Inversion: B2 Exercises

Every answer with the reason behind it. Read the explanation for the ones you got right as well — that is where you find out whether you were right for the right reason.

Multiple choice questions — answers

1. Never ___ such a badly organised conference in twenty years. → have I attended

A fronted negative adverb forces question word order, so the auxiliary comes before the subject.

2. Rarely ___ a deadline, which is why the lapse was so noticeable. → does she miss

With no auxiliary in the plain sentence, do is supplied and carries the third-person -s.

3. Not only ___ , but he also resigned the following morning. → did he apologise

Not only at the front of a clause triggers inversion with the auxiliary do.

4. No sooner had the results been posted ___ the phones began to ring. → than

No sooner is always followed by than, never by when.

5. Hardly had she sat down ___ the fire alarm went off. → when

Hardly and scarcely take when, which is the opposite of the no sooner pattern.

6. Under no circumstances ___ the packaging before the inspection. → should you open

Under no circumstances is a negative adverbial and inverts the modal with the subject.

7. Little ___ what was waiting for them at the other end. → did they know

Little in this fronted sense means not at all and takes the do auxiliary.

8. Only when she called ___ what had actually happened. → did I understand

Only when inverts the MAIN clause, not the time clause that follows only.

9. At no time ___ of the risk to the public. → were the residents informed

At no time is negative, so the passive auxiliary moves in front of the subject.

10. Which sentence is INCORRECT? → Seldom he complains.

Once seldom is fronted, inversion is obligatory rather than optional.

11. On no account ___ this door to be left unlocked. → is it

On no account inverts the auxiliary and the dummy subject it.

12. Not until the inquiry reported ___ the full scale of the failure. → did we learn

Not until fronts a whole time clause and inverts the main clause after it.

13. Not only ___ the scheme expensive, but it is also unworkable. → is

With be as the main verb, be itself inverts and no do is needed.

14. Never before ___ a unanimous recommendation been rejected. → has the committee

The perfect auxiliary has moves in front of the subject after a fronted never before.

15. Which is the plain, uninverted equivalent of 'Rarely does she complain'? → She rarely complains.

In mid-position the adverb needs no auxiliary at all.

16. In no way ___ this be taken as an admission of liability. → should it

In no way is negative, so the modal precedes the subject.

17. Scarcely ___ the train when the driver announced a delay. → had we boarded

Scarcely takes the past perfect with inversion, followed by when.

18. Only after the third reminder ___ a reply. → did we receive

Only plus a complete time expression inverts the clause that follows it.

19. Nowhere ___ any mention of the earlier report. → was there

A fronted negative place adverbial inverts the verb and the existential there.

20. Which sentence fronts a negative adverb WITHOUT requiring inversion? → Not a single person objected.

Not a single person is the subject itself, so there is nothing to invert.

Fill-in-the-blank questions — answers

1. Never ___ I heard such a feeble excuse for a missed deadline. → have

The perfect auxiliary moves in front of the subject after a fronted negative adverb.

2. Rarely ___ she raise an objection in open session. → does

With no auxiliary available, do is supplied and carries the tense.

3. Not only ___ he arrive late, but he left before the vote. → did

A fronted not only triggers inversion with the past auxiliary.

4. No sooner had the doors opened ___ the queue surged forward. → than

This structure is always completed with than rather than with when.

5. Hardly had we started ___ the power went off across the whole floor. → when

Hardly and scarcely take when, unlike the no sooner pattern.

6. Under no circumstances ___ you sign anything without reading it. → should

The modal precedes the subject after a fronted negative adverbial.

7. Little ___ we know how much the repairs would eventually cost. → did

Fronted little means not at all here and takes the do auxiliary.

8. Only when the results arrived ___ we realise how close it had been. → did

Only plus a time clause inverts the main clause that follows it.

9. At no time ___ the public informed of the contamination. → was

A passive auxiliary inverts with the subject after a negative time adverbial.

10. Seldom ___ a first novel attracted such uniformly hostile reviews. → has

The perfect auxiliary precedes the subject after this fronted adverb.

11. On no account ___ the alarm be disabled during opening hours. → must

A modal inverts with the subject after this negative adverbial phrase.

12. Not until the audit was published ___ anyone accept responsibility. → did

Not until fronts a whole clause and inverts the one that comes after it.

13. Not only ___ the scheme expensive, it is also very slow. → is

When the main verb is be, it inverts directly and no auxiliary is added.

14. Never before ___ the society admitted a member under twenty-one. → had

A past perfect after this fronted phrase puts had before the subject.

15. In no ___ should this be read as an admission of fault. → way

In no way is a fixed negative adverbial that forces inversion.

16. Scarcely ___ she finished speaking when the applause began. → had

This adverb takes the past perfect, with had placed before the subject.

17. Nowhere ___ there any reference to the missing appendix. → was

A fronted negative place adverbial inverts the verb and existential there.

18. Only after repeated requests ___ the file finally released. → was

Only plus a complete phrase inverts the passive auxiliary and the subject.

19. Rarely ___ such a small change produced such an enormous saving. → has

A present perfect after this fronted adverb puts the auxiliary first.

20. Not a single objection ___ raised during the entire consultation. → was

Here the negative phrase is the subject itself, so ordinary word order applies.

Sentence structure: word ordering — answers

1. Front a negative adverb and invert the perfect auxiliary. → Never have I seen such chaos.

Front a negative adverb and invert the perfect auxiliary.

2. Invert a present simple sentence using a supplied auxiliary. → Rarely does she miss a deadline.

Invert a present simple sentence using a supplied auxiliary.

3. Build a two-part emphatic sentence. → Not only did he apologise, but he also resigned.

Build a two-part emphatic sentence.

4. Narrate two events in very quick succession. → No sooner had we sat down than the alarm rang.

Narrate two events in very quick succession.

5. Use the pattern that takes when rather than than. → Hardly had she left when it started raining.

Use the pattern that takes when rather than than.

6. State a prohibition forcefully. → Under no circumstances should you sign this.

State a prohibition forcefully.

7. Use the storyteller's inversion. → Little did they know what awaited them.

Use the storyteller's inversion.

8. Invert the main clause after a time clause. → Only when she called did I understand.

Invert the main clause after a time clause.

9. Combine inversion with a passive. → At no time was the public informed.

Combine inversion with a passive.

10. Front a formal adverb of low frequency. → Seldom have I read anything so badly argued.

Front a formal adverb of low frequency.

11. Write a safety prohibition in formal register. → On no account must the seal be broken.

Write a safety prohibition in formal register.

12. Front a whole time clause with a negative. → Not until the report appeared did anyone act.

Front a whole time clause with a negative.

13. Invert a sentence whose main verb is be. → Not only is the scheme costly, it is unworkable.

Invert a sentence whose main verb is be.

14. Emphasise that something is unprecedented. → Never before has the committee overruled a referee.

Emphasise that something is unprecedented.

15. Deny an implication emphatically. → In no way does this excuse the delay.

Deny an implication emphatically.

16. Narrate a sequence with the scarcely pattern. → Scarcely had the ink dried when the terms changed.

Narrate a sequence with the scarcely pattern.

17. Front a negative place adverbial with existential there. → Nowhere was there any sign of the keys.

Front a negative place adverbial with existential there.

18. Invert a passive after a fronted only phrase. → Only after the hearing was the evidence released.

Invert a passive after a fronted only phrase.

19. Write a rhetorical sentence with a fronted adverb. → Rarely has so small a change saved so much.

Write a rhetorical sentence with a fronted adverb.

20. Front a negative that is the subject, so nothing inverts. → Not a single objection was raised all evening.

Front a negative that is the subject, so nothing inverts.