Mastering Sentence Inversion with Negative Adverbials

Inversion with Negative & Limiting Adverbials

This grammatical structure involves placing a negative or limiting adverbial at the beginning of a sentence, followed by an inversion of the subject and auxiliary verb. The typical pattern is: Negative/Limiting Adverbial + Auxiliary Verb (e.g., have, do, is, be) + Subject + Main Verb.

Illustrative Examples

• We only very rarely go to the cinema these days.

  Only very rarely do we go to the cinema these days.

• I have never seen such a terrible performance of Hamlet before.

  Never before have I seen such a terrible performance of Hamlet.

• I very rarely study at night.

  Very rarely do I study at night.

• I will never agree to those terms.

  Under no circumstances will I agree to those terms.

• Amy had not enjoyed herself so much since she went to the circus as a child.

  Not since she went to the circus as a child had Amy enjoyed herself so much.

• Jane realized what she had forgotten to do as soon as she arrived.

  No sooner had she arrived than she realized what she had forgotten to do.

• The use of mobile phones is absolutely forbidden inside the laboratory.

  Under no circumstances can mobile phones be used inside the laboratory.

• It is not often that you find someone with such a good memory.

  Seldom do you find someone with such a good memory.

• As soon as the shop opened, customers poured in to check out the sales.

  No sooner did the shop open than the customers poured in to check out the sales.

• You can only leave when you have tidied up.

  Not until you have tidied up can you leave.

• As soon as the group had gone on stage, it started to rain.

  No sooner had the group gone on stage than it started to rain.

• They only realized the painting had been hung…

  Only when someone complained did they realize the painting…

• We not only went to the park but also to the ice cream parlor.

  Not only did we go to the park but also to the ice cream parlor.

• The identity of the murderer is not revealed until the very last page.

  Not until the very last page is the identity of the murderer revealed.

• I have never eaten Chinese food.

  Not once in my life have I eaten Chinese food.

• It was the first time that I had tried mental activities to help me concentrate.

  Never had I tried mental activities to help me concentrate.

• My wallet was stolen, and I have lost my keys as well.

  Not only had I lost my keys, but I have also had my wallet stolen.

• Very soon after he started his job, he lost it again.

  Hardly had he started his job when he was made redundant.

• He is the most incompetent boss I have ever had.

  Never have I had a more incompetent boss.