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INVERSION – BY JAY LEUNG
Form: auxiliary verb (e.g. can, have, do) / verb to be + subject
Use: in formal speech and formal writing
Types:
(I)
after negative adverbials at the beginning of a clause
1.
We seldom see Miss Leung wearing jeans.
Seldom do we see Miss Leung wearing jeans.
2.
Frankie has never seen such a spectacular fireworks display.
Never has Frankie seen such a spectacular fireworks display.
3.
Joanna is rarely late for her appointments.
Rarely is Joanna late for her appointments.
4.
Jeff was at no time aware of what was happening.
At no time was Jeff aware of what was happening.
5.
We not only lost our money, but we were also nearly killed.
Not only did we lose our money, but we were also nearly killed.
6.
She was not able to recover her self-control until that evening.
Not until that evening was she able to recover her self-control.
7.
You are not allowed to try such drugs under any circumstances.
Under no circumstances are you allowed to try such drugs.
8.
I did not know much at that time that Arnold was very ill.
Little did I know at that time that Arnold was very ill.
9.
They met again after ten long years.
Only after ten long years did they meet again.
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10. We saw the danger we were in at that moment.
Only then did we see the danger we were in.
11. As soon as John smelt something burning, he jumped out of bed.
No sooner had John smelt something burning than he jumped out of bed.
12. Immediately after they received the report, the firemen rushed to the scene.
Hardly / Scarcely had they received the report when the firemen rushed to the scene.
(II) after place adverbials at the beginning of a clause
1.
One of the biggest men I had ever seen was lying under a tree.
Under a tree was lying one of the biggest men I had ever seen.
2.
A great castle stood directly in front of them.
Directly in front of them stood a great castle.
3.
The money is here / there.
Here / There is the money. (Here / There it is)
(III) after ‘so’, ‘neither’ and ‘nor’
1.
The weather was so hot that we lost our appetite.
So hot was the weather that we lost our appetite.
2.
Esther was a vegetarian, and her friend Ivy was a vegetarian too.
Esther was a vegetarian, and so was her friend Ivy.
Esther was a vegetarian, as was her friend Ivy.
3.
Michael did not get an invitation, and his brother didn’t get one either.
Michael did not get an invitation, and neither / nor did his brother.
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(IV) conditional clauses
1.
If you need any help, please let us know.
Should you need any help, please let us know.
2.
If she were my daughter, I might kill her.
Were she my daughter, I might kill her.
3.
If I had been there, I might have been able to help.
Had I been there, I might have been able to help. (‘Had I not been’ √, ‘Hadn’t I been’ X)