INVERSIONS – SENTENCE TRANSFORMATION

I. Dùng NEVER viết lại câu với hình thức đảo ngữ
1. She had never been so happy before.
=>Never before……………………………………………………………………………
2. I have never heard such nonsense!
=> Never…………………………………………………...
3. I have never seen such a mess in my life.
=> Never in my life…………………………………
4. Our profits have never been higher than they are this year.
=> Never…………………………
5. The film had never before laid on such a sumptuous celebration.
=>Never……………………
6. I've never come across such a horrifying film.
=> Never………………………………………
7. I've never been so moved by a Shakespeare production.
=> Never……………………………
8. I have never seen anyone in my life drink as much as you.
=> Never…………………………
II. Dùng RARELY, SELDOM hoặc LITTLE viết lại câu với hình thức đảo ngữ
1. One rarely finds good service these days.
=> Rarely………………………………………………………
2. She has rarely travelled more than fifty miles from her village.
=> Rarely………………………………
3. Public borrowing has seldom been so high.
=> Seldom…………………………………………
4. They had seldom participated in such a fascinating ceremony.
=> Seldom…………………………
5. They little suspected that the musical was going to be a runaway success.
=> Little……………………………
6. The embassy staff little realized that Ted was a secret agent.
=> Little…………………………………………
8. He has seldom seen anything stranger.
=> Seldom……………………………………………
III. Rewrite these sentences, using inversion with NOT.
1. He is my friend as well as yours.
=> Not only is he my friend , but he is also yours

INVERSIONS – Ms Lan – STHS Page 1 of 7

 He not only spent all his money but also borrowed some from me.
=> Not only did he spend all his money,but he also borrowed some from me
2. Harry not only broke his leg but also injured his shoulder.
=> Not only did Harry break his leg,but he also injured his shoulder
3. He is both intelligent and handsome.
=> Not only intelligent is he,but he is also handsome
4. She is impatient and dishonest.
=> Not only impatient is she,but she is also dishonest
5. The bus not only crashed into a tree, but it also ran over a cat.
She not only wrote the text but also selected the illustrations.
=> Not……………………………………………………………………………..
6. She is not only beautiful but also attractive.
=> Not only beautiful is she,but she is also attractive
7. He translated not only fast but also correctly.
=> Not only did he translate fast,but also correctly
8. They are not only good at mathematics but also at science.
=> Not only are they good at math but also at science

IV. Rewrite each of the following sentences with the given words in such a way that it means the
same as the sentence printed above it.
1. He had hardly left the office when the telephone rang.
=> No sooner had he left the office than the telephone rang
2. I had only just put the phone down when the boss rang back.
=> Hardly had I put the phone down when the boss rang back
3. He didn’t finish his work until the bell rang.
=> Not until the bell rang did he finish his work
4. We only began to see the symptoms of the disease after several months.
=> Only after several months did we begin to see the symptoms of the disease
5. A sleeping dog was lying under the table.
=> Under the table was lying a sleeping dog
6. His brother had rarely been more excited.
=> Rarely had his brother been more excited
7. The facts were not all made public until later.
=> Only until later were the facts all made public
8. If I had realized what would happen, I wouldn’t have accepted the job.
=> Had I realized what would happen I wouldn’t have accepted the job
V. Rewrite each of the following sentences with the given words in such a way that it means the

INVERSIONS – Ms Lan – STHS Page 2 of 7

same as the sentence printed above it.
1. He only thought about having a holiday abroad after he retired.
=> Only after he retired did he think about having a holiday abroad
2. I only realized how dangerous the situation had been when I got home.
=> Only when I got home did I realize how dangerous the situation had been
3. It wasn’t until last week that the Agriculture Minister admitted defeat.
=> Only until last week did the AM admit defeat
I understood Hamlet only after seeing it on the stage.
=> Only after seeing H on the stage did I understand it
They didn’t get round to business until they had finished eating.
=> Only until they had finished eating did they get round to business
4. They had to wait for twelve hours before their flight left.
=> Only after having to wait for twelve hours did their flight leave
5. I didn’t realize who he was until later.
=> Only until later did I realize who he was
6. The door could not be opened without using force.
=> Only by using force could the door be opened
7. I won’t agree until Tom’s apologized.
=> Only when Tom’s apologized will I agree
10.The only way you can become a good athlete is by training hard every day.
=> Only by training hard everyday can you become a good athelete
VI. Rewrite these sentences, using inversion with SHOULD.
1. If the Government are forced into another election, it will be the favorite to win.
=> Should the government be forced into.....
2. If you want to make an appointment to see Dr Simons, she is free after 9. A.M
=> Should you want to make....
3. If you have further problems with your printer, contact your dealer for advice.
=> Should you have further ..
4. If you decide to accept the post, you will be expected to start work on 1st April.
=> Should you decide to accept..
5. If we hear any further news, we will be in touch immediately.
=> Should we hear any further ..
6. If you wish to take advantage of the offer, kindly tick the box on your order form.
=> Should you wish to take ..
7. If you change your mind, there will always be a job for you here.
=> Should you change your mind..
VII. Rewrite these sentences, using inversion with WERE OR HAD

INVERSIONS – Ms Lan – STHS Page 3 of 7

1. If the salary were high, the job would be worth doing.
=> Were the salary high..
2. Would you visit me if I were sent to prison?
=> Were I to be sent to prison,would..
3. I didn’t see the signal, so I didn’t stop.
=> Had I seen the signal, I would have stopped
4. If I were rich, I could afford to buy an expensive car.
=> Were I rich, I could..
5. If I were you, I would tell him the truth.
=> Were I you, I would
6. If he weren’t busy right now, he could help them.
=> Were he not busy right now,he..
7. If she had said sorry, he wouldn’t have been angry.
=> Had she said sorry,he..
8. If the computer hadn’t broken down and I wouldn’t have had to stop my work.
=> Had the computer not broken down ..
9. If he hadn’t been angry, I would have said something.
=> Had he not been angry,
10. If his friends hadn’t been late, they wouldn’t have missed the train.
=> Had his friends not been late ,

VIII. Rewrite these sentences, using inversion with SO OR SUCH.

1. The weather is so beautiful that we decided to go to the beach.
=> So beautiful is the weather that
2. He is so strong that he can lift the box.
=> So strong is he that
3. He is such a lazy boy that no one likes him
=> Such is a lazy boy that
4. He ate so much food that he became ill.
=> So much food did he eat that// such a lot of food did he eat that
5. It is such hot coffee that I can't drink it.
=> Such is hot coffee that
6. He bought so many books that he didn't know where to put them.
=> So many books did he buy that
7. She has such a soft voice that everyone likes her.
=> Such a soft voice does she have that
8. This book is so boring that I couldn’t finish it

INVERSIONS – Ms Lan – STHS Page 4 of 7

=> So boring is this book that
9. He was such a fast speaker that we couldn’t understand him.
=> Such was a fast speaker that
10. She was so tired that she fell asleep in the armchair.
=> So tired was she that
11. It was such a foggy day that we couldn’t see the road.
=> Such was a foggy day that
12. This tea is so good that I’ll have another cup.
=> So good is this tea that

IX. Rewrite each of the following sentences with the given words in such a way that it means the
same as the sentence printed above it.
1. The response to our appeal was so great that we has to take on more staff.
=> Such was the response to our appeal that
2. The bus driver cannot be blamed for the accident in any way.
=> In no way can the bus driver be blamed for the accident
3. The snowfall was so heavy that all the trains had to be cancelled.
=> So heavy was the snowfall that
4. If the government raised interest rates, they would lose the election.
=> Were the government to raise interest rates , they
5. As soon as I got into the bath, someone knocked at the door.
=> No sooner had I got into the bath than sb
There was so much uncertainty that the financial markets remained closed.
=> Such was a lot of uncertainty that
6. It’s not common for there to be so much rain in March.
=> Seldom is there so much rain in March
7. You won’t allowed in until your identify has been checked.
=> Only when your identify has been checked will you allowed in
Just after the play started there was a power failure.
=> Hardly had the play started when there was a power failure
8. The Prime Minister has hardly ever made a speech as inept as this.
=> Rarely has the PM made a speech as inept as this
9. We had only just arrived home when the police called.
=> Scarcely had we arrived home when the police called
10. Press photographers are banned from taking photographs backstage.
=> On no account are press photographers allowed to take photographs backstage
11. The way so much money has been spent to so little purpose must be a record.

INVERSIONS – Ms Lan – STHS Page 5 of 7

=> Never before has so much money been spent to so little purpose.
12. The judge was taken ill just after the trial proceedings began.
=> Barely had the trial proceedings begun when the judge was taken ill
13. She seldom misses a lecture.
=> Seldom does she miss a lecture.. .
14. As soon as we had come home, it started to rain
=> No sooner had we come home than it started to rain
15. As soon as we had turned on the TV, the electricity went out.
=> Hardly had we turned on the TV when the e went out.
16. I have never been embarrassed like that!
=> Never have I been embarrassed like that
17. She had never experienced this exhilarating emotion in her life.
=> Never had she experienced this exhilarating
18. He has seldom seen anything stranger
=> Seldom has he seen
21 I have seldom seen him looking so miserable.
=> Seldom have I seen him
22. As soon as I had got out of the bed, the phone rang.
=> Scarcely had I got out of the bed when the
23. As soon as he had finished dinner, she walked in the door.
=> No sooner had he finished dinner than
24. I only understood the problem then.
=> Only then did I understand the
We will be only able to accomplish this great task by working hard.
=> Only by working hard will we be able to
25. You can only pass this exam by studying hard.
=> Only by studying hard can you pass
26. You can only understand it when you grow up.
=> Only when you grow up can you understand
27. I can only forgive you if you tell me the truth.
=> Only when you tell me the truth can I forgive
28. I only realized that I'd seen it before after the film started.
=> Only after the film started did I realize
29. The situation was so strange that I couldn’t sleep.
=> So strange was the situation that

30. The test is so difficult that students need three months to prepare.

INVERSIONS – Ms Lan – STHS Page 6 of 7

=> So difficult is the test that
33. The exercise is so easy that every students can do it easily.
=> So easy is the excercise that
34. He not only studies well, but also he sings well.
=> Not only does he study well,but he also sings well
35. If you meet her, please call me!
=> Shouldyou meet her, please call me
36. If you had obeyed orders this disaster would not have happened
=> Had you obeyed orders, this disaster ...

--THE END--

INVERSIONS – Ms Lan – STHS Page 7 of 7