INVERSION

I. What is inversion? When we begin a sentence with a negative adverb or adverbial phrase, we sometimes have to change the usual word order of subject and verb (often using an auxiliary verb such as do)

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Negative adverbials include: never, never before, rarely, seldom, barely/hardly, scarcelywhen, no sooner.... than nowhere, not only, etc.

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Normal word order in a statement: S + V: I have never seen so many people in one room. Inversion: Never have I seen so many people in a room. .

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No sooner had I put the phone down than it rang again.

Hardly/ Scarcely/ Barely had I got my breath back when it was time to go again.

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We use inversion with phrases that begin with not Not until he apologizes will I speak to him. Not for one minute do I imagine theyll come back.

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We use inversion with some time phrases that use only: Only after several weeks did she begin to recover. Only later did she realize what had happened.

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We use inversion with some time phrases that use only: Only then did he remember he hadnt got his keys. Only when Ive finished this will I be able to think about anything else.

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Only by patience and hard work will she find a solution.

Only in this way do we stand any chance of success.

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We use inversion after negative adverbials which emphasize frequency at the beginning of a sentence: Hardly ever did she wear a suit. Little did she realize what was about to happen.

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After expressions with prepositions +no: In no way should this be regarded as one of the matter.

At no time did they actually break the rules of the game

On no account are you to repeat it to any one. Under no circumstances can we accept the offer.

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After expressions with not Not until August did the government order an inquiry into the accident.

Not a single word has she written since the exam started.

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Inversion after so + adj..that Her business was so successful that Marie was able to retire at the age of 50.

So successful was her business, that she was able to retire at the age of 50.

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Inversion after such + be..that The play is so popular that the theatre is likely to be full every night.

Such is the popularity of the play that the theatre is likely to be full every night.

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Inversion after adverbial direction or place phrases of

Her father stood in the doorway.

In the doorway stood her father. His mother sat in the armchair. In the armchair sat his mother.

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Inversion after in comparisons with as and than

The cake was excellent, as was coffee.(..as the coffee was)

the

Research shows that children living in villages watch more television than do their counterparts in inner city areas, (.than their counterparts do)

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Inversion in conditional sentences

If you need more information, please telephone our main office.

Should you need more information, please telephone our main office. If Alex had asked, I would have been able to help. Had Alex asked, I would have been able to help.

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Not using inversion:

We use inversion when the adverb modifies the verb, and not when it modifies the noun:
Hardly anyone inversion) knows about it, (=no