1. Inversion Structures Error Correction Worksheet

Look at these sentences that use forms of inversion. Is each sentence correct or not? Correct those that aren’t.

1. How wonderful that movie was!

2. Only after posting the postcard did I remember I hadn’t put a stamp on it.

3. Rarely Veronica forgets to take her key.

4. Under no circumstances you should reply to that letter.

5. What a lovely meal was that!

6. Only when you have your own children you will understand how difficult it is.

7. Never I have seen so much snow in November!

8. Only Phil saw the thief coming through the window.

9. What worries me most is the sheer expense of the vacation.

10. What I’m going to do, ask for another bill.

key:

1. How wonderful that movie was!

2. Only after posting the postcard did I remember I hadn’t put a stamp on it.

3. Rarely does Veronica forget to take her key.

4. Under no circumstances should you reply to that letter.

5. What a lovely meal that was!

6. Only when you have your own children will you understand how difficult it is.

7. Never have I seen so much snow in November!

8. Only Phil saw the thief coming through the window.

9. What worries me most is the sheer expense of the vacation.

10. What I’m going to do is ask for another bill.

2. Inversion Structures

Use an inversion structure to rewrite the following sentences. Sometimes a prompt is given which you should use.

1. I’ve never seen such a large audience for a political conference.
2. He rarely makes speeches if there are no TV cameras around.
3. We absolutely cannot accept the latest government pay offer. (Under no…)
4. He started to address the audience and the protesters began shouting immediately. (No sooner…)
5. He has lost control of unemployment and he also lied to Congress. (Not only…)
6. The demonstration continued until the police arrived in large numbers. (Only when…)
7. The election campaign finished and the government’s luck began to change very quickly. (Hardly…)

key:

1. Never have I seen such a large audience for a political conference.
2. Rarely does he make speeches if there are no TV cameras around.
3. Under no circumstances can we accept the latest government pay offer.
4. No sooner had he started to address the audience than the protesters began shouting.
5. Not only has he lost control of unemployment, but he also lied to Congress.
6. Only when the police arrived in large numbers did the demonstration stop.
7. Hardly had the election campaign finished when the government’s luck began to change very quickly.

 

3. INVERSION – REWRITE the sentences by starting them as it shows.

1. I have never before been asked to accept a bribe.
Never before
2. He had hardly left the house when the storm broke.
Hardly
3. As soon as he had left the house the storm broke.
No sooner
4. This switch must not be touched on any account.
On no account
5. She rarely has any money to spare.
Rarely
7. The nation has seldom been faced with such difficulties.
Seldom
11. He would not give up writing his satires under any circumstances.
Under no circumstances
12. He realized the danger he had been in only after he had read the newspaper the following morning.
Only after
13. They were not able to assess the damage until the floods had subsided.
Not until
15. We  only then realized how much he had suffered.
Only then
17. He didn’t manage to get permission until she had calmed down.
Not until
18. No director has made such an intellectually challenging sci-fi movie since Kubrick’s 2001.
Not since
19. He became so suspicious that he didn’t even trust his family.
So suspicious
22. He laughed so much that tears rolled down his cheeks.
So much
24. If you were less than delighted with our product, we would refund your money immediately.
Were
25. If you were to accept our offer, we could avoid the costs of a court case.
Were
26. If the builders were to finish their work to schedule, they would receive a bonus.
Were
27. If the tickets should fail to arrive before the departure date, we would arrange to have duplicates waiting at the airport.
Should
28. If the film had been released in the summer, it would not have been so successful.
Had
32. Tom came in.
In
33. Two large dogs jumped up.
Up
34. Half a dozen apples fell down.
Down
35. The body of our late lamented sovereign lies here.
Here 
39. Bags must not be left unattended at any time.
At no time
44. You will not be allowed to enter the auditorium under any circumstances once the play has started.
Under
45. We not only went to the National Gallery, but we also saw a West End musical.
Not 

KEY (be careful, some items have been removed from the task, however, the hasn’t been edited)
INVERSION
1. I have never before been asked to accept a bribe.

Never before HAVE I BEEN ASKED TO ACCEPT A BRIBE.

2. He had hardly left the house when the storm broke.

Hardly HAD HE LEFT THE HOUSE WHEN THE STORM BROKE.

3. As soon as he had left the house the storm broke.

No sooner HAD HE LEFT THE HOUSE THAN THE STORM BROKE.

4. This switch must not be touched on any account.

On no account MUST THIS SWITCH BE TOUCHED.

5. She rarely has any money to spare.

Rarely DOES SHE HAVE ANY MONEY TO SPARE.

6. He hardly speaks to anyone.

Hardly DOES HE SPEAK TO ANYONE.

7. The nation has seldom been faced with such difficulties.

Seldom HAS THE NATION BEEN FACED WITH SUCH DIFFICULTIES.

8. They had hardly started playing tennis when it began to rain.

Hardly HAD THEY STARTED PLAYING TENNIS WHEN IT BEGAN TO RAIN.

9. A father has seldom sacrificed so much for his child.

Seldom HAS A FATHER SACRIFICED SO MUCH FOR HIS CHILD.

10. You may not return after midnight on any account.

On no account MAY YOU RETURN AFTER MIDNIGHT.

11. He would not give up writing his satires under any circumstances.

Under no circumstances WOULD HE GIVE UP WRITING HIS SATIRES.

12. He realized the danger he had been in only after he had read the newspaper the following morning.

Only after HE HAD READ THE NEWSPAPER THE FOLLOWING MORNING DID HE REALISE THE DANGER HE HAD BEEN IN.

13. They were not able to assess the damage until the floods had subsided.

Not until THE FLOODS HAD SUBSIDED WERE THEY ABLE TO ASSESS THE DAMAGE.

14. He only stays in bed if he is seriously ill.

Only if HE IS SERIOUSLY ILL DOES HE STAY IN BED.

15. We  only then realized how much he had suffered.

Only then DID WE REALISE HOW MUCH HE HAD SUFFERED.

16. He was only able to do the exercise with a great deal of effort.

Only WITH A GREAT DEAL OF EFFORT WAS HE ABLE TO DO THE EXERCISE.

17. He didn’t manage to get permission until she had calmed down.

Not until SHE HAD CALMED DOWN DID HE MANAGE TO GET PERMISSION.

18. No director has made such an intellectually challenging sci-fi movie since Kubrick’s 2001.

Not since KUBRICK’S 2001 HAS ANY DIRECTOR MADE SUCH AN INTELLECTUALLY CHALLENGING SCI-FI MOVIE.

19. He became so suspicious that he didn’t even trust his family.

So suspicious DID HE BECOME THAT HE DIDN’T EVEN TRUST HIS FAMILY.

20. He was so anxious to start a new life that he actually changed his name.

So anxious WAS HE TO START A NEW LIFE THAT HE ACTUALLY CHANGED HIS NAME.

21. He could only make himself heard by shouting at the top of his voice.

Only by SHOUTING AT THE TOP OF HIS VOICE COULD HE MAKE HIMSELF HEARD.

22. He laughed so much that tears rolled down his cheeks.

So much DID HE LAUGH THAT TEARS ROLLED DOWN HIS CHEEKS.

23. Her business was so successful that Marie was able to retire at the age of 50.

So successful WAS HER BUSINESS THAT MARIE WAS ABLE TO RETIRE AT THE AGE OF 50.

24. If you were less than delighted with our product, we would refund your money immediately.

Were YOU LESS THAN DELIGHTED WITH OUR PRODUCT, WE WOULD REFUND YOUR MONEY IMMEDIATELY.

25. If you were to accept our offer, we could avoid the costs of a court case.

Were YOU TO ACCEPT OUR OFFER, WE COULD AVOID THE COSTS OF A COURT CASE.

26. If the builders were to finish their work to schedule, they would receive a bonus.

Were THE BUILDERS TO FINISH THEIR WORK TO SCHEDULE, THEY WOULD RECEIVE A BONUS.

27. If the tickets should fail to arrive before the departure date, we would arrange to have duplicates waiting at the airport.

Should THE TICKETS FAIL TO ARRIVE BEFORE THE DEPARTURE DATE, WE WOULD ARRANGE TO HAVE DUPLICATES WAITING AT THE AIRPORT.

28. If the film had been released in the summer, it would not have been so successful.

Had THE FILM BEEN RELEASED IN THE SUMMER, IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL.

29. He had no money and his sister didn’t have any either.

He had no money, neither / nor DID HIS SISTER.

30. They have no intention of paying and we don’t either.

They have no intention of paying and nor / neither DO WE.

31. I couldn’t face my father and Jane couldn’t either.

I couldn’t face my father and neither / nor COULD JANE.

32. Tom came in.

In CAME TOM.

33. Two large dogs jumped up.

Up JUMPED TWO LARGE DOGS.

34. Half a dozen apples fell down.

Down FELL HALF A DOZEN APPLES.

35. The body of our late lamented sovereign lies here.

Here LIES THE BODY OF OUR LATE LAMENTED SOVEREIGN.

36. As soon as Springsteen had gone on stage, it started to rain.

No sooner had Springsteen gone on stage than it started to rain. 

37. We only very rarely go to the cinema these days.

Only very rarely do we go to the cinema these days. 

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

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

39. Bags must not be left unattended at any time.

At no time must bags be left unattended

40. The identity of the murderer is not revealed until the very last page.

Not until the very last page is the identity of the murderer revealed

41. They only realized the painting had been hung upside down when someone complained at reception.

Only when someone complained at reception did they realize the painting had been hung upside down.

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

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

43. She had hardly sat down to watch her favourite programme when the phone rang.

Hardly had she sat down to watch her favourite programme when the phone rang.

44. You will not be allowed to enter the auditorium under any circumstances once the play has started.

Under no circumstances will you be allowed to enter the auditorium once the play has started.

45. We not only went to the National Gallery, but we also saw a West End musical.

Not only did we go to the National Gallery, but we also saw a West End musical.

46. John had not enjoyed himself so much since he went to the theme park as a child.

Not since John went to the theme park as a child had he enjoyed himself so much.