Inversion

Choose the sentence with the same meaning:

Never had he eaten such a huge meal.

• He eats bigger meals all the time

• That was the biggest meal he has ever eaten.

Choose the sentence with the same meaning:

Nothing do they appreciate more than a trip to the beach

• They love going to the beach

• They hate going to the beach

Choose the sentence with the same meaning:

No sooner had he sat down for dinner than the doorbell rang.

• He had already finished eating when the doorbell rang.

• He had just sat down, when the doorbell rang.

Choose the sentence with the same meaning:

Little did anyone realize the seriousness of the situation.

• No one understood how serious the situation was.

• They knew very little about the situation.

Inversions are used to emphasize a specific part of your sentence.

You should:

Use adverbs at the beggining

Shape the sentence as a question.

• Ok!! easy...

• What???

Apply the inversion here:

You don’t often read any good news in the newspaper

• Rarely do you read any good news in the newspaper

• You rarely do read any good news in the newspaper

Apply the inversion here:

Churchill was a strong wartime leader and a brilliant orator

(Not only)

• Churchil was a strong wartime leader, not only a brilliant orator

• Not only was Churchil a strong wartime leader, but also a brilliant orator

Apply the inversion here:

I didn’t know what he’d been up to

(Little...)

Apply the inversion here:

You won’t get that job with an attitude like that

(In no way...)

• In no way will you get that job with an attitude like that.

• In no way won't you get that job with an attitude like that.

Apply the inversion here:

Fighting broke out as soon as the demonstration started

(No sooner... than...)

• No sooner had the fight broken out than the demonstration startedout.

• No sooner had the demonstration started than the fight broke out.