Subject-Verb Inversions - English Grammar Lesson

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Have you already mastered inversions and question forms?

Do you wonder why sometimes the auxiliary verb and the subject are switched places in a statement?

Then join in this lesson to review the most common cases of inversions

Hello, and welcome everyone. This is minoo at Anglo-Link

Today we are going to look at inversions

this is when you have to put the auxiliary verb before the subject I'm

Sure, you're all very familiar with this type of structure in question forms for example

What does tin need or how often has this happened before?

However inversions are not just using questions. You may have heard sentences like

Not only does Tim need money, but Moral support as well

Rarely has this happened before

By the end of this lesson you will have a clear idea of different expressions and structures that require an inversion

So when you're ready, let's stick it in

invention means putting the verb before the subject

Let's look at inversions in informal English

The most common case of Inversion is in formulating questions

For example here is a statement

Oliver is looking for a new job

To change this into a question you put the auxilary is

Before the subject Oliver is oliver looking for a new job

Another common case is after the expressions

So neither or no to express that the same is true of someone or something else

Let's look at the positive sentence

Oliver is looking for a new job. How about Ellie?

let's say that array is - or you can simply say Ellie -

Or you can start with the world so and then use an inversion

In a negative sentence we use neither or no

So if our sentences oliver isn't looking for a new job. How about Ellie?

you can say Eddie isn't either or

Or you can start with neither or no and then invite

Now let's look at inversions in formal English

other cases of Inversion are mainly found in formal English

Certain expressions come to the beginning of the sentence for emphasis and are then followed by an inversion

We can divide these expressions into five groups

The first group is negative adverbial expressions and negative frequency adverbs

for example under no

Circumstances is a negative expression if you put that at the beginning of the sentence you need to

switch the subject and the verb around

Under no circumstances should we accept these times?

Another negative expression in no way in no way could James have passed that test without cheating

all at no time have we

suspected foul play

Not until I have spoken to everyone will I be able to make a decision?

Little little did they know what their children had been up to

Okay, let's look at some negative frequency adverbs

Seldom had fred met such an intriguing person

Rarely rarely does Ana get involved in gossip

never never has he felt so betrayed and

Finally hardly ever hardly ever do they talk to their neighbors?

Okay, let's look at the second group

These are adverbial expressions beginning with only and not only

Only when the plane had landed did Lisa manage to open her eyes?

Only if they agree to these terms will we be able to work with them

or start with not only

Not only was it a long process, but it was also quite complicated

All right, let the third group

These are the words hardly

Scarcely and no sooner and we use them when one action follows another

Hardly had I shut my eyes when my mobile phone rang

Scarcely had can left the building when the police arrived

No sooner had we arrived than the mean was left

So notice that the first action is always in the past perfect tense

Hardly had I shot

Scarcely had can left

No sooner had we arrived and the second action is always in the past simple tense

my mobile phone rang the police arrived

the meal was left and

also, noticed that as for linking expressions with hardly and scarcely we use when and

With no sooner we use that

Okay, let's look at the fourth Category in inversions in formal English and that is in conditional sentences when a word

let's look at the first conditional sentence if

You require any assistance or if you should require any assistance. I will be in my office

Here the word should comes to the beginning of the sentence to replace it

Should you require any assistance? I will be in my office

let's look at the second conditional for example if we

Renegotiated this deal. We would be more lenient than before as

You know there is a formal way of saying this and that is if we were to

renegotiate this deal we would be more lenient than before and

It is the word where that comes to the beginning of the sentence and replaces it

Where we to renegotiate this deal? We would be more lenient than before and

finally in the third conditional if

Jeremy had been truthful in the first place he would not have been punished so severely

It's the auxiliary verb had that comes to the beginning of the sentence and replaces it

Had Jeremy been truthful in the first place he would not have been punished so severely

Now a small note about the second conditional

note that if the verb in the if clause of a conditional to sentence is to be

Where on its own is enough

So for example if the conditional sentence is if you were my son

I would encourage him to go to college you would simply put where at the beginning instead of it

Where he my son, I would encourage him to go to college

You don't need to say where he to be my son. I would encourage him to go to college

and the final category is

prepositions and adverbial expressions of place including here and there

Just a quick note that after these you must use the main verb not the auxiliary verb

so for example into the room came three nurses or

over the table hung a huge chandelier

Here is the report

when goes your nephew

important note about

Inversions after prepositions and adverbs of place

Make sure that you do not use an inversion if you have a pronoun for example

into the room vacay

There he goes, right

Then let's finish with some exercise

Rewrite the original sentence by starting with the highlighted word or words for example

She'd never seen that painting me neither

She'd never seen that painting neither

Okay, let's get started number one. I don't get on with them my brother neither

I don't get on with them neither

That does my brother

number two, I draw the sex specialist advice Peter to

I'd rather seek specialist advice, so

Number three she didn't join the expedition Sara neither

She didn't join the expedition no

number four Harry mustn't find out under any circumstances

under no circumstances

Must how we find out?

Number five we can't watch television until the guests have left

Not until the guests have left

Can we watch television?

Number six we only remembered her name after she had left

only after she had left

Did we remember her name?

Number seven she was not only demanding, but also rude

Not only was she demanding, but also rude

Number eight I had hardly utter the word when he interrupted me

Hardly had, I uttered the word when he interrupted me

Number nine as soon as the taxi stopped he jumped into it

No sooner at the she stopped then he jumped into it

Number 10 if you should need me call me on this number

Should you need me call me on this number?

Number 11 if we return this item would we get a refund

Where we to return this item would we get a refund?

Number two are a tall Chimneys stood on the roof

stood a tall chimney

Number Thirteen there it goes your lovely cat

There goes your lovely cat

Right that's the end of this lesson on inversions

I hope you enjoyed it as you know you can now go to our website angling comm for more lessons and exercises

Thank you for watching I look forward to seeing you in my next lesson