INVERSION

I. Complete the sentences with “when” or “than”

1. Hardly had we started _____________ the fire alarm went.
2. No sooner had we set off _____________ my brother needed the toilet.
3. No sooner were the animals caught _____________ they escaped again.
4. Barely had I closed my eyes _____________ I dropped off to sleep.
5. No sooner do I do the washing _____________ there’s another pile to be done.
6. Scarecely were we in position _____________ the bomb went off.
II. Choose the correct answer
1. No sooner _____________down than the phone rang.
A. I had sat C. had I sat
B. do I sit D. was I sitting
2. Never _____________a greater day in the history of mankind.
A. did there be C. there was
B. was there D. there has been
3. At no time _____________ that he was the killer.
A. I didn't suspect C. I had suspected
B. was I suspect D. did I suspect
4. Little_____________that I knew his secret.
A. did John know C. was John know
B. John did know D. John knew
5. Not until _____________ her did I realise how beautiful she was.
A. I saw C. was I saw
B. did I see D. saw I
6. Not only_____________my keys, I've lost my wallet, too.
A. I have lost C. I did lose
B. are I lost D. have I lost
7. Rarely _____________about the environment enough to give up their car.
A. do people care C. are people care
B. people care D. care people
8. Only when _____________ may vehicles cross the train tracks.
A. is the green light on C. did the green light be on
B. the green light is on D. on is the green light
9. Seldom_____________such a rude person!

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 A. have I met C. did I met
B. I have met D. am I meeting
10. Only after doing his chores _____________ to go to meet his friends.
A. Jason was allowed C. was allowed Jason
B. did Jason allow D. was Jason allowed
11. _____________great was the destruction that the South took decades to recovered.
A. Very C. Such
B. Too D. So

12. It was not until the first land plants developed that _____________
A. land animals appeared C. would land animals appear
B. did land animals appear D. had land animals appeared
13. Scarcely _____________ such a wonderful child.
A. I have seen C. I saw
B. I had seen D. have I seen
14. Hardly had we settle down in our seats _____________ the lights went out.
A. than C. then
B. when D. after
15. _____________ will Mr. Dennis be able to regain control of the company.
A. With hard work C. Only if he works hardly
B. Despite his hard work D. Only by working hard
16. __________ had I arrived home than it began to rain.
A. No sooner C. Scarcely
B. Hardly D. Rarely
III. Write the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first one.
1. Tony was not only late, but he had left all his books behind.
Not only _________________________________________
2. I had no sooner gone to bed than someone rang my doorbell.
No sooner_________________________________________
3. I have seldom stayed in a worse hotel.
Seldom___________________________________________
4. I have never heard such nonsense!
Never____________________________________________

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 5. I realised only then that I had lost my keys.
Only then _________________________________________
6. The economic situation has rarely been worse.
Rarely____________________________________________
7. The police didn’t suspect at all that the judge was the murderer.
Little _____________________________________________
8. Photographs are not permitted under any circumstances.
Under ____________________________________________
9. We've never faced such a serious problem as this.
Never ____________________________________________
10. I only realised it was Vanessa when she removed her hat.
Only_____________________________________________
11. The audience didn't laugh at any point during the show.
At _______________________________________________
12. As soon as Patrick had finished the e-mail, he sent it.
Barely ____________________________________________
13. It wasn't clear who was going to win the match until the last few minutes.
Not ______________________________________________
14. The President will not resign under any circumstance.
Under ____________________________________________
15. The accused showed no emotion at any time during the trial.
At _______________________________________________
16. The bus driver can’t be blamed for the accident in any way.
In _______________________________________________
17. The response to our appeal was so great that we had to take on more staff.
Such _____________________________________________
18. If the government raised taxes, they would lose the election.
Were ____________________________________________
19. There was a great demand for tickets that people queued day and night.
Such ____________________________________________
20. If any members of staff wish to take leave this month, they must submit their forms
by tomorrow.
Should ___________________________________________

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 21. We’d never have trusted him with our money if we’d known the truth.
Had ______________________________________________
Were _____________________________________________
22. The advertising campaign was so successful that the product sold out within a week.
Such _____________________________________________
23. A boy sat on the fence looking lost and alone.
On _______________________________________________
IV. Write one word in each gap
1. Such a long way __________it that we decided to go by train.
2. So badly __________I play chess that I almost never agree to have a game.
3. Pupils are expected to behave politely, as __________members of staff.
4. So tired __________ I that I decided to lie down for a while.
5. Such a threat to society ________you that I have no choice but to send you to prison.
6. So cold__________it last winter that all our pipes froze.
7. Calculators are banned from the examining room, as __________dictionaries
andhandheld computers.
8. I have been having very strange dreams lately, as __________my twin sister.

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