GRAMMAR - INVERSION OF

SUBJECT

Review the slides shared in the class stream before completing the exercise.
Remember to pay attention to:

▪ The inversion of the subject and the

verb
▪ Use of the past perfect
tense
▪ No sooner is followed by
than
▪ Hardly and scarcely is followed by
when

SENTENCE STRUCTURE: Use of No

sooner ...

EXAMPL
E:

Restructure the sentence and yet retain the same meaning, beginning the sentence with the
structure: No sooner

Without inversion: As soon as the aircraft arrived, all the passengers began
to board.

With inversion: No sooner had the aircraft arrived than all the passengers began
to board.

Restructure the following sentences and yet retain the same meaning, beginning the sentence
with the structure: No sooner

1. As the police officer received the telephone call, he immediately instructed his officers
to visit the area.

ANSWER: No sooner had the police officer received the telephone call than he
immediately instructed his officers to visit the area.

2. The moment the principals obtained information about the results of the examination,
they went to the District Office to collect them.
 ANSWER: No sooner had the principals obtained information about the results of the
examination than they went to the District Office to collect them.

3. As soon as the referee decided to resume the match, the players took up their positions
on the soccer field.

ANSWER: No sooner had the referee decided to resume the match than the players took
up their positions on the soccer field.

4. As soon as Tyra learnt about the course in fashion design, she decided to
enrol.

ANSWER: No sooner had Tyra learnt about the course in fashion design
than she decided to enrol.

5. The moment the financial crisis began, governments all over the world formulated
strategies to solve it.

ANSWER: No sooner had the financial crisis began than governments all over the world
formulated strategies to solve it.

SENTENCE STRUCTURE: Use of

Hardly/Scarcely...
EXAMPL
E:

Restructure the sentence and yet retain the same meaning, beginning the sentence with the
structure: Hardly/Scarcely..

Without inversion: He had just entered the house when the

telephone rang.

With inversion: Hardly/Scarcely had he entered the house when the

telephone rang.

Restructure the following sentences and yet retain the same meaning, beginning the sentence
with the structure: Hardly/Scarcely...

1. The moment the signal was given to the reapers, they started harvesting the
crop.

ANSWER: Hardly/Scarcely had the signal been given to the reapers when they
started harvesting the crop.

2. Just as mother arrived at home, she heard he news of my success in the Essay
Writing competition.

ANSWER: Hardly/Scarcely had mother arrived at home when she heard the news
of my success in the essay writing competition.

3. The minute the Principal announced a school holiday, the students went into a frenzied
uproar.

ANSWER: Hardly/Scarcely had the principal announced a school holiday when the
students went into a frenzied uproar.

4. As they entered the waters of the deep ocean, they saw a rectangular fin cutting
through the water.

ANSWER: Hardly/Scarcely had they entered the waters of the deep ocean when they
saw a rectangular fin cutting through the water.

5. As the hands of the clock touched midnight, a vast screaming array of colourful
fireworks lit up the night sky.

ANSWER: Hardly/Scarcely had the hands of the clock touched midnight when a vast
screaming array of colourful fireworks lit up the night sky.