INVERSION

Inversion happens when we reverse (invert) the normal word order of a structure, most
commonly the subject-verb word order.

When does inversion happen?

The most common type of inversion is question word order. Inversion also happens in other
situations.

 The most common case of inversion is in formulating questions.

[S] She [V] sings.

[AUX] Does [S] she [V] sing?

[S] They [AUX] are [V] working.

[AUX] [S] Are they [V] working?

[S] Joe [M] can [V] swim.

[M] Can [S] Joe [V] swim?

 Another common case is after the expression so, neither or nor to express that the same
is true of someone or something else

These are used in ‘echoing’ statements, agreeing or disagreeing.

I am going home. B: So am I.

I don’t like meat. B: Neither do

Oliver isn’t loo for a new job. How about Ellie? Ellie isn’t either= Ellie neither = Neither/
Nor is Ellie
 FORMAL ENGLISH

Negative adverbial expressions and frequency adverbs

1. Inversion after negative adverbials

Time expressions: never, rarely, seldom…

In formal styles, when we use an adverb with negative meaning (e.g. never, seldom, rarely,
scarcely, hardly) in front position for emphasis, we invert the subject (s) and auxiliary
(aux)/modal verb:

This only occurs when the adverbial occurs at the beginning of a clause. All the examples below
are used in formal language, usually for rhetorical effect, such as in political speeches. They are
not usual in everyday spoken language.

Compare:

Never have I heard a weaker excuse!

I have never heard a weaker excuse!

These are most commonly used with present perfect or past perfect or with modals such as can
or could. Sentences of this type often contain comparatives.

Rarely have a minister been faced with such a problem.

Seldom has the team given a worse performance.

Rarely had I had so much responsibility.

Time expressions: hardly, barely, scarcely, no sooner

These refer to an event when one action follows another immediately. They are usually used
with past perfect although no sooner can be followed by past simple. Note the words used in
the contrasting clause.

Hardly had the train left the station when there was an explosion.

Hardly had I entered the room when the phone rang.

Scarcely had Ken left the building when the police arrived.

No sooner had I reached the door than I realized it was locked.

No sooner was the team back on the pitch than it started raining

After only and not only

Here only combines with other time expressions and is usually used with past simple.
 Only after posting the letter did I remember that I had forgotten to put on a stamp

Only when the plane had landed dis Lisa manage to open her eyes.

Only if they agree to these terms, will be able to work with them.

Not only was it a long process, but it was also quite complicated.

Other examples are only of/when, only then, only later.

Note that when only refers to ‘the state of being the only one’, there is no inversion following
it.

Only Mary realized that the door was not locked.

Phrases containing no/not

We also invert the subject and verb after not + a prepositional phrase or a clause in initial
position: These include under no circumstances, on no account, at no time, in no way, on no
condition, not until, not only … (but also).

On no condition are they to open fire without warning.

Not until I got home did I notice that I had the wrong umbrella.

Under no circumstances should we accept these terms.

In no way could James have passed that test without cheating.

At no time have we suspect foul play.

Not until I have spoken to everyone will I be able to make a decision.

Not for a moment did I think I would be offered the job, so I was amazed when I got it.

Not till I got home did I realise my wallet was missing.

Little

Little also has a negative or restrictive meaning in this sense.

Little does the government appreciate what the results will be.

Little did they know what their children had been up to.

Little did she understand what she was doing.

Little did I realize the danger I faced.

 2. Inversion after so/such with that

This occurs with so and adjectives when the main verb is be. It is used for emphasis and is more
common than the example with such.

So devastating were the floods that some areas may never recover.

Such used with be means so much/so great.

Such was the force of the storm that trees were uprooted.

As in the examples with such, inversion only occurs if so/such is the first word in the clause.

3. Conditional sentences to replace if

Three types of If-sentence can be inverted without If: were, should, have

1st conditional

If you should hear anything, let me know.

Should you hear anything, let me know.

If you should require any assistance, I will be in my office.

Should you require any assistance, I will be in my office.

2nd conditional

If they were to escape, there would be an outcry.

Were they to escape, there would be an outcry

If we renegotiated this deal, we would be more lenient than before.

Were we to renegotiate this deal, we would be more lenient than before.

Note: Note that if the verb in the if clause of a conditional 2 sentence is to be were on its own is
enough.

If he were my son, I would encourage him to go to college.

 Were he my son, I would encourage him to go to college.

3rd conditional

If the police had found out, I would have been in trouble.

Were the police to have found out, I would have been in trouble.

If I had known, I would have protested strongly.

Had I known, I would have protested strongly.

If he has cheated, he will have to be punished.

Should he have cheated, he will have to be punished

4. After only

Here only combines with other time expressions and is usually used with past simple.

Only after posting the letter did I remember that I had forgotten to put on a stamp.

Only after the meeting did I realize the importance of the subject.

Only when the plane landed safely did he calm down.

Not only was the car slow, it was also very uncomfortable.

Other examples are only of/when, only then, only later.

Note that when only refers to ‘the state of being the only one’, there is no inversion following
it.

Only Mary realized that the door was not locked.

5. Inversion after as

This is more common in formal or written language.

Elisabeth was too shy to dance, as was Gerald.

We were short of money, as were most people in our neighborhood.

I thought, as did my colleagues, that the recession would soon be over.

6. Prepositions and adverbial expressions of place including here and there

Inversion can happen after here, and after there when it is as an adverb of place.
After here and there, we can use a main verb without an auxiliary verb or modal verb:

Here comes the bus!

Here’s your coffee.

I opened the door and there stood Michael, all covered in mud.

She looked out and there was Pamela, walking along arm in arm with Goldie.

7. Inversion after adjectives

A few very literary sentences begin with an adjective and include an inversion.

Blessed are the children who are still unaware of what the future holds.

Gone* are the days when I could have been happy.

* Here the past participle is used like an adjective. However there is no inversion in the following
sentence.

Strange as it may seem, we were sorry to leave in the end.