Inversion
Inversion is a linguistic phenomenon that involves the reversal of the typical word order in a sentence, often for emphasis, stylistic effect, or to comply with grammatical rules. This subtle yet powerful tool adds depth and nuance to language, enhancing communication and expression. From poetry to prose, formal writing to everyday conversation, inversion plays a significant role in shaping the structure and meaning of sentences. In this article, we embark on a journey to explore the intricacies of inversion, unraveling its various forms, functions, and applications.
Understanding Inversion: At its core, inversion entails reversing the standard order of subject, verb, and object in a sentence. While the typical word order in English is subject-verb-object (SVO), inversion introduces variations such as verb-subject-object (VSO), verb-object-subject (VOS), and subject-verb (SV). However, inversion most commonly involves inverting the subject and auxiliary verb, as seen in questions and certain other constructions.
Forms of Inversion:
a. Subject-Verb Inversion: This form of inversion occurs in questions, negations, and certain other constructions, where the subject and auxiliary verb are inverted.
Example:
Statement: He is coming.
Inversion (Question): Is he coming?Inversion (Negation): He is not coming.
Verb-Subject Inversion: Inversion can also occur for emphasis or stylistic effect, where the verb precedes the subject in a declarative sentence.
Example:
Statement: On the hill stood a majestic castle.
Inversion: On the hill stood a majestic castle.
b. Object-Subject-Verb Inversion: This less common form of inversion involves placing the object before the subject and verb in a sentence.
Example:
Statement: The treasure they found buried deep in the forest.
Inversion: Buried deep in the forest, the treasure they found.
Functions and Applications:
a. Emphasis and Focus: Inversion is often employed to highlight specific elements of a sentence, drawing attention to the subject, verb, or object for emphasis or rhetorical effect.
b. Formality and Style: Inversion lends a sense of formality and sophistication to language, commonly found in literature, formal writing, and speeches.
c. Questions and Negations: Inversion is integral to forming questions and negative sentences in English, facilitating clear communication and conveying interrogative or negative meanings.
d. Conditional and Comparative Structures: Inversion is also used in conditional and comparative structures, contributing to the clarity and precision of these constructions.
Inversion → a reversal of position, order, form, or relationship
We use inversion in several different situations in English. Inversion just means putting the verb before the subject. We usually do it in question forms. But we also sometimes use inversion in other cases, when we are not making a question.
Here are some negative adverbs and adverb phrases that we often use with inversion:
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No sooner |
No sooner had we arrived home than the police rang the doorbell. |
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Hardly |
Hardly had I got into bed when the telephone rang. |
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Scarcely |
Scarcely had I got off the bus when it crashed into a car. |
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Never |
Never had she seen such a beautiful sight before. |
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Seldom |
Seldom do we see such an amazing display of dance. |
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Rarely |
Rarely will you hear such beautiful music. |
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Only then |
Only then did I understand why the tragedy had happened. |
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Not only … but |
Not only does he love chocolate and sweets but he also smokes. |
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Only later |
Only later did she really think about the situation. |
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Nowhere |
Nowhere have I ever had such bad service. |
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Little |
Little did he know! |
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Only in this way |
Only in this way could John earn enough money to survive. |
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In no way |
In no way do I agree with what you’re saying. |
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On no account |
On no account should you do anything without asking me first. |
In the following expressions, the inversion comes in the second part of the sentence:
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Not until |
Not until I saw John with my own eyes did I really believe he was safe. |
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Not since |
Not since Lucy left college had she had such a wonderful time. |
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Only after |
Only after I’d seen her flat did I understand why she wanted to live there. |
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Only when |
Only when we’d all arrived home did I feel calm. |
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Only by |
Only by working extremely hard could we afford to eat. |
We only use inversion when the adverb modifies the whole phrase and not when it modifies the noun:
Hardly anyone passed the exam. (No inversion.)
We can use inversion instead of ‘if’ in conditionals with ‘had’ ‘were’ and ‘should’. This is quite formal:
Normal conditional: If I had been there, this problem wouldn’t have happened.
Conditional with inversion: Had I been there, this problem wouldn’t have happened.
Normal conditional: If we had arrived sooner, we could have prevented this tragedy!
Conditional with inversion: Had we arrived sooner, we could have prevented this tragedy!
We can use inversion if we put an adverbial expression of place at the beginning on the sentence. This is also quite formal or literary:
On the table was all the money we had lost. (Normal sentence: All the money we had lost was on the table.)
Round the corner came the knights. (Normal sentence: The knights came round the corner.)
We can use inversion after ‘so + adjective…that’:
a. So beautiful was the girl that nobody could talk of anything else.
Normal sentence: the girl was so beautiful that nobody could talk of anything else.
b. So delicious was the food that we ate every last bite.
Normal Sentence: the food was so delicious that we ate every last bite.
Inversion is a versatile and dynamic linguistic tool that enriches language with its subtle yet profound effects on sentence structure and meaning. From adding emphasis and style to forming questions and negations, inversion enhances communication across various contexts and genres. By understanding the forms, functions, and applications of inversion, language users can harness its power to express themselves with clarity, eloquence, and precision, thereby enriching their communication skills and engaging their audience effectively.
Here are 50 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) on inversion in English grammar, covering various aspects of the topic.
1. Which of the following sentences is an example of inversion?
a) She can sing beautifully.
b) Beautifully can she sing.
c) She beautifully can sing.
d) Can she sing beautifully.
Answer: b
2. Choose the correct inversion for “They rarely come on time.”
a) Rarely do they come on time.
b) Rarely they come on time.
c) Rarely does they come on time.
d) Do rarely they come on time.
Answer: a
3. Which sentence correctly inverts “I had never seen such a thing before”?
a) Never I had seen such a thing before.
b) Never had I seen such a thing before.
c) Had I never seen such a thing before.
d) Seen I never had such a thing before.
Answer: b
4. In which of these sentences is inversion correctly used?
a) Not only he is a good student, but also he is polite.
b) Not only is he a good student, but he is also polite.
c) Not only is he a good student, he also is polite.
d) Not only a good student he is, but also polite.
Answer: b
5. Which inversion is correct for “They had barely started when the phone rang”?
a) Barely they had started when the phone rang.
b) Barely had they started when the phone rang.
c) Barely started they when the phone rang.
d) Barely had started they when the phone rang.
Answer: b
6. Choose the correct inversion for “Seldom have we seen such dedication.”
a) We seldom have seen such dedication.
b) Have we seldom seen such dedication.
c) Seldom have we seen such dedication.
d) Seldom we have seen such dedication.
Answer: c
7. What type of inversion is “Little did they know what was coming”?
a) Emphatic
b) Question
c) Negative adverbial
d) Condition
Answer: c
8. Choose the sentence with correct inversion.
a) Hardly the train arrived when it started raining.
b) Hardly did the train arrive when it started raining.
c) Hardly had the train arrived when it started raining.
d) Hardly the train had arrived when it started raining.
Answer: c
9. Select the correctly inverted sentence for emphasis:
a) Only in the dark we see stars.
b) Only in the dark do we see stars.
c) Only we do see stars in the dark.
d) In the dark only we see stars.
Answer: b
10. Identify the inversion used in: “Scarcely had I reached the station when the train departed.”
a) Negative adverbial
b) Emphatic
c) Conditional
d) Question
Answer: a
11. Which of the following sentences is inverted correctly?
a) Not until she apologized did I forgive her.
b) Not until did she apologize I forgive her.
c) Not until I forgive her she apologized.
d) Not until she apologized I did forgive her.
Answer: a
12. Which sentence is correct?
a) Never have I been so surprised.
b) Never I have been so surprised.
c) I never have been so surprised.
d) Have I never been so surprised.
Answer: a
13. Choose the sentence that correctly inverts “He was no sooner back than he left again.”
a) No sooner he was back than he left again.
b) No sooner had he been back than he left again.
c) No sooner had he back than he left again.
d) No sooner was he back than he left again.
Answer: d
14. Which of the following is an example of inversion?
a) She barely could believe her eyes.
b) Barely could she believe her eyes.
c) Barely she could believe her eyes.
d) She could barely believe her eyes.
Answer: b
15. Which sentence is inverted correctly?
a) Hardly did she open the door when it started to rain.
b) Hardly she opened the door when it started to rain.
c) Hardly has she opened the door when it started to rain.
d) She hardly opened the door when it started to rain.
Answer: a
16. Choose the correct inversion for “Rarely does he visit his hometown.”
a) Rarely he visits his hometown.
b) He does rarely visit his hometown.
c) Does he rarely visit his hometown.
d) Rarely does he visit his hometown.
Answer: d
17. Which sentence demonstrates inversion?
a) Not only she sang, but she also danced.
b) Not only did she sing, but she also danced.
c) She not only sang, but also danced.
d) Did she not only sing, but she also danced.
Answer: b
18. Which inversion is correct?
a) Barely she finished her work before she left.
b) Barely did she finish her work before she left.
c) Barely she did finish her work before she left.
d) She barely did finish her work before she left.
Answer: b
19. Select the correct inverted sentence.
a) On no account should you open this door.
b) On no account you should open this door.
c) On no account open you this door.
d) You on no account should open this door.
Answer: a
20. Choose the sentence with correct inversion for emphasis.
a) Rarely had we such a delightful meal.
b) Rarely we had such a delightful meal.
c) Rarely do we have such a delightful meal.
d) Do we rarely have such a delightful meal.
Answer: c
21. Which sentence is an example of correct inversion?
- a) Not until he explained did we understand the problem.
- b) Not until he explained we understood the problem.
- c) We understood the problem not until he explained.
- d) Until he explained did we not understand the problem.
Answer: a
22. Choose the correct inversion for “Hardly had she left when the phone rang.”
- a) She hardly had left when the phone rang.
- b) Hardly had she left when the phone rang.
- c) Hardly she left when the phone rang.
- d) Had she hardly left when the phone rang.
Answer: b
23. Which sentence demonstrates inversion?
- a) Only did after he apologize was he forgiven.
- b) Only he apologized after was he forgiven.
- c) Only after he apologized was he forgiven.
- d) Only after did he apologize he was forgiven.
Answer: c
24. Which sentence is correct?
- a) Rarely we meet such kind people.
- b) Rarely meet we such kind people.
- c) Rarely do we meet such kind people.
- d) Do we rarely meet such kind people.
Answer: c
25. Identify the sentence with correct inversion:
- a) Seldom I have been so embarrassed.
- b) Seldom have I been so embarrassed.
- c) Have I seldom been so embarrassed.
- d) Seldom been have I so embarrassed.
Answer: b
26. Which sentence uses inversion for emphasis?
- a) Under no circumstances you should open this door.
- b) Under no circumstances should you open this door.
- c) Should you under no circumstances open this door.
- d) You should open this door under no circumstances.
Answer: b
27. Which of the following sentences is inverted correctly?
- a) Only with hard work will he succeed.
- b) With hard work only will he succeed.
- c) Only with hard work he will succeed.
- d) With only hard work will he succeed.
Answer: a
28. Choose the correctly inverted sentence.
- a) Not only he was intelligent, but he was also kind.
- b) Not only was he intelligent, but he was also kind.
- c) Not only was intelligent he, but he was kind also.
- d) He was not only intelligent, also he was kind.
Answer: b
29. Which sentence demonstrates inversion?
- a) Seldom they are late for meetings.
- b) Seldom are they late for meetings.
- c) Seldom are late they for meetings.
- d) They are seldom late for meetings.
Answer: b
30. Select the correct inversion for “He had no sooner arrived than he started talking.”
- a) No sooner he had arrived than he started talking.
- b) No sooner did he arrive than he started talking.
- c) No sooner he arrived than he started talking.
- d) No sooner had he arrived than he started talking.
Answer: d
31. Choose the correct inversion for “Scarcely had we started eating when the doorbell rang.”
- a) We had scarcely started eating when the doorbell rang.
- b) Scarcely we had started eating when the doorbell rang.
- c) Scarcely had we started eating when the doorbell rang.
- d) We scarcely had started eating when the doorbell rang.
Answer: c
32. Which sentence uses inversion correctly?
- a) Not until the last moment did he finish his work.
- b) Until the last moment did he not finish his work.
- c) Until the last moment he did not finish his work.
- d) Did he not finish his work until the last moment.
Answer: a
33. Which sentence demonstrates correct inversion?
- a) Only after I finished did I realize my mistake.
- b) Only after finished I did realize my mistake.
- c) Only after did I finish realize my mistake.
- d) Only after finished I my mistake did realize.
Answer: a
34. Which sentence is correct?
- a) Rarely has he been so happy.
- b) Rarely he has been so happy.
- c) Has rarely he been so happy.
- d) Rarely been has he so happy.
Answer: a
35. Which of these sentences demonstrates inversion?
- a) No sooner had the meeting started than he left.
- b) The meeting no sooner had started than he left.
- c) Had no sooner the meeting started than he left.
- d) No sooner the meeting had started than he left.
Answer: a
36. Identify the correctly inverted sentence:
- a) Little we did know what was in store.
- b) Little did we know what was in store.
- c) We did know little what was in store.
- d) Did little we know what was in store.
Answer: b
37. Choose the correct inversion:
- a) Not only was the movie interesting, but also educational.
- b) Not only the movie was interesting, but also educational.
- c) Not only interesting was the movie, but also educational.
- d) Not only the movie interesting, but also educational.
Answer: a
38. Which sentence demonstrates inversion for emphasis?
- a) Under no condition should you enter the room.
- b) Under no condition you should enter the room.
- c) Should you under no condition enter the room.
- d) You should enter the room under no condition.
Answer: a
39. Select the correct inversion for “I had scarcely finished when he arrived.”
- a) Scarcely had I finished when he arrived.
- b) Scarcely I had finished when he arrived.
- c) Finished had scarcely I when he arrived.
- d) I scarcely had finished when he arrived.
Answer: a
40. Which sentence is an example of inversion?
- a) Never I had seen such kindness.
- b) Never had I seen such kindness.
- c) Had never I seen such kindness.
- d) I had never seen such kindness.
Answer: b
41. Choose the correct inversion:
- a) No sooner did he arrive than he left again.
- b) Did no sooner he arrive than he left again.
- c) He did arrive no sooner than he left again.
- d) No sooner he did arrive than he left again.
Answer: a
42. Which of the following sentences is correct?
- a) Rarely he travels by plane.
- b) Travels rarely he by plane.
- c) Rarely does he travel by plane.
- d) Rarely he does travel by plane.
Answer: c
43. Choose the sentence with correct inversion:
- a) No sooner did I reach home than I felt tired.
- b) Did no sooner I reach home than I felt tired.
- c) No sooner I did reach home than I felt tired.
- d) Reached no sooner I home than I felt tired.
Answer: a
44. Which sentence uses inversion?
- a) Under no circumstances are you to be late.
- b) Under no circumstances be you are late.
- c) No circumstances under are you to be late.
- d) You are under no circumstances to be late.
Answer: a
45. Select the correct inverted sentence:
- a) Seldom do they finish on time.
- b) Seldom they do finish on time.
- c) Seldom finish they on time.
- d) Finish they seldom on time.
Answer: a
46. Choose the correct inversion for “Not only did she sing, but she also danced.”
- a) She did not only sing but also danced.
- b) Not only she sang, but also danced.
- c) Not only did she sing, but also danced.
- d) Not only did she sing, but she also danced.
Answer: d
47. Identify the sentence with correct inversion.
- a) Little does he know about the truth.
- b) Does little he know about the truth.
- c) Little he does know about the truth.
- d) He little knows about the truth.
Answer: a
48. Which of the following sentences uses inversion correctly?
- a) Not until the rain stopped could we go outside.
- b) Not until the rain stopped we could go outside.
- c) Not could we go until the rain stopped.
- d) Could we not go until the rain stopped.
Answer: a
49. Which sentence is correctly inverted?
- a) Hardly had he arrived when the show started.
- b) Hardly arrived had he when the show started.
- c) Had hardly he arrived when the