a)

Inversion after negative adverbs

Explanations In formal speech and writing there is a special construction when the sentence begins with a negative adverb (or one with negative meaning). The subject and the verb are inverted from the normal form to a question form. Study the examples below.

Not only Harry not only missed the train, but also lost his case. Not only did Harry miss the train, but (he) also lost his case.

No sooner With no sooner the main verb is always in the past perfect.

Tim had no sooner left, than the phone rang. No sooner had Tim left, than the phone rang.

Under no circumstances You shouldn't touch these wires under any circumstances. Under no circumstances should you touch these wires.

Seldom I have seldom watched a better match. Seldom have I watched a better match.

Other expressions which are followed by an inversion are: little, never, not once, only thel1, only after, rarely

(normal form) (inversion)

(normal form) (inversion)

(normal form) (inversion)

(normal form) (inversion)

Inversion to emphasize an adverb

With some expressions we can begin the sentence with an adverb and then put the verb before the subject.

With come and go we can start the sentence with an adverb of place. This construction is used with exclamations. It is an informal usage.

Here comes Jack! There goes my money! Up went the plane into the clouds! Along the road came Jim.

With live and stand we can start the sentence with an adverb of place. This is a formal usage.

In this house lived Charles Dickens. On a hill outside the town stands the castle.

With be we can begin the sentence with now.. Now is the best time to visit the Channel Islands.

3 Rewrite each sentence, beginning as shown, so that the meaning stays the same. b) Tony was not only late, but he had left all his books behind.

Not only was Tony late, but he had left all his books behind.b) I had no sooner gone to bed than someone rang my doorbell.

No sooner ...................................................................................................... . c) I have seldom stayed in a worse hotel.

Seldom ........................................................................................................... . d) I have never heard such nonsense!

Never .............................................................................................................. . e) I realised only then that I had lost my keys.

Only then ...................................................................................................... . f) The economic situation has rarely been worse.

Rarely ............................................................................................................. . g) The manager not once offered us an apology.

Not once ......................................................................................................... . h) You should not send money to us by post under any circumstances.

Under no circumstances ................................................................. ............... . i) I understood Hamlet only after seeing it on the stage.

Only after seeing Hamlet ................................................................................... j) The embassy staff little realised that Ted was a secret agent.

Little ...................................................................................................................

4 Rewrite each sentence so that it beg ins with the word or words in italics.a) The best time to buy a house is now.

Now is the best time to buy a house..

b) The bus ca me round the corner.

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c) The price of petrol went up.

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d) The Parthenon stands on the top of the Acropolis.

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e) The wheels of the engine went round and round.

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f) Winston Churchill lived in this house.

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g) The flag went down.

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h) The best part of the story comes now.

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5

Decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each space.

Asking for advice You don't happen to know how this computer works, (1) ..C..? (2) .......................had I bought it (3) ........................I regretted spending so much money! I haven't even got an instruction manual. (4) ...........................did I completely fail to understand the instructions, (5) ..........................then I accidentally threw the manual away. Now I'll never understand it, (6) ......................, I said to myself. (7) ....................... my weekend, I thought, but then I remembered you. You've done a course on computers, (8) .........................? Let's look at it together, (9) ........................, and try to understand it. You press this button first, (10) ........................? Then (11) .......................this little light, and a message that says 'Error'. It shouldn't do that, (12) .........................? You can fix it, (13) .......................? Don't do that! This label says: '(14) ............ should an unqualified person remove this panel'. WeIl, you are unqualified, (15) ....................... ? What do you mean, do it yourself!

1) A are you B is it C do you D isn't it

2) A No sooner B After C Not only D As soon as

3) A that B but C and D than

4) A Not only B Seldom C Not once D Only then

5) A than B but C so D and

6) A can't I B won't I C will I D can I

7) A It goes B Goes it C Goes there D There go es

8) A isn't it B haven't you C didn't you D don't you

9) A do we B don't it C shall we D aren't we

10) A don't you B isn't it C can't you D won't you

11) A on comes B comes on C it comes on D comes it on

12) A does it B should it C shouldn't it D won't it

13) A isn't it B don't you C can't you D can't it

14) A Not only B Only then C Never D Under no circumstances

15) A isn't it B are you C don't you D aren't you