INVERSION

Choose the best inversion structure to complete each sentence.

(SITE: ESL LOUNGE STUDENT)

1. _________ should children be allowed to drive.

no sooner

under no circumstances

2. _________ after months of planning were they ready for the conference.
rarely

only

3. _________ had I left than I heard them laughing.

no sooner

only when

4. Now _________ to escape and she jumped from the window.

was the time

the time was

5. Many a time _________ plan to divorce her husband, but she never did.
she did

did she

6. Only _________ can we start the party.

when Jane has arrived

when has Jane arrived

7. _________ who borrowed the money.

Max it was

It was Max

8. What _________ is simply not true.

are you saying

you are saying

Rewrite each sentence using the words in brackets.

(SITE: ENGLISH TENSES.COM)

There are no circumstances where audience members may consume

alcohol. (Under no circumstances)

Click for answ er

Nobody has won so many matches for his team since 1994. (Not since)

Click for answ er

We won't consider you for the basketball team until you grow up. (Not
until)

The gang didn't know that the police had them under surveillance. (Little)

Click for answ er

Click for answ er

Click for answ er

You can't use my car at any time. (At no time)

They started to argue soon after they had gotten married. (No sooner)

Ex. 3: Inversion
(SITE: USEFUL ENGLISH.RU)

Choose the most appropriate answer with inverted word order.

1. There
that he will agree to your plan.
hope is little
is hope little
is little hope

little hope is

2. The view of the canyon was breathtaking. Never before

such beauty.
had seen we
had we seen
we had seen
we hadn't seen

3.

. See you tomorrow!

Comes here my bus

Here comes my bus

4. We will probably go shopping in the afternoon.

I will so
So I will
So will I
Will so I

5.

Here my bus comes

My bus comes here

. Why don't we go shopping together?

the truth, he wouldn't have invited them.

Had known he
Had he known
He had known

Known he had

6. She should have helped them. She wasn't busy at that time.

. Why didn't you help them?

Neither were you

Neither you were

Were you neither

You were neither

7. No sooner
the receiver than the telephone began to ring again.
down had I put
down had put I
had I put down
I had put down

8. Can you give me a pen, please? Sure.

Here is it
Here it is
Is it here

9.

.
It is here

so busy, we would go there with you.

Were we not
Weren't we
We were not

We weren't

10. Not only

my car poorly, but they also overcharged me.
did they repair
repair they did
they did repair
they didn't repair

Check

(SITE: RANDOM ENGLISH)

Exercise 1 - Fill the gaps using the words in the box. ?
has before than audience then was
started will can did so many had

1.

Hardly ever

an athlete won so many medals in such a short time.

2.

Little

3.

Scarcely

4.

Only by standing on tip-toe

we realise what a social faux-pas we had committed.

the match started when the trouble began.

I able to see anything at all.

5.

Seldom can an

have heard a better interpretation of this symphony.

6.

Hardly had the controversial opera

7.

Only if we leave now

8.

Never have I seen

9.

Rarely

10.

Only

11.

Barely had we had time to pack up the picnic things

12.

No sooner had we asked for a quieter room room,

when people began to walk out.

we be in time to catch the train.

people turn out for this event.

a remark have been more ill-judged.

did it become clear what the extent of the damage was.

the heavens opened

we were given one.

Exercise 2 - Fill the gaps using the words in the box. ?

else way did circumstances nothing such
nor until would account only even

1.

At no time

he seem to realise what an idiot he was making of himself.

2.

At no time before have I heard

3.

Nowhere

4.

On no

5.

Under no

arrant nonsense.

do they charge you so much for water

should you miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

must this door be left unlocked.

6.

Not

she apologises for what she said will I speak to her again.

7.

Not

if they halved the price would I buy such a heap of old rubbish.

8.

Not for all the money in the world

9.

Not

10.

Neither was the food up to standard

11.

Everyone except me got soaked. Not for

12.

No

I do what you're suggesting.

do I know you're wrong, but I can also prove you're wrong.

was the service particularly good.

do I always carry an umbrella.

am I going to jump into that icy cold water!

Exercise 3 - Make inverted sentences from the sentences given, using the words in brackets ().Try the
exercise first without any help. If you get really stuck you can use the hidden clue buttons . To show the clue
buttons click here

1.

You shouldn't tell him about my trip to China. (On no ...)

2.

You are not going to get me to eat that! (No way ... !)

3.

I have seldom seen such a brilliant goal. (Seldom ...)

4.

Such a hurricane has rarely happened in Hereford. (Hardly ever ...)

5.

I wouldn't want to hurt your feelings for all the world. (Not ...)

6.

They were never aware of the danger that threatened them. (At no time ...)

7.

This must not leak out to the press. (Under ...)

8.

He wasn't rich and he wasn't handsome. (Neither ...)

9.

We haven't often witnessed such artistry. (Rarely ...)

10. The bridge collapsed as soon as we managed to get across. (No sooner ...)

11. We were only able to cross the border by offering him a bribe. (Only ...)

12. Immediately he opened his mouth he started complaining about everything. (Barely ... before ...)