Inversion
C1

What is inversion?
Inversion means putting the verb before the subject. It is a literary technique in which
the normal order of words is reversed, generally for emphasis or special effect. It makes
a sentence sound striking or unusual. It also sounds quite formal.
BUT: Sentences with inversion are less common in everyday English.

– In a sentence with no special effect or emphasis, the normal order of
words is retained.
Example 1 : I have never seen such a beautiful rose.
Example 2 : Never have I seen such a beautiful rose.
In example 2 inversion is used to emphasise the fact that in your
whole lifetime you have not seen such a beautiful rose.

– It is sometimes difficult to remember when inversion is or can be
used. Here are some guidelines and examples to help you.
– In normal everyday English, inversion is used :
 To make questions: Does he? Can you?
 After 'so' 'neither', 'nor' : So do I, neither do I, nor do I.

So, when do we use inversion?

After place adverbials
When an adverb or an adverbial
expression of place comes in the initial
position (at the beginning of the
sentence), the subject and verb are
inverted:
o Down the hill rolled the children.
o Round the corner was a nice café.

After place adverbials
This is a rhetorical device used mainly in
formal and literary styles; however, it
may also occur in everyday conversation:
o Here comes the bus.
o There goes Sally.
o Here's my number.
But! If the subject is a personal
pronoun, there is no inversion:
o Here it comes.
o There she goes.
o Here it is.

In direct speech
In direct speech, if the quotation precedes the reporting verb, the subject and the
reporting verb can be inverted:
o “I’m sorry”, Maria Said
/ said Maria.

In direct speech
– If the subject is long, usually there is inversion:
o "Good morning," said the stranger in the black jacket.
– But if the subject is a personal pronoun, there is no inversion:
o "Good morning," he said.

In news headlines
– In news headlines, if the reporting verb is in the final position, the subject and
the reporting verb may be inverted:
AROMATHERAPY HAS NO THERAPEUTIC EFFECT, SAY BRITISH
SCIENTISTS

After negative adverbials
– In formal and literary styles, the subject and auxiliary are inverted when
negative adverbials are placed at the beginning of the sentence for rhetorical
effect.
 HARDLY
 SCARCELY
 BARELY ... WHEN
 NO SOONER ... THAN

After negative adverbials
When a story is told in the past tense, the adverbials hardly, scarcely, barely and no
sooner are often used to emphasise that one event quickly followed another. The verb
describing the earlier event is usually in the past perfect tense.
If these adverbials are in the initial position, the subject and auxiliary are inverted:
Hardly had I arrived home when my phone rang.
I had hardly arrived home when my phone rang.

Scarcely had she finished
reading when she fell asleep.
She had scarcely finished reading when
she fell asleep.

Barely had they won the match
when the coach had a heart attack.
They had barely won the match when
the coach had a heart attack.

No sooner had the company launched
its new product than it went bankrupt.
Note that hardly,
scarcely and barely are
followed by when, while no
sooner is followed by than.
(Sooner is the comparative
form of soon.)
The company had no sooner launched its
new product than it went bankrupt.

After negative adverbial
expressions
Rarely On no condition
Little In no way
Not only … but (also) At no time
Not until Nowhere (else)
Not (even) once On no account
Never Under no circumstances

Never (before) have we achieved such a
challenge!
We have never achieved such a
challenge!

Rarely has there been so much
speculation about the future of the
company.
There has rarely been so much speculation about
the future of the company.

Little did he understand what
the conversation was about.
He didn't really understand what the
conversation was about.

Under no circumstances are you
allowed to disturb the pilots.
You are not allowed to disturb the
pilots under any circumstances.

On no condition will the company
bear responsibility for lost property.
The company will not bear responsibility
for lost property on any condition.

In no way am I related to the
suspect.
I am in no way related to the suspect.

Not only did he exceed the speed limit,
but he had also consumed alcohol.
He not only exceeded the speed limit, but
he had also consumed alcohol.

Not only were you late, but (also)
you didn't even have a good excuse.
You were not only late, but you
didn't have a good excuse either.

With only after, only by, only if,
only when and not until
– When these expressions com at the beginning of the sentence, the
inversion dos not come right after, but in the main clause.
Only after he updated his skills was he able to get a job.
Only if I see it with my own eyes will I believe something like that.

Only after lunch can you play.
You can only play after lunch.

Only by guessing can you
solve this puzzle.
You can only solve this puzzle by
guessing.

Only if everybody agreed would I
accept this position.
I would only accept this position if
everybody agreed.

Only then did they discover his
secret.
They only discovered his secret
then.

Only when he needed some
help did he call me.
He only called me when he needed
some help.

But!
– If only is followed by the subject at the beginning of the
sentence, there is no inversion:
Only you can understand.

So + adverb/adjective and such
When adverbial or adjectival phrases starting with so are placed at the
beginning of the sentence for emphatic effect, the subject and auxiliary
are inverted:
So quickly did he run that the others couldn't catch up with
him. (He ran so quickly that the others couldn't catch up with him.)
So strong was the wind that we couldn't open the window.
(The wind was so strong that we couldn't open the window.)

So + adverb/adjective and such
So + adjective can be replaced with such:
Such was the wind that we couldn't open the window. (The
wind was such that we couldn't open the window.)

So and neither/nor to express
agreement
So + auxiliary + subject is added to a positive statement to express
agreement.
I suggested that he should take the job, and so did all his
friends. (his friends also suggested that he should take the job)
Everybody knows that, and so should you. (you should know
that, too)
"I love South Korean films." "Really? So do I." (I also love South
Korean films)

I love Conan
Doyle’s
books.
Really? So
do I!

So and neither/nor to express
agreement
Neither/nor + auxiliary + subject is added to a negative
statement for the same purpose:
"I am not going to Andy's party tonight." "Neither/nor is
Susan." (Susan isn't going either)
"My family have never been on a holiday abroad."
"Neither/nor have mine." (my family haven't been either)

With conditionals
With should, were, had when they come at the beginning of an if-clause instead
of if.
Should Margaret arrive before I come, tell her to wait. (= if she
should arrive)
Were I you, I would not move to a new flat. (= if I were you)
Had I known that’s what he had intended, I would have left
months ago. (= if I had known)
NOTE that the
particle IF
disappears to
make place to the
inversion.

Rewrite the following
sentences beginning
with the words given
– They waited for the captain’s signal and then
they jumped into the water.
Not until the captain had given the signal did they
jump into the water.
This is the example.

Rewrite the following
sentences beginning
with the words given
– As soon as his mother left, he started playing
computer games.
No sooner did his mother leave / had his mother
left than he started playing computer games.

Rewrite the following
sentences beginning
with the words given
– It was such a beautiful day that I decided to go
sunbathing on the beach.
Such a beautiful day was it that I decided to go
sunbathing on the beach.

Rewrite the following
sentences beginning
with the words given
– Once Jason had agreed, they went ahead with
the plan.
Only when Jason had agreed did they go ahead
with the plan.

Rewrite the following
sentences beginning
with the words given
– I had no idea that she was planning a surprise
party for me.
Little did I know that she was planning a surprise
party for me.

Rewrite the following
sentences beginning
with the words given
– Samantha never joined the dance club nor went
to the gym.
Samantha didn’t joint the dance club, nor did she
go to the gym.

Rewrite the following
sentences beginning
with the words given
– The supermarket was so busy that we postponed
doing the shopping.
So busy was the supermarket that we postponed
doing the shopping.