INVERSIONS

Use
-Emphasis
-More formal style
1. Negative or near negative adverbials
• Hardly had I arrived home when the phone rang.
I had hardly arrived home when the phone rang.
• Rarely does that happen in my country.
That rarely happens in my country.
• Hardly ever is he late for work.
He is hardly ever late for work.
• Only when/after I get my results will I feel relaxed.
I will only feel relaxed when/after I get my results.
• Not until I get my results will I feel relaxed.
I won’t feel relaxed until I get my results.
• Only then/later did I feel relaxed. (When I got the results ...)
I only felt relaxed then/later.
• Not before 2030 will we send people to Mars.
We won’t send people to Mars before 2030.
• Not unless it is safe can people live on Mars.
People can’t live on Mars unless it’s safe.
• Only if you do regular exercise will you lose weight.
You will only lose weight if you do regular exercise.
• Only by doing regular exercise will you lose weight.
You will only lose weight by doing regular exercise.
• Never again will I work for them.
I will never work for them again. / I will never again work for them.
• Never (ever) have I seen such an incredible view.
I have never (ever) swum naked in the sea.
• Never (before) have I met such a rude man.
I have never met such a rude man before.
• Never (once) did she mention that to me.
She never (once) mentioned that to me.
• Not once was I given those instructions.
I wasn’t once given those instructions.
• At no time/point/stage did I feel uneasy.
I didn’t feel uneasy at any time/point/stage.
• Not since I was a child have I played that game.
I haven’t played that game since I was a child.
• No longer could she trust him.
She could no longer trust him.
• In no way do I agree with that.
I don’t in any way agree with that. / I don’t agree with that in any way.
• By no means is it easy.
It isn’t easy by any means. / It is by no means easy. / It isn’t by any means easy.
• No way am I doing that for you.
There’s no way I’m doing that for you.
• Nowhere does it say we have to pay for parking.
It doesn’t say we have to pay for parking anywhere.
• On no account should you do that.
You shouldn’t do that on any account.
• Under no circumstances can you enter this room.
You cannot enter this room under any circumstances.

2. Adverbs like well and little

• Little does he know that he’s about to be fired.
He has little knowledge that he’s about to be fired. / He has no idea he’s about to be
fired.
 Little did I think/imagine that I’d end up living here.
I had little idea that I’d end up living here. / I could never have imagined I’d end up
living here
 Well did he know that he had a long journey ahead of him.
He knew well that he had a long journey ahead of him.

3. So & such + that

• So successful is Elon Musk that he’s worth billions.

Elon Musk is so successful that he’s worth billions.
• So strong was the wind that many trees were blown over.
The wind was so strong that many trees were blown over.
• So well did they dance that everyone was impressed.
They danced so well that everyone was impressed.
• Such is Elon Musk’s success that he’s worth billions.
Elon Musk is so successful that he’s worth billions.
• Such was the strength of the wind that many trees were blown over.
The strength of the wind was such that many trees were blown over.
• Such is his commitment to his job that he often works weekends.
His commitment to his job is such that he often works weekends.

4. Some adverbs of position and movement

• Here comes the sun.
• There goes my chance.
• On the floor was J-Lo.
• On the table was a box of chocolates.
• Round the corner is a book store.
• Round and round the garden goes the teddy bear.
• Upstairs went the children.
• At the bottom of the stairs waited Jack.
• On the top of the hill sits a castle.
• At the end of the road lives an old man.
• Down came the tower of cards.
• By the fire lay the cat.
5. With conditional clauses

1st Conditional
• Should you require further information, please do not hesitate to contact me.
If you require ...
• Should you see Liz, give her my regards.
If you see Liz, ...

2nd Conditional
• Were I to win the lottery, I would give away half the money.
If I won the lottery ...
If I were to win the lottery ...
• Were Macbooks cheaper, I’d buy one.
If Macbooks were cheaper, ...

3rd Conditional Inversion

• Had I known it was your birthday, I would have made you a cake.
If I had known it was your birthday, ...
• Had I not studied …
If I hadn’t studied , ...
• Had you attended the workshop, you would have learnt it.
If you had attended the workshop, ...

Also:
• Were it not for the weather, Ireland would be perfect.
If it were not for the weather, Ireland would be perfect.
• Had it not been for the pandemic, I would have travelled more last year.
If it had not been for the pandemic, I would have travelled more last year.