the movement of a negative adverb auxil any verb is placed
an
to the front of the sentence results before the subject in statements
in subject auxilary inversion GP 2
Handout 4
associated with more Subject-auxiliary inversion
formal kinds of writing if a negative adverb is placed at the front ,
❖ Example: subject auxiliary inversion is obligatory
-
I have never seen such a wonderful view → Never have I seen such a wonderful view.
neg main
and Yero 9%0 muffin
aux
verb adverb verb
a) negative adverbs: little, never, hardly, seldom, etc.
b) only + time expression / prepositional phrase
c) no way, at no time, under no circumstances, on no account
d) not + only
e) no sooner... than, hardly... when
f) clauses beginning with neither / nor
g) comparisons: also / such / so / as
❖ Exercise 1
Rewrite the following, applying subject-auxiliary inversion.
1. This medicine is on no account to be taken with alcohol.
on no account is this medicine to be taken with alcohol
___________________________________________________________________ .
2. The effects will become apparent only after a considerable time.
Only after considerable time will the effects become apparent
____________________________________________________________________ .
3. Such a beautiful specimen has seldom been found in these parts of the country.
Seldom has such a beautiful specimen been found in these pants of the country
____________________________________________________________________ .
4. He is not only misguided; he is also dishonest.
Not only is he misguided ; he is also dishonest but he is also dishonest
____________________________________________________________________ .
5. The book had hardly appeared when it was attacked in the press.
Hardly had the book appeared when it was attacked in the press
____________________________________________________________________ .
6. The teachers are neither to miss classes nor to be unpunctual.
Neither are the teachers to miss classes ; nor are they to be unpunctual
____________________________________________________________________ .
7. The captain is refusing to play under these conditions; the rest of the team is refusing to play too. [use ‘so’]
The captain is refusing to play under these conditions ; so is the rest of the team
_____________________________________________________________________ .
8. The president was never at any time aware of this scheme.
At no time was president aware of this scheme
_____________________________________________________________________ .
9. She did not realise that she had made a major breakthrough in medicine. [use ‘little’]
Little did she realise that she had made a major breakthrough in medicine
_____________________________________________________________________ .
10. This thought did not cross her mind even once.
Not even once did this thought cross her mind
__________________________________________________________________________
.
11. They were no sooner released by order of the court than they were rearrested by the police.
No sooner were they released by order of the count than they were rearrested by the police
___________________________________________________________________________ .
12. He did not understand the complexities of the situation or its dangers. He understood the weakness of his own position
least of all.
Least of all did he understand the weakness of his own position
______________________________________________________________________________________ .
13. He is not only a buffoon: he is a dangerous buffoon.
Not only is he a buff on but also he is a dangerous Buffon
____________________________________________________________________________
, .
14. One can become accomplished in this art only after many years of determined application.
Only after many years of determined application can one become accomplished in this art
_____________________________________________________________________________ .
15. Such people must in no way be antagonised.
In no way must such people be antagonised
______________________________________________________________________________
.
16. I believed, as my colleagues did, that the plan would work.
I believed , as did
my colleagues that the plan would work
______________________________________________________________________________
, .
17. They have been so persuasive that they have won over many people.
so persuasive have they been that they have won over many people
______________________________________________________________________________ .
18. The disease strikes its victims down so quickly that children who were playing in the morning may be dead in the
afternoon.
1
an
to the front of the sentence results before the subject in statements
in subject auxilary inversion GP 2
Handout 4
associated with more Subject-auxiliary inversion
formal kinds of writing if a negative adverb is placed at the front ,
❖ Example: subject auxiliary inversion is obligatory
-
I have never seen such a wonderful view → Never have I seen such a wonderful view.
neg main
and Yero 9%0 muffin
aux
verb adverb verb
a) negative adverbs: little, never, hardly, seldom, etc.
b) only + time expression / prepositional phrase
c) no way, at no time, under no circumstances, on no account
d) not + only
e) no sooner... than, hardly... when
f) clauses beginning with neither / nor
g) comparisons: also / such / so / as
❖ Exercise 1
Rewrite the following, applying subject-auxiliary inversion.
1. This medicine is on no account to be taken with alcohol.
on no account is this medicine to be taken with alcohol
___________________________________________________________________ .
2. The effects will become apparent only after a considerable time.
Only after considerable time will the effects become apparent
____________________________________________________________________ .
3. Such a beautiful specimen has seldom been found in these parts of the country.
Seldom has such a beautiful specimen been found in these pants of the country
____________________________________________________________________ .
4. He is not only misguided; he is also dishonest.
Not only is he misguided ; he is also dishonest but he is also dishonest
____________________________________________________________________ .
5. The book had hardly appeared when it was attacked in the press.
Hardly had the book appeared when it was attacked in the press
____________________________________________________________________ .
6. The teachers are neither to miss classes nor to be unpunctual.
Neither are the teachers to miss classes ; nor are they to be unpunctual
____________________________________________________________________ .
7. The captain is refusing to play under these conditions; the rest of the team is refusing to play too. [use ‘so’]
The captain is refusing to play under these conditions ; so is the rest of the team
_____________________________________________________________________ .
8. The president was never at any time aware of this scheme.
At no time was president aware of this scheme
_____________________________________________________________________ .
9. She did not realise that she had made a major breakthrough in medicine. [use ‘little’]
Little did she realise that she had made a major breakthrough in medicine
_____________________________________________________________________ .
10. This thought did not cross her mind even once.
Not even once did this thought cross her mind
__________________________________________________________________________
.
11. They were no sooner released by order of the court than they were rearrested by the police.
No sooner were they released by order of the count than they were rearrested by the police
___________________________________________________________________________ .
12. He did not understand the complexities of the situation or its dangers. He understood the weakness of his own position
least of all.
Least of all did he understand the weakness of his own position
______________________________________________________________________________________ .
13. He is not only a buffoon: he is a dangerous buffoon.
Not only is he a buff on but also he is a dangerous Buffon
____________________________________________________________________________
, .
14. One can become accomplished in this art only after many years of determined application.
Only after many years of determined application can one become accomplished in this art
_____________________________________________________________________________ .
15. Such people must in no way be antagonised.
In no way must such people be antagonised
______________________________________________________________________________
.
16. I believed, as my colleagues did, that the plan would work.
I believed , as did
my colleagues that the plan would work
______________________________________________________________________________
, .
17. They have been so persuasive that they have won over many people.
so persuasive have they been that they have won over many people
______________________________________________________________________________ .
18. The disease strikes its victims down so quickly that children who were playing in the morning may be dead in the
afternoon.
1
