INVERSION EXERCISES

Collected by Tuyennguyen-ED-HULIS-VUN INVERSION Exercise 1: Rewrite each sentence, starting as shown: It was not only when the office phoned me that I found out about the meeting Not until ……………………………………………………………………………………… ………… The facts were not all made public until later Only later ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……… If I had realized what would happen, I wouldn’t have accepted the job Had ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………… The response to our appeal was so great that we had to take on more staff Such ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………… Harry broke his leg and also injured his shoulder Not only ……………………………………………………………………………………… ………… The police didn’t at all suspect that the judge was the murderer Little ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………… If you happen to see Helen, could you ask her to call me? Should ……………………………………………………………………………………… …………… The bus driver cannot be blamed fit the accident in any way EXERCISES In no way ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……… The snowfall was so heavy that all the trains had to be canceled So heavy ……………………………………………………………………………………… ………… 10 If the government raised interest rates, they would lose the election Were ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………… Exercise 2: Rewrite each sentence contains word(s) in capitals: Were Smith to be fired, I might have a chance of getting his job IF ……………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………… Such was the demand for tickets that people queued day and night GREAT ……………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………… The money is not to be paid under any circumstance NO ……………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………… Three days passed before we arrived at the first oasis NOT UNTIL ……………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………… Hardly had the ship left port, when a violent storm developed SCARCELY ……………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………… Collected by Tuyennguyen-ED-HULIS-VUN They would have discovered land sooner if had they carry the compass IF ……………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………… Little did Brenda know what she was doing HARDLY ……………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………… It was only when I stopped that I realized something was wrong DID I ……………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………… The accused never expressed regret for what he done AT NO TIME ……………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………… 10 So exhausted were the runners that none of them finished the race TOO ……………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………… Exercise 3: Seldom …… in Africa A volcanoes erupt B erupt volcanoes C volcanoes erupt D does volcanoes erupt Only by practice … English well A we can speak B can we speak C we speak D we cannot speak Many a time … this mistake A he makes B he has made C did he make D will he make Never … the exact cause of earthquakes A scientists have discovered B did scientists discover C scientists discover D have scientists discovered Nowhere else …… A they can go B can they go C they can’t go D can’t they go Only when at home … her children A does she scold B she scolds C has she scolded D she has scold Only by saving money … a house A he buys B he can buy C can he buy D buy he Not even once … the truth A he tells B he tell C tells he D has she told Choose the correct inverted form: A Into the room came the teachers B Not only lazy she is buy she is naughty C No sooner had he drunk a cup of coffee than he asked for another D A and C are correct 10 Not only … Beautiful but she is graceful as well A did she B she was C is she D she is 11 No sooner … than he begins to be washed A is human being born B was human being born C a human being born D a human being had been born 12 Seldom … treated like that A I have been B am I C I am D I had been 13 Over there … the shop that sells souvenirs A is B are C has D have 14 Never before … such a disaster A they suffer B they have suffered C had they suffered D they had suffered Collected by Tuyennguyen-ED-HULIS-VUN 15 Only by working independently …… so quickly A he could grow up B he did grow up C he grew up D could he grow up 16 No longer … to all her housework with her hands, because my family now owns some new labour-saving devices A my mother has B has my mother C does my mother has D does my mother have 17 Not a penny … me A did he give me B he gave C he has given me D he has gave 18 No longer … women bear a lot of children A does B did C doing D 19 Among them … several sacks of white flour A were B is C be D was 20 On a hill in front of them … a great castle A standing B stand C to stand D stood Exercise 4: Choose the most suitable words underlined: Jim promised that he would never/never would he tell anyone else Not until it was too late I remembered/did I remember to call Susan Hardly had we settled down in our seats than/when the lights went out Only after checking three times I was/was I certain of the answer At no time I was aware/was I aware of anything out of the usual Only Catherine and Sally passed/did they passed the final examination So the waves were high/So high were the waves that swimming was dangerous Only when Pete has arrived/has Pete arrived can we begin the program No sooner had it stopped raining than/when the sun came out 10 If should you leave early/Should you leave early could you give me a lift? Exercise 5: Rewrite these following sentences using inversion: I hardly ever eat breakfast at a restaurant ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… I had never been before asked to accept a bride ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… The ruin of an old palace was near the mountain ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… You won’t find better roses than these anywhere ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… My father is there ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… A dozen apples fell down ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… The plane flew round and round ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… The cuckoo sprang out ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… Her suitcase was so heavy that she could hardly lift it ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… 10 He didn’t know that he had lost his wallet till he got home ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… 11 I don’t know Spanish, and I don’t know German either ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… 12 You can get this job only if you can work on computer Collected by Tuyennguyen-ED-HULIS-VUN ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… 13 You shouldn’t tell him that under (in) any circumstances ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… 14 She seldom writes to me ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… 15 They not only came but they also stayed for dinner ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… 16 A blue bird sat on the perch behind him ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… 17 We had hardly begun our walk when it began to rain ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… 18 He drives so carelessly that he often has accidents ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… 19 If I had passed the exam last year, I would have got the job ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… 20 If I should see her, I will (would) send her your massage ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… 21 If it weren’t raining now, we would go shopping ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… 22 The highlights of the party come now ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… 23 His faithful dog sat by the side of the beggar ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… 24 The tombs of unknown soldiers lie there ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… 25 The family of a poor firewood cutter lived there ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… 26 We can become rich only by working hard ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… 27 Both the director and the vice director were present at the opening ceremony ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… 28 English and French are among subjects I like best at school ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… 29 We won’t go back to school until mid-September ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… 30 The days when you lead a life of pleasure are gone ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… 31 You had no sooner left the office than the director arrived ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… 32 The runners went away ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… 33 A man wit a gun walked into the room ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… 34 He was such great liar that nobody believed him ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… 35 He showed such concern that people took him to be a relative Collected by Tuyennguyen-ED-HULIS-VUN ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… 36 It was such a boring speech that I fell asleep ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… 37 Now my great comes ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… 38 A man with miserable face stood on the doorway ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… 39 A shower of stones came over the walls ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… 40 The buses go there ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… Exercise 6: Rewrite these sentences using inversion with NEVER: She had never been so happy before ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… I have never heard such nonsense! ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… Our profits this year are higher than they have ever been ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… I’ve never come across such a horrifying film ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… I had never tasted such a wonderful combination of flavours before ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… Exercise 7: Rewrite these sentences using inversion with IN, AT, UNDER, ON: The children themselves are not in any way to blame for the disaster ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… You should not send money to us by post under any circumstances ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… You must on no account lift heavy weights like that again ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… He never suspected that she was a witch ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… I was never shown how to operate the machinery Exercise 8: Rewrite these sentences using inversion with SHOULD, WERE or HAD: If you should have further problems with you printer, contact your dealer for advice ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… If Germany were to beat Romania, they would face Italy in final ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… If anything had gone wrong with my plan, I would have been held responsible ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… If you should decide to accept the post, you will be expected to start work on 1st April ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… Collected by Tuyennguyen-ED-HULIS-VUN If Mr Morgan were still head teacher, he would not permit such bad behavior ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… Exercise 9: Rewrite these sentences using inversion with NO SOONER, BARELY, SCARELY or HARDLY: We stepped outside the front door, and it began to rain ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… Karen finished reading Bleak House, and started reading The Pickwick Papers ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… He had just walked into the house when the telephone rang ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… As soon as they arrived on the beach, a great party really started ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… He had hardly entered the house when the police arrested him ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… Exercise 10: Rewrite these sentences using inversion with SO or SUCH: He was so surprised to be addressed by the Queen that we didn’t answer at once ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… He was so furious that he threw the book across the room ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… It was such a bad day that I had trouble all the time ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… She is such a beautiful woman that every man is attracted by her ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… Julia wanted so much to move away from Newtown that she sold her house for much less than it was worth ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… ... early/Should you leave early could you give me a lift? Exercise 5: Rewrite these following sentences using inversion: I hardly ever eat breakfast at a restaurant ……………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………... go there ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… Exercise 6: Rewrite these sentences using inversion with NEVER: She had never been so happy before ……………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………... flavours before ……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………… Exercise 7: Rewrite these sentences using inversion with IN, AT, UNDER, ON: The children themselves are not in any way to blame for the disaster