INVERSION

So
So + adjective + be + noun + that clause
Ex: So bizarre was his behaviour that his wife called the doctor.
So + adjective + a/an + be + he/she/it + that clause
Ex: So charming a woman was she that everyone likes her.

Such
Such + be + noun (noun phrase) + that clause
Ex: Such was the complexity of the problem that even the experts were baffled.

As
Ex: We were furious about the noise, as were our neighbours.
I went into therapy as did my husband.

Short answers
Ex: I am upset. So am I.
I am not feeling upset. Neither am I.
She did not help. Neither did we.
They had finished. So had he.

Conditional sentences

Should + noun/pronoun/noun phrase + bare infinitive

Ex: Should any patient suffer an adverse reaction to this drug, please report this immediately.

Were + noun/pronoun/noun phrase + infinitive with to

Ex: Were the government to spend as much on health services as it does on defence, the nation might be
healthier and happier.

Had + noun/pronoun//noun phrase + past participle

Had the junior doctor not been on duty for eighteen hours without a break this tragedy might not have
happened.
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 Subject- Verb inversions

Prepositional phrases of place at the start of the sentence (ex: on one side of the square) with verbs
like hang, stand, sit, lie.
Ex: On one side of the square was a platform.
On the wall hangs a picture.

Adverbs or prepositional phrases of movement at the start of the sentence (ex: round the corner, in,
up, out, off) , with verbs like come, run, go, appear, jump, march.
Ex: Round the corner of the church marched the brass band.

Time adverbs at the start of the sentence (ex: next, first, again, then)
Ex: Next came a group of children in traditional costumes.

In conversational English after here and there principally with the verbs be, come, go.
Ex: Here comes the train!
Off you go!

Negative or restrictive adverbs or phrases at the start of the sentence (ex: never, seldom, rarely, not
only, nowhere, in no way, under no circumstances, on no account, not for one minute, by no means, no
longer, at no time, at no other time, little, in none of, scarcely, scarcely ever, under no roof )
Ex: In no way did the report blame her for the accident.
Not only does he have impeccable manners , he is also exceedingly generous.

Observation!

No sooner + Past Perfect , than + Past Simple

(Inversion)
Ex: No sooner had I got in the bath than the doorbell rang.

Hardly, scarcely, barely + Past Perfect + when + Past Simple

(Inversion)
Ex: Scarcely had we laid out the picnic things when it began to rain.

Not until, only when, only after + Verb (no inversion). Inversion occurs in the second sentence.
Ex: Only when youve finished all your exams may you go out again in the evenings.
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