Inversions

1
Inversions

• Designed by María Argente del Castillo Martínez

2

• The normal order in an English sentence is
• Subject/ verb/ complement
• The man bought some flowers for his wife
• However, in certain situations we change the word
  order.
• We invert the subject and the verb.
• Verb subject
• To express enphasis and this happens mainly in
  written English or in a very formal style of
  speaking, eg. A public speech

3
When?

• After certain negative adverbs such as
• Never, seldom, rarely
• ( these are not used in informal language, and
  are usually in the form of exclamation.
• I have never heard such rubbish! We can make it
  more emphatic.
• Never have I heard such rubbish!
• You seldom meet a man of such integrity! We
  transform the verb into an interrogative form
• Seldom do you meet a man of such integrity!

4
Little, scarcely, hardly.when, not only..but
(also), no sooner..than

• These are normally followed by a subordinate
  clause.
• They dont realise how quickly he can act
• Little do they realise how quickly he can act
• There was a huge explosion just after we left the
  building.
• Scarcely had we left the building when there was
  a huge explosion

5

• The police arrived just after he finished
  speaking
• Hardly had I finished speaking when the police
  arrived.
• It is not only foolish but it is also extremely
  dangerous.
• Not only is it foolish, but it is also extremely
  dangerous.
• As soon as the train arrived at the station, the
  train pulled in.
• No sooner had the train arrived at the station
  than the train pulled in.

6
Not a noun, not until verb phraseNot until
noun phrase

• Not a word did she say to anyone
• Not until I got home did I realise how lucky Id
  been.
• Not until the end did I realise how lucky Id
  been.

7
Under/ In no circumstances/ On no account/
Nowhere else

• You should not leave the building under any
  circumstances.
• Under no circumstances should you leave the
  building.
• They cant claim to be the best on any account.
• On no account can they claim to be the best.
• We havent met nicer people anywhere else.
• Nowhere else have we met nicer people.

8
With expressions only after, only by, only if,
only when

• When these expressions come at the beginning of a
  sentence, the inversion is in the main clause.
• Only after she started working was she able to
  become independent.
• Only if you follow mi advice will you be able to
  give up smoking.
• Only by bribing the police officer was she able
  to get away.
• Only when I took the test did I realise how
  little I knew!

9
Inversion in conditional sentencesInversion
subject and verb,leaving out If.

• Type I
• If he requires any assistance, I will be only too
  glad to help.
• Should he require any assistance, I will be only
  too glad to help.
• Type II
• If I were you, I would give try to give up
  smoking.
• Were I you, I would try to give up smoking.
• Type III
• If I had known, I would have told you.
• Had I known, I would have told you.

10
After verbs of movement or adverbial expressions
of place when they come at the beginning of a
sentence.

• Outside the house was a sports car.
• On the sofa sat an old man.
• Here comes the bride.
• There goes the bus.
• If the subject is a pronoun, there is no
  inversion
• Here she comes
• There it goes
• Poem Incy wincy spider
• http//www.britishcouncil.org/kids-songs-incy-winc
  y.htm