1.Questions: Did you study for the test? Have you ever been abroad? Does he live in this city? How often do you go to the cinema? What are you doing tomorrow after class?

WATCH OUT:* I wonder if you studied for the test.* Can you tell me if you have been abroad?* Do you know if he lives in this city?* Would you mind telling us how often you go

to the cinema?* She asked me what I am doing tomorrow

after class.

REMEMBER:

In formal English, inversion is used to give emphasis or literary or dramatic effect.

Inversion is not normally used in informal English.

2. In adverb clauses beginning with * SCARCELY/BARELY/HARDLY…

WHEN/BEFORE* NO SOONER… THAN

Hardly had I left home when it started to rain. Scarcely had I begun to study when my friend called.

WATCH OUT!X Hardly had I started to speak than he

interrupted me.X No sooner had I closed the door when I

realised I had left the keys inside

3. NEGATIVE ADVERB CLAUSES:Under no circumstances, On no

account, In vain, At no time, In no way, Never/Not for one moment, Seldom, Rarely, Never.

• On no account will I let you do such a dangerous thing.• Under no circumstances are children allowed to swim in the pond.• Not for one moment did I think that

you would betray me.• Rarely does she go out alone at night.

4. CONDITIONAL CLAUSES WHERE IF CAN BE REPLACED:

* Should you require any assistance, do not hesitate to contact us.

* Were the regulations regarding child abuse stronger, a lot of crimes of this type would be avoided.

* Had he but locked the door, his house would not have been burgled.

* Had we only thought about the consequences of drinking and driving, we would not have had the accident.

5. CLAUSES WITH:* SO + ADJECTIVE* SO + FEW, LITTLE, MUCH, MANY* SUCH + NOUN

• So happy was David that he was speechless.

• So little did we know about the topic that we were not able to participate in class.

• So much did I eat that I got terribly sick.• Such was our surprise that we were unable

to utter a word.• So surprised were we that we were unable

to utter a word.

EXERCISES

6. After ONLY (+ after/when/if/by/with/adverbs) , NOT ONLY and AS

• Only after she left me did I realise that I had made a huge mistake.

• Only when she finished her whisky did she remember that her doctor had told her not to drink any alcohol.• Not only did he make good friends in

France, but he also met the woman of his dreams.

• Rick studies a lot, as do all his classmates.• I was very happy, as was Mum, when Dad

brought us presents.

7. CLAUSES WITH *HERE AND *THERE, AND OTHER EXPRESSIONS OF PLACE: (Do/did are not used)

• Here is your book.• There are the children.* Inversion with these words is normal, not just

formal use.

• Round the corner walked the man.• Up the hill went the trekkers.• In the corner lay the drunk woman.BUT:• Round the corner he walked.• Up the hill they went.• In the corner she lay.

AVOID CONTINUOUS TENSES:

X There is the bus going. There goes the bus.

X Here was Robert playing. Here played Robert.

8. AFTER NEITHER, NOR, AND SO, FORMALLY AND INFORMALLY:

* I love sunsets. - So do I.• Tom didn’t understand the topic. • - Neither did I.

* John doesn’t ride a bike, nor does he drive a car.

But: John neither rides a bike nor drives a car.

* James will go to the cinema this weekend, and so will his brother.

But: Both James and his brother will go to the cinema.

9. THERE IS/ARE, THERE EXIST(S), THERE COME(S):

There is a bus stop near my house.There exists only one species of bear in South America.Once upon a time, there lived a princess who asked a great many questions.There comes a moment in the evolution

of every field or discipline when central intellectual issues come into focus

10. DIRECT SPEECH / QUOTING:

“I think it’s time to go,” said Susan/said she/she said.

BUT: Susan said, “I think it’s time to go.”

“It’s time for you, but not for me,” replied Gary.

“Maybe we should collect our thoughts for a moment,” commented Lany.

EXERCISES

11. EMPHASIS –EXCLAMATIONS AND WISHES

* Man, am I tired!* Will he pay for this!* Is it ever hot in here!* Wow! Does she look nice!

• May you live happily ever after!• May God help us all!

12. PAST AND PRESENT PARTICIPLE INTROS:

* Located between two mountains is the city.

* Lost in the desert were the tourists when they were found by Bedouins.

* Raining heavily was it when I met him.* Not paying attention was he when the teacher asked him a question.

EXERCISES http://www.learn-english-today.com/lessons/

lesson_contents/inversion-ex.htm

http://www.cityu.edu.hk/elc/quiz/inverse.htm http://www.tolearnenglish.com/exercises/exercise-english-

2/exercise-english-66911.php http://www.tolearnenglish.com/exercises/exercise-english-

2/exercise-english-83020.php

Explanations: http://esl.about.com/od/advancedgrammar/a/inversion.htm https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/k-lee7/www/kesl/writ/

inversion_sv.pdf