Tag: inversion

inversion advanced

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.

inversion for adding emphasis

All excerpts are from The Lord Of The Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

So they came slowly to the white bridge. Here the road, gleaming faintly, passed over the stream in the midst of the valley, and went on, winding deviously up towards the city’s gate: a blacklord-of-the-rings-fellowship-of-the-ring-the-silhouettes mouth opening in the outer circle of the northward walls. Wide flats lay on either bank, shadowy meads filled with pale white flowers. Luminous these were too, beautiful and yet horrible of shape, like the demented forms in an uneasy dream; and they gave forth a faint sickening charnel-smell; an odour of rottenness filled the air. From mead to mead the bridge sprang. Figures stood there at its head, carven with cunning in forms human and bestial, but all corrupt and loathsome. The water flowing beneath was silent, and it steamed, but the vapour that rose from it, curling and twisting about the bridge, was deadly cold. Frodo felt his senses reeling and his mind darkening. Then suddenly, as if some force were at work other than his own will, he began to hurry, tottering forward, his groping hands held out, his head lolling from side to side. Both Sam and Gollum ran after him. Sam caught his master in his arms, as he stumbled and almost fell, right on the threshold of the bridge.

Day was opening in the sky, and they saw that the mountains were now much further off, receding eastward in a long curve that was lost in the distance. Before them, as they turned west, gentle slopes ran down into dim hazes far below. All about them were small woods of resinous trees, fir and cedar and cypress. and other kinds unknown in the Shire, with wide glades among them; and everywhere there was a wealth of sweet-smelling herbs and shrubs. The long journey from Rivendell had brought them far south of their own land, but not until now in this more sheltered region had the hobbits felt the change of clime. Here Spring was already busy about them: fronds pierced moss and mould, larches were green-fingered, small flowers were opening in the turf, birds were singing. Ithilien, the garden of Gondor now desolate kept still a dishevelled dryad loveliness.

`The star-glass?’ muttered Frodo, as one answering out of sleep, hardly comprehending. `Why yes! Why had I forgotten it? A light when all other lights go out! And now indeed light alone can help us.’

Slowly his hand went to his bosom, and slowly he held aloft the Phial of Galadriel. For a moment it glimmered, faint as a rising star struggling in heavy earthward mists, and then as its power waxed, and hope grew in Frodo’s mind, it began to burn, and kindled to a silver flame, a minute heart of dazzling light, as though Eärendil had himself come down from the high sunset paths with the last Silmaril upon his brow. The darkness receded from it until it seemed to shine in the centre of a globe of airy crystal, and the hand that held it sparkled with white fire.

Frodo gazed in wonder at this marvellous gift that he had so long carried, not guessing its full worth and potency. Seldom had he remembered it on the road, until they came to Morgul Vale, and never had he used it for fear of its revealing light. Aiya Eärendil Elenion Ancalima! he cried, and knew not what he had spoken; for it seemed that another voice spoke through his, clear, untroubled by the foul air of the pit.

‘Well do I understand your speech,’ he answered in the same language; ‘yet few strangers do so. Why then do you not speak in the Common Tongue, as is the custom in the West, if you wish to be answered?’

‘It is the will of Théoden King that none should enter his gates, save those who know our tongue and are our friends,’ replied one of the guards. ‘None are welcome here in days of war but our own folk, and those that come from Mundburg in the land of Gondor. Who are you that come heedless over the plain thus strangely clad, riding horses like to our own horses? Long have we kept guard here, and we have watched you from afar. Never have we seen other riders so strange, nor any horse more proud than is one of these that bear you. He is One of the Mearas, unless our eyes are cheated by some spell. Say, are you not a wizard, some spy from Saruman, or phantoms of his craft? Speak now and be swift!’

`Ach! No! ‘ he spluttered. `You try to choke poor Sméagol. Dust and ashes, he can’t eat that. He must starve. But Sméagol doesn’t mind. Nice hobbits! Sméagol has promised. He will starve. He can’t eat hobbits’ food. He will starve. Poor thin Sméagol! ‘

`I’m sorry,’ said Frodo; `but I can’t help you, I’m afraid. I think this food would do you good, if you would try. But perhaps you can’t even try, not yet anyway.’

The hobbits munched their lembas in silence. Sam thought that it tasted far better, somehow, than it had for a good while: Gollum’s behaviour had made him attend to its flavour again. But he did not feel comfortable. Gollum watched every morsel from hand to mouth, like an expectant dog by a diner’s chair. Only when they had finished and were preparing to rest, was he apparently convinced that they had no hidden dainties that he could share in. Then he went and sat by himself a few paces away and whimpered a little.

Hardly had Sam hidden the light of the star-glass when she came. A little way ahead and to his left he saw suddenly, issuing from a black hole of shadow under the cliff, the most loathly shape that he had ever beheld, horrible beyond the horror of an evil dream. Most like a spider she was, but huger than the great hunting beasts, and more terrible than they because of the evil purpose in her remorseless eyes. Those same eyes that he had thought daunted and defeated, there they were lit with a fell light again, clustering in her out-thrust head. Great horns she had, and behind her short stalk-like neck was her huge swollen body, a vast bloated bag, swaying and sagging between her legs; its great bulk was black, blotched with livid marks, but the belly underneath was pale and luminous and gave forth a stench. Her legs were bent, with great knobbed joints high above her back, and hairs that stuck out like steel spines, and at each leg’s end there was a claw.

A shrill shriek; suddenly cut off, came from an open window high above.

‘It seems that Saruman thinks so too,’ said Gandalf. ‘Let us leave them!’

They returned now to the ruins of the gate. Hardly had they passed out under the arch, when, from among the shadows of the piled stones where they had stood, Treebeard and a dozen other Ents came striding up. Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas gazed at them in wonder.

‘Here are three of my companions, Treebeard,’ said Gandalf. ‘I have spoken of them, but you have not yet seen them.’ He named them one by one.

To that Frodo had no answer, and he was persuaded to mount Glorfindel’s white horse. The pony was laden instead with a great part of the others’ burdens, so that they now marched lighter, and for a time made good speed; but the hobbits began to find it hard to keep up with the swift tireless feet of the Elf. On he led them, into the mouth of darkness, and still on under the deep clouded night. There was neither star nor moon. Not until the grey of dawn did he allow them to halt. Pippin, Merry, and Sam were by that time nearly asleep on their stumbling legs; and even Strider seemed by the sag of his shoulders to be weary. Frodo sat upon the horse in a dark dream.

‘True indeed!’ said Gandalf. `And there is one among them that might have been foaled in the morning of the world. The horses of the Nine cannot vie with him; tireless, swift as the flowing wind. Shadowfax they called him. By day his coat glistens like silver; and by night it is like a shade, and he passes unseen. Light is his footfall! Never before had any man mounted him, but I took him and I tamed him, and so speedily he bore me that I reached the Shire when Frodo was on the Barrow-downs, though I set out from Rohan only when he set out from Hobbiton.