Ex1: Reformulate the following sentences using inversion.

1. She had never been so happy before.

-> Never had she been so happy before.
2. I have never heard such nonsense!
-> Never have I heard such nonsense!
3. I have never seen such a mess in my life.
-> Never have I seen such a mess in my life.
4. Public borrowing has seldom been so high.
-> Seldom has public borrowing been so high.
5. They had seldom participated in such a fascinating ceremony.
-> Seldom had they participated in such a fascinating ceremony.
6. They little suspected that the musical was going to be a runaway success.
-> Little did they suspect that the musical was going to be a runaway success
7. The embassy staff little realized that Ted was a secret agent.
-> Little did the embassy staff realize that Ted was a secret agent.
8. I had hardly begun to apologize when the door closed.
-> Hardly had I begun to apologize when the door closed.
9. The shop can in no way be held responsible for customers’ lost property.
-> In no way can the shop be held responsible for …
10. The couple had no sooner arrived than the priest started the ceremony.
-> No sooner had the couple arrived than the priest started the ceremony.
11. Tom only understood the meaning of the comment when he saw his wife’s face.
-> Only when Tom saw his wife’s face did he understand the meaning of the comment.
12. The restaurant cannot accept animals under any circumstances.
-> Under no circumstances can the restaurant accept animals.
13. The artist rarely paid any attention to his agent’s advice.
-> Rarely did the artist pay any attention to his agent’s advice.
Ex2: Rewrite using the words in brackets:
1. Her grief was so great that she almost fainted.
–> So great was her grief that she almost fainted.
2. He got down to writing the letter as soon as he returned from his walk.
-> No sooner did he return from his walk did he get down to writing the letter.
3. She had hardly begun to speak before people started interrupting her.
-> Hardly had she begun to speak before…
4. I only realized what I had missed when they told me about it later.
–> Only when they told me about it later did I realize what I had missed.
5. You won’t find a more dedicated worker anywhere than Mrs. John.
–> Nowhere will you find a more dedicated worker than Mrs. John.
6. The outcome of the election was never in doubt.
–> At no time was the outcome of the election in doubt.
7. He forgot about the gun until he got home.
–> Not until he got home did he remember about the gun.
8. The only way you can become a good athlete is by training hard every day.
–> Only by training hard every day can you become a good athlete.
III. 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 spent all his money. He even borrowed some from me.
“Not only_____________________
2. He had hardly left the office when the telephone rang.
” No sooner
3. I had only just put the phone down when the boss rang back.
” Hardly ____________________
4. He didn’t finish his work until the bell rang.”
Not until ____________________
5. We only began to see the symptoms of the disease after several months.
” Only _______________________
6. I have never seen anyone in my life drink as much as you.
” Never _______________________
7. A sleeping dog was lying under the table.” Under the table _____________________
8. His brother had rarely been more excited.”Rarely_______________________
9. The facts were not all made public until later.”Only_______________________
10. If I had realized what would happen, I wouldn’t have accepted the job.
“Had_______________________
11. The response to our appeal was so great that we has to take on more staff.
“Such was the responisible to our appeal that we has to take on more staff.”
12. Harry broke his leg, and also injured his shoulder.”
Not only did…
13. The police didn’t at all suspect that the judge was the murderer.
” Little did the police at all suspect that the judge was the murderer
13. If you do happen to see Helen, could you ask her to call me?”
Should you see____________________
14. The bus driver cannot be blamed for the accident in any way.”
In no way can the bus ______________________
16. The snowfall was so heavy that all the trains had to be cancelled.
” So heavy was the snowfall that___________________________
17. If the government raised interest rates. They would lose the election.
“Were the government to raise ______________________
18. As soon as I got into the bath, someone knocked at the door.”
No sooner _____________________
19. There was so much uncertainty that the financial markets remained closed.”
Such uncertainty _______________________
20. It’s not common for there to be so much rain in March.”
Seldom is ______________________
21. You won’t allowed in until your identity has been checked.”
Only until your identity has been checked will you allowed in
22. Just after the play started there was a power failure.”
Hardly did the play start there was a…
23. The Prime Minister has hardly ever made a speech as inept as this.
“Rarely has the Prime Minister made a…
24. We had only just arrived home when the police called.”
Scarcely had we arrived home when the…
25. Press photographers are banned from taking photographs backstage.
” On no account are press photographers
26. The way so much money has been spent to so little purpose must be a record.
”
27. The judge was taken ill just after the trial proceedings began.
” Barely was the judge taken ill _____________________
IV. Complete each sentences with a suitable word or phrase.
1 Hardly had we arrived at the hotel, when there was a power cut.
2 ____Under no circumstances_______are members of staff to accept gratuities from clients.
3 ___Little did_________Detective Dawson realized what she was to discover!.
4. _____Never had______ so many employees taken sick leave at the same time.
5. ______Were you______to pay the full amount now, there would be a ten per cent discount.
6. I supposed, as ______do______most people, that I would be retiring at 60.
7. ___Never had_________the doctor seen more difficult case.
8. ______Not only did______Jean win first prize, but she was also offered a promotion.
9. __Under no circumstances___will late arrival be admitted to the theatre before the interval.
10. __No sooner had_________one missing child been found, than another three
disappeared.
V. Rewrite each sentences so that it contains the word or words in capitals, and so that the
meaning stay the same.
Were Smith to resign, I might stand a chance of getting his job. IF
-> If Smith resigned, I might stand a chance of getting his job.
b. Such was the demand for the tickets that people queued day and night. GREAT
-> So great was the demand for tickets that people queued day and night.
c. The money is not to be paid under any circumstances. NO
-> Under no circumstances is the money to be paid………………………………………………
d. Three days passed before we arrived at the first oasis. NOT UNTIL
-> Not until three days had passed did we arrive at the first oasise. Hardly had the ship left
port, than a violent storm developed. SOON AFTER
-> Soon after the ship left port , a violent storm developed.
f. They would have discovered land sooner had they carried a compass IF
-> If they had carried a compass they would have discovered the land sooner……………………..
g. Little did Brenda know what she was letting herself in for. IDEA
-> Brenda had no idea what she was letting herself in for……………………………………
h. It was only when I stopped that I realized something was wrong DID I
-> Only when I stopped did I realize that something was wrongi. The accused never
expressed regret for what he had done. AT NO TIME
-> At no time did the accused express regret for what he has done…………………………………………
j. So exhausted were the runners that none of them finished the race. TOO.
-> The runners were too exhausted to finish the race.……………………………………………………