PRACTICE:

INVERSION
EXERCISE 1

USING INVERSION, REWRITE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES BEGINNING WITH THE

WORDS GIVEN.

a. You come to realise the significance of the murder only in the last few pages of the

book.

Only in the last __________________________________________________________

b. The demands of her job are such that she is rarely able to take a holiday.

Such __________________________________________________________________

c. The ma?er could be explained in no other way.

In ____________________________________________________________________

d. I have seldom heard such beauCful singing.

Seldom ________________________________________________________________

e. Peter didn't realize that he had lost his keys unCl he got home.

Not ___________________________________________________________________

f. If Mr Chan had been kinder to his employees, his business would not have collapsed.

______________________________________________________________________

g. There are no circumstances where audience members may consume alcohol.

Under no circumstances __________________________________________________

h. They started to argue soon aLer they had got married.

No sooner _____________________________________________________________
i. You can't use my new car at any Cme.

At no Cme _____________________________________________________________

EXERCISE 2

REWRITE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES USING INVERSION.

a. The gang didn't know that the police had them under surveillance.

Li?le ____________________________________________________________

b. We won't consider you for the basketball team unCl you grow up.

Not unCl _________________________________________________________

c. Nobody has won so many matches for his team since 1994.

Not since ________________________________________________________

d. You will not be allowed to enter the auditorium under any circumstances once

the play has started.

Under no circumstances ____________________________________________

e. He would never play in front of a live audience again.

Never ___________________________________________________________

f. Amy had not enjoyed herself so much since she went to the circus as a child.

Not since ________________________________________________________

g. I have never seen such a terrible performance of Hamlet before.

Never before _____________________________________________________

h. They only realized the painCng had been hung upside down when someone

complained at recepCon.

Only when _______________________________________________________

i. I had been in the room for a few minutes when I realized that everyone was

staring at me.

Only aLer ________________________________________________________

j. He discovered that he had injured his knee when he tried to run.

Only when _______________________________________________________

k. The new park was hardly finished when vandals destroyed the flowerbeds.

Hardly __________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

l. You shouldn't sign a contract you haven't read thoroughly under any circumstances.

Under no circumstances ____________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

EXERCISE 3

CHOOSE THE CORRECT OPTION TO COMPLETE THE SENTENCES

1. _______________________ that I was speaking to someone as important as

Professor Sims.

a) Li?le have I known

b) Li?le did I know

c) Li?le I knew

d) I knew li?le

2. In no way ___________________ quesCon his honesty, although I think that he made

some wrong decisions.

a) did I ever

b) I ever did

c) had I ever

d) I had ever
3. Hardly _____________________ we were told that it would soon be Cme for lunch.

a) we had finished breakfast that

b) had we finished breakfast that

c) had we finished breakfast when

d) we had finished breakfast when

4. At no Cme before I accepted the job ___________________ that I would have to do so

much travelling around the country.

a) did they told

b) I was told

c) I had been told

d) was I told

5. Not since the 1960s _______________ a?ended an anC-war demonstraCon in London.

a) so many people have

b) have so many people

c) did so many people have

d) had so many people had

EXERCISE 4

COMPLETE USING THE WORDS IN BRACKETS WITH THE VERB IN THE CORRECT FORM.

a. Not unCl the area is made safe _______________________________________

(construcCon/can conCnue).

b. In no way ____________________________________________________ (the

announcement/affect) how strongly we felt about the situaCon.

c. Seldom __________________________________________________ (you/see) a vintage

car in quite such good condiCon these days.
d. Not only __________________________________________ (Jerry/forget) my birthday,
but he also forgot our wedding anniversary.

e. At no Cme _________________________ (I/ask) my opinion on the subject.

f. Only when I checked the Ccket again __________________________ (I/realise) that I had
won first prize!

g. Only if the weather is clear _________________________________ (the space shu?le/will

allow) to launch.

h. Such ____________________________ (the media interest/be) in the wedding that there

were over a dozen photographers.

EXERCISE 5

COMPLETE USING THE WORDS AND PHRASES IN THE BOX.

AT NO POINT IN NO WAY LITTLE NEVER NOT NOT ONLY NO SOONER

ONLY AFTER SCARCELY ON NO ACCOUNT RARELY UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES

a. __________________________ were the security guards to blame for what

happened.

b. __________________________ once did the old woman thank me for helping her.

c. __________________________ seeing the doctor was Theresa allowed to leave

hospital.

d. __________________________ will passengers be allowed to carry more than 2 pieces

of hand luggage.

e. __________________________ were they late to work, but they also forgot to bring the
reports.

f. __________________________ during the party did anyone menCon that Peter and Julie
were geeng married.

g. __________________________ had Alan arrived in Mexico when he was arrested.

h. __________________________ did the passengers know that the driver was really an
undercover police officer.

i. __________________________ do you meet anyone as charming as Mr Peterson.

j. __________________________ should unaccompanied children be allowed to enter

the pub.

k. __________________________ before has the company found itself facing such sCff
compeCCon.

l. __________________________ had the alarm gone off than the police cars arrived
ANSWERS

EXERCISE 1

a. Only in the last few pages of the book do you come to realise the significance of the
murder.

b. Such are the demands of her job that she is rarely able to take a holiday

c. In no other way could the ma?er be explained.

d. Seldom have I heard such beauCful singing.

e. Not unCl he got home did Peter realize that he had lost his keys.

f. Had Mr Chan been kinder to his employees, his business would not have collapsed.

g. Under no circumstances may audience members consume alcohol

h. No sooner had they got married than they started to argue.

i. At no Cme can you use my new car.

EXERCISE 2

a. Li?le did the gang know that the police had them under surveillance.

b. Not unCl you grow up will we consider you for the basketball team.

c. Not since 1994 has anybody won so many matches for his team.

d. Under no circumstances will you be allowed to enter the auditorium once the

play has started.

e. Never would he play in front of a live audience again. Never again would he play in
front of a live audience.

f. Not since she went to the circus as a child had Amy enjoyed herself so much.

g. Never before have I seen such a terrible performance of Hamlet.

 h. Only when someone complained at recepCon did they realize the painCng had
been hung upside down.

i. Only aLer I had been in the room for a few minutes did I realize that everyone was
staring at me.

j. Only when he tried to run did he discover that he had injured his knee.

k. Hardly was the new park finished when vandals destroyed the flowerbeds.

l. Under no circumstances should you sign a contract you haven't read thoroughly.

EXERCISE 3

a. B

b. A

c. C

d. D

e. B

EXERCISE 4

a. Not unCl the area is made safe can construcCon conCnue.

b. In no way did the announcement affect how strongly we felt about the situaCon.

c. Seldom do you see a vintage car in quite such good condiCon these days.

d. Not only did Jerry forget/had Jerry forgo?en my birthday, but he also forgot

our wedding anniversary.

e. At no Cme was I asked/had I been asked my opinion on the subject.

f. Only when I checked the Ccket again did I realise that I had won first prize!

g. Only if the weather is clear will the space shu?le allow to launch.

h. Such was the media interest in the wedding that there were over a dozen
photographers.

EXERCISE 5

a. In no way were the security guards to blame for what happened.

b. Not once did the old woman thank me for helping her.

c. Only aLer seeing the doctor was Theresa allowed to leave hospital.

d. On no account/Under no circumstances will passengers be allowed to carry

more than 2 pieces of hand luggage.

e. Not only were they late to work, but they also forgot to bring the reports.

f. At no point during the party did anyone menCon that Peter and Julie were

geeng married.

g. Scarcely had Alan arrived in Mexico when he was arrested.

h. Li?le did the passengers know that the driver was really an undercover
police officer.

i. Rarely do you meet anyone as charming as Mr Peterson.

j. Under no circumstances should /On no account unaccompanied children be

allowed to enter the pub.

k. Never before has the company found itself facing such sCff compeCCon.

l. No sooner had the alarm gone off than the police cars arrived