Inversion for emphasis (C1) — English exercises with answers

Inversion after negative and limiting adverbials: Never have I…, Not only…, Hardly had…

Correct answers are marked. Add the set to your exercises to open it in the editor, where you can adjust tasks, play them on screen or add them to a lesson.

1
Multiple choice
Never such a breathtaking view in my life.
I have seenhave I seenI had seendid I sawAfter a negative adverbial like 'Never' at the start, we put the auxiliary before the subject.
2
Multiple choice
Hardly the house when it started to pour with rain.
had we leftwe had leftdid we leavehave we left'Hardly ... when' is used with the past perfect and inversion: Hardly had we left...
3
Multiple choice
Not only late, but he also forgot the tickets.
he waswas hehe weredid he beAfter 'Not only' at the start of a sentence, the verb 'be' comes before the subject.
4
Multiple choice
Which sentence is correct?
Only later I realised what had happened.Only later did I realise what had happened.Only later did I realised what had happened.Only later realised I what had happened.'Only later' triggers inversion with do/did followed by the bare infinitive.
5
Fill the gap
No sooner the phone down than it rang again.
had I putI had putdid I puthave I put'No sooner ... than' is used with the past perfect and inversion.
6
Fill the gap
Under no circumstances you open this door without permission.
shouldyou shouldshouldn'tyou shouldn't'Under no circumstances' is already negative, so we invert with a positive auxiliary.
7
Fill the gap
Little she know that her life was about to change forever.
Answer: didInitial 'Little' means 'not at all' and needs inversion with did + infinitive.
8
Fill the gap
Rarely we see such dedication in young players these days.
Answer: doWith 'Rarely' in the present simple, we invert using do/does + infinitive.
9
Fill the gap
Not until the results came out how well she had done.
did she realiseshe realisedshe did realiserealised sheAlso accepted: did she realizeWith 'Not until', the inversion comes in the main clause, not in the time clause.
10
True / false
This sentence is correct: 'Seldom I have heard such a moving speech.'
Answer: FalseAfter 'Seldom' at the start we need inversion: Seldom have I heard...
11
Discussion question
Describe a surprising moment in your life using at least two inversions (for example, 'Never had I...', 'Only then did I...').
Sample answer: Never had I felt so nervous as on the day of my first job interview. Hardly had I sat down when the manager asked me to speak in English. Only then did I realise how much my practice had helped.
12
Discussion question
Why do you think inversion is more common in speeches, news reports and formal writing than in everyday conversation?
Sample answer: Inversion sounds dramatic and formal, so speakers use it to emphasise a point and keep the audience's attention. In everyday conversation it would sound rather theatrical.

Inversion after negative and limiting adverbials: Never have I…, Not only…, Hardly had…

Correct answers are marked. Add the set to your exercises to open it in the editor, where you can adjust tasks, play them on screen or add them to a lesson.

1
Multiple choice
Never such a breathtaking view in my life.
I have seenhave I seenI had seendid I sawAfter a negative adverbial like 'Never' at the start, we put the auxiliary before the subject.
2
Multiple choice
Hardly the house when it started to pour with rain.
had we leftwe had leftdid we leavehave we left'Hardly ... when' is used with the past perfect and inversion: Hardly had we left...
3
Multiple choice
Not only late, but he also forgot the tickets.
he waswas hehe weredid he beAfter 'Not only' at the start of a sentence, the verb 'be' comes before the subject.
4
Multiple choice
Which sentence is correct?
Only later I realised what had happened.Only later did I realise what had happened.Only later did I realised what had happened.Only later realised I what had happened.'Only later' triggers inversion with do/did followed by the bare infinitive.
5
Fill the gap
No sooner the phone down than it rang again.
had I putI had putdid I puthave I put'No sooner ... than' is used with the past perfect and inversion.
6
Fill the gap
Under no circumstances you open this door without permission.
shouldyou shouldshouldn'tyou shouldn't'Under no circumstances' is already negative, so we invert with a positive auxiliary.
7
Fill the gap
Little she know that her life was about to change forever.
Answer: didInitial 'Little' means 'not at all' and needs inversion with did + infinitive.
8
Fill the gap
Rarely we see such dedication in young players these days.
Answer: doWith 'Rarely' in the present simple, we invert using do/does + infinitive.
9
Fill the gap
Not until the results came out how well she had done.
did she realiseshe realisedshe did realiserealised sheAlso accepted: did she realizeWith 'Not until', the inversion comes in the main clause, not in the time clause.
10
True / false
This sentence is correct: 'Seldom I have heard such a moving speech.'
Answer: FalseAfter 'Seldom' at the start we need inversion: Seldom have I heard...
11
Discussion question
Describe a surprising moment in your life using at least two inversions (for example, 'Never had I...', 'Only then did I...').
Sample answer: Never had I felt so nervous as on the day of my first job interview. Hardly had I sat down when the manager asked me to speak in English. Only then did I realise how much my practice had helped.
12
Discussion question
Why do you think inversion is more common in speeches, news reports and formal writing than in everyday conversation?
Sample answer: Inversion sounds dramatic and formal, so speakers use it to emphasise a point and keep the audience's attention. In everyday conversation it would sound rather theatrical.