NO
CIRCUMSTANCES.
Under no
circumstances
should you reduce the
employees’ salaries.
5. AFTER
EXPRESSIONS
WITH ONLY
Only if - Only after -
Only then - Only
through Not only
WE REALIZED THE
COMPLEXITY OF THE
TASK ONLY AFTER A
COUPLE OF DAYS.
Only after a couple
of days did we
realize the complexity
of the task.
YOU CAN ACTUALLY
LEARN THE ROPES ONLY
THROUGH HANDS-ON
EXPERIENCE.
Only through hands-on
experience can you
actually learn the ropes.
YOU CAN GIVE HIM
THE CANDY ONLY IF
HE TAKES A
SHOWER.
Only if he takes a
shower can you give him
the candy.
HE NOT ONLY
FOUND THE BUG
IN THE APP, BUT
HE ALSO SOLVED
IT.
Not only did he
find the bug in
the app, but he
also solved it.