Inversions - borrador

Never have I worked so hard in all my life. Rarely have I worked so hard in all my life. Seldom have I worked so hard in all my life. No sooner had Matt started work than he resigned. Hardly had Matt started work when he resigned. Not only were you late for work, but you had also forgotten the report. Under no circumstances are employees allowed to leave the building without permission. At no time/point was I told what the job involved. Little did I realise that I would become managing director just two years later. Not until the next day did I hear that I had got the job. Only at the end of the interview did I think I had a chance of getting the job.

INVERSIONS

- We use inversions in formal English, especially in writing. - When we put some negative adverbial words or phrases at the beginning of a sentence for emphasis, the subject and the verb 'invert'. This means we use (auxiliary) verb + subject. - In the present simple and past simple tense, we use do/does/did + subject + main verb. -Inversion should only be used occasionally for dramatic effect. Overusing it will make your English sound unnatural.

Careful:

With some expressions, the inversion comes in the second part of the sentence (in the main clause). For example: - Not until I filled my glass did I notice that it was broken. - Not since I was young have I had such a great time. - Only after finishing your homework can you play. - Only when I read for half an hour can I sleep well at night.

Let's practise

Rewrite the sentences to make them more emphatic. 1. We only received our drinks when we reminded the waiter for the third time. Only when ..... our drinks. 2. I've rarely had the opportunity to eat at such a high-class restaurant. Rarely .... at such a high-class restaurant. 3. The novel has an implausible storyline and the characters are really dull as well. Not only .... really dull. 4. I'll never read another book by that author again. Never again...... by that author. 5. The film had scarcely started when I was moved to tears. Scarcely ..... moved to tears.

Let's practise

Rewrite the sentences to make them more emphatic. 1. We only received our drinks when we reminded the waiter for the third time. ONLY WHEN WE REMINDED THE WAITER FOR THE THIRD TIME DID WE RECEIVE OUR DRINKS. 2. I've rarely had the opportunity to eat at such a high-class restaurant. RARELY HAVE I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO EAT AT SUCH A HIGH-CLASS RESTAURANT. 3. The novel has an implausible storyline and the characters are really dull as well. NOT ONLY DOES THE NOVEL HAVE AN IMPLAUSIBLE STORYLINE, BUT THE CHARACTERS ARE ALSO REALLY DULL. 4. I'll never read another book by that author again. NEVER AGAIN WILL I READ ANOTHER BOOK BY THAT AUTHOR. 5. The film had scarcely started when I was moved to tears. SCARCELY HAD THE FILM STARTED WHEN I WAS MOVED TO TEARS.

Let's practise

Rewrite the sentences to make them more emphatic. 6. Until you've watched the film two or three times, you can't fully understand the plot. Not until ........ the plot. 7. The bed was so comfortable! I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. The bed was so comfortable! No sooner ..... fell asleep. 8. We were only given a different room after we asked to speak to the manager. We asked to speak to the manager, Only then .... a different room .

Let's practise

Rewrite the sentences to make them more emphatic. 6. Until you've watched the film two or three times, you can't fully understand the plot. NOT UNTIL YOU'VE WATCHED THE FILM TWO OR THREE TIMES CAN YOU FULLY UNDERSTAND THE PLOT. 7. The bed was so comfortable! I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. THE BED WAS SO COMFORTABLE! NO SOONER DID MY HEAD HIT THE PILLOW THAN I FELL ASLEEP. 8. We were only given a different room after we asked to speak to the manager. WE ASKED TO SPEAK TO THE MANAGER. ONLY THEN WERE WE GIVEN A DIFFERENT ROOM.

Let's practise some more

Imagine you trusted your teenage son with your car for the first time and he has come home several hours past curfew smelling like a party. You are very angry and want to emphasize the seriousness of the offence.Use your own words to finish these sentences. 1. Never... have you so deeply disappointed me and your father. 2. Not only ... 3. Rarely ... 4. Under no circumstances ... 5. Only when ... 6. Not until ...