Inversion = Formal Written Language

When a sentence starts with a negative word, the normal word order changes. It
becomes similar to the word order of a question.

(never, seldom, rarely, hardly ever, only once, only rarely, not once, not only)

I have seen that only once = Only once have I seen that
She never goes there = Never does she go there
He seldom worked = Seldom did he work
We hardly ever ate fish = Hardly ever did we eat fish
I had never before been asked to lie. =Never before had I been asked to lie.
They not only rob you, they smash everything too. = Not only do they rob you,
they smash everything too.
I had hardly arrived home when the telephone rang.= Hardly had I arrived
home when the telephone rang.

The company had no sooner launched its new product than it went bankrupt. =
No sooner had the company launched its new product than it went bankrupt.

They no sooner realized that they had made a mistake than the company went
bankrupt. = No sooner did they realize that they had made a mistake than the
company went bankrupt.

It may be difficult to memorise when it is when and when it is than. If so,

remember that sooner is the comparative form of soon and in comparisons we use
than. This type of inversion is basically a comparison.