Inversion Exercises

INVERSION
 Rewrite the sentences using an inversion.
1. I have seldom eaten at such an expensive restaurant.

Seldom …
2. She had just fallen asleep when the telephone rang.
No sooner …
3. We not only got lost, but our car broke down too.
Not only …
4. I have never heard such a terrible story before.
Never before …
5. We realized only then that the jewels had been stolen.
Only then …
6. Business has rarely been so good.
Rarely …
7. The boss has never given him a bonus.
Not once …
8. You should not enter this room under any circumstances.
Under no circumstances …
9. I didn’t get to know Julie well until I had met her several times.
Only after …
10. The police didn’t realise that the man was a wanted criminal.
Little …
11. I haven’t been to the beach since last summer.
Not since …
12. If I had known about the party, I would have gone.
Had …
13. He laughed so much that tears rolled down his cheeks.
So much …
14. He only realised he’d forgotten his laptop after he’d left the house.
Only after …
15. They didn’t see the sign until it was too late.
Not until …
16. He had to break the window to get into his car.
Only by …
17. It wasn’t until the office phoned me that I found out about the meeting.
Not until …
 Complete each sentence with two to five words, including the word in bold.
1. You will get there on time if you leave now. will
Only if you ………………………………………………………………………. get there on time.
2. As soon as I got into bed, I fell asleep. sooner
No …………………………………………………………………….. into bed than I fell asleep.
3. We didn’t notice the time until it was late. did
Not until it was …………………………………………………………………. the time.
4. It was only after I drank the milk that I realized it was sour. did
Only after I had drunk the milk …………………………………………………………….. it was sour.
5. If I were you, I would buy a computer. you
Were ………………………………………………………………… buy a computer.
6. I only noticed the scratch on my car when I looked closely. notice
Only when I looked closely …………………………………………………. the scratch on my car.
7. She remembered the man’s name after he’d walked away. remember
Only after he’d walked away …………………………………………………………….. his name.
8. They had no idea it was going to be a classical concert. realise
Little ………………………………………………………………………….. going to be a classical concert.
9. They could only keep the children quiet by giving them sweets. by
Only …………………………………………………………………… they keep the children quiet.
10. She’s a talented dancer and a good singer as well. only
Not ………………………………………………………………….. dancer but she’s also a good singer.
11. Don’t show these figures to anyone on any account. should
On no account ………………………………………………………………. to anyone.
12. If I had realised how unhappy she was, I wouldn’t have been so abrupt. realised
Had ……………………………………………………………………… was, I wouldn’t have been so abrupt.
13. I haven’t seen such an impressive building anywhere. else
Nowhere …………………………………………………………. an impressive building.
14. You must not block the fire exit under any circumstances. no
Under ……………………………………………………………….. exit be blocked.
15. He’d never seen such a professional performance before. before
Never ……………………………………………………. such a professional performance.
16. As soon as he had eaten, he jumped up and began to dance. sooner
No ………………………………………………………………………………… he jumped up and began to dance.
17. She wasn’t pretty; she didn’t have a nice personality either. nor
She wasn’t pretty; ……………………………………………………………. a nice personality.

18. They didn’t arrive on time; they didn’t apologise either. nor
They didn’t arrive on time; ……………………………………………………………. .
19. I won’t lend Joe my bike on any account. no
On ………………………………………………………….. Joe my bike.
20. I lost my handbag and my keys too. only
Not …………………………………………….. handbag, but I also lost my keys.
21. As soon as she took out insurance, her house mysteriously burnt down. sooner
No ……………………………………………………………. insurance than her house mysteriously burnt down.
22. She didn’t apologise, so I stopped speaking to her. wouldn’t
Had she ……………………………………………………………………….. stopped speaking to her.
23. You should never lend Tony your car. circumstances
Under ………………………………………………………………………… Tony your car.
24. I have never seen Chris pay for a round of drinks. no
At ………………………………………………………… Chris pay for a round of drinks.
25. He had to break the window to get into his car. could
Only by ………………………….…………………………………… get into his car.
26. All the facts were not made public at the time. later
Only ………………………………………………………………………… made public.
27. The accused never expressed regret for what he had done. time
At no ………………………………………………………………… regret for what he had done.
28. The bus driver cannot be blamed for the accident in any way. held
In no ……………………………………………………………………. responsible for the accident.
29. If the government raised interest rates, they would lose the election. raise
Were ……………………………………………………………… rates, they would lose the election.
30. I didn’t realize where I was until I asked a passer-by. did
Not until I ………………………………………………. realise where I was.
31. The minister was interrupted just after starting his speech. started
Hardly …………………………………………………………………… when he was interrupted.
32. Please, never ever interrupt me when I’m in a meeting. am
On no account ………………………………………………………………. when I’m in a meeting.
33. Such was the demand for tickets that people queued day and night. great
So …………………………………………………………………. tickets that people queued day and night.
34. Exhaustion prevented all of the runners from finishing the race. were
So ………………………………………………………………… it prevented all of them from finishing the race.

 Write new sentences with a similar meaning. The new sentence should contain
inversion and begin with one of the following words or phrases:
Had Hardly Little Not for one moment Only if Only in

So Should Seldom Under no circumstances Such Were
1. I didn’t imagine that the boss had called me into her office to fire me.
2. The police will only investigate the matter further if an official complaint is made.
3. The instructions were so complicated, that it was impossible to assemble the

machine.
4. If we had known how ill Rob was, we would have taken him straight to hospital.
5. The wind was so strong that all the trees in the park were blown down.
6. She didn’t often regret her lack of formal education, although she was sometimes
aware of gaps in her knowledge.
7. You should only phone for an ambulance in an emergency.
8. There was never any disagreement between us.
9. If it were not for financial assistance from the government, the museum would have
closed long ago.
10. They had only just finished eating before a waiter started to clear away the plates.
11. Children should never be allowed into the room without adult supervision.
12. If the bridge is ever built, it will never be accepted by the local community.

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INVERSION

 Rewrite the sentences using an inversion.

1. I have seldom eaten at such an expensive restaurant.

11. Don’t show these figures to anyone on any account. should

On no account ………………………………………………………………. to anyone.

Had ……………………………………………………………………… was, I wouldn’t have been so abrupt.

13. I haven’t seen such an impressive building anywhere. else

Nowhere …………………………………………………………. an impressive building.

Under ……………………………………………………………….. exit be blocked.

15. He’d never seen such a professional performance before. before

Never ……………………………………………………. such a professional performance.

16. As soon as he had eaten, he jumped up and began to dance. sooner

No ………………………………………………………………………………… he jumped up and began to dance.

She wasn’t pretty; ……………………………………………………………. a nice personality.

They didn’t arrive on time; ……………………………………………………………. .

19. I won’t lend Joe my bike on any account. no

On ………………………………………………………….. Joe my bike.

20. I lost my handbag and my keys too. only

Not …………………………………………….. handbag, but I also lost my keys.

No ……………………………………………………………. insurance than her house mysteriously burnt down.

22. She didn’t apologise, so I stopped speaking to her. wouldn’t

Had she ……………………………………………………………………….. stopped speaking to her.

23. You should never lend Tony your car. circumstances

Under ………………………………………………………………………… Tony your car.

24. I have never seen Chris pay for a round of drinks. no

At ………………………………………………………… Chris pay for a round of drinks.

Only by ………………………….…………………………………… get into his car.

Only ………………………………………………………………………… made public.

At no ………………………………………………………………… regret for what he had done.

In no ……………………………………………………………………. responsible for the accident.

Were ……………………………………………………………… rates, they would lose the election.

30. I didn’t realize where I was until I asked a passer-by. did

Not until I ………………………………………………. realise where I was.

Hardly …………………………………………………………………… when he was interrupted.

32. Please, never ever interrupt me when I’m in a meeting. am

On no account ………………………………………………………………. when I’m in a meeting.

So …………………………………………………………………. tickets that people queued day and night.

So ………………………………………………………………… it prevented all of them from finishing the race.

Had Hardly Little Not for one moment Only if Only in

3. The instructions were so complicated, that it was impossible to assemble the

7. You should only phone for an ambulance in an emergency.

8. There was never any disagreement between us.

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