INVERSION
I. Choose the correct answer.
1. ________ should you betray the trust of your family members.
A. Although B. As long as C. Under no circumstances D. Only if
2. ________ did she forget her sister’s birthday, but she also missed the family gathering.
A. Not only B. No sooner C. Lest D. Since
3. ________ should you neglect your parents’ advice.
A. Not only B. On no account C. Hardly D. At times
4. ________ in their family history has there been such a rift between siblings.
A. As if B. So C. At no time D. Nowhere
5. ________ did they realize the importance of spending time together until they moved apart.
A. Hardly B. Only when C. As though D. No matter what
6. ________ should family disagreements escalate into heated arguments.
A. When B. Only if C. At no time D. For fear that
7. ________ had they resolved one issue than another arose in their friendship.
A. No sooner B. Whatever C. Hardly D. Only after
8. ________ prioritize your family relationships can you truly find fulfillment in life.
A. As if B. Only if C. As D. Once
9. ________ the end of the movie did they realize the true identity of the villain.
A. Before B. By the time C. Ever since D. Not until
10. ________ had we arrived at the beach when it started pouring with rain.
A. No sooner B. Hardly C. As soon as D. The minute
11. ________ more information, please telephone our main office.
A. You need B. Should you need C. You should need D. If you needed
12. ________ in my seventies and rather unfit, I might consider taking up squash.
A. Were I not B. Was I not C. Weren’t I D. If I am not
13. ________ I known what he was really like, I would never have married him.
A. Have B. Did C. Had D. Would
14. Seldom _______ such a beautiful sight.
A. have I seen B. I have ever seen C. I saw D. did I ever see
15. ________ received law degrees as today.
A. Never so many women have B. The women aren’t never
C. Women who have never D. Never have so many women
16. He got down to writing the letter as soon as he returned from his walk.
A. No sooner had he returned from his walk when he got down to writing the letter.
B. Not until he returned from his walk did he get down to writing the letter.
C. Only after he had returned from his walk did he get down to writing the letter.
D. Hardly had he returned from his walk when he got down to writing the letter.
17. She just had time to put up her umbrella before the rain came down in torrents.
A. No sooner had she put up her umbrella than the rain came down in torrents.
B. The rain came down in torrents as soon as she just had time to put up her umbrella.
C. Only when she had put up her umbrella did the rain come down in torrents.
D. If she hadn’t time to put up her umbrella, the rain wouldn’t have come down in torrents.
18. If you want to save your eyesight, you must operate immediately.
A. Unless you want to save your eyesight, you mustn’t operate immediately.
B. Only by operating immediately can you save your eyesight.
C. Provided that you must operate immediately, you can save your eyesight.
D. If you did operate immediately, you couldn’t save your eyesight.
19. I only realized what I had missed when they told me about it later.
A. Only after I had realized what I had missed did they tell me about it later.
B. As soon as they told me about it I realized what I had missed.
C. Only when they told me about it later did I realize what I had missed.
D. They told me about it and I realized what I had missed.
20. The demand was so great that they had to reprint the book immediately.
A. So great was the demand that they had to reprint the book immediately.
B. So great the demand was that they had to reprint the book immediately.
C. Such great was the demand that they had to reprint the book immediately.
D. Such was the demand great that they had to reprint the book immediately.
21. She was so busy that she couldn’t answer the phone.
A. She was very busy that she couldn’t answer the phone.
B. So busy was she that she couldn’t answer the phone.
C. She was too busy not to answer the phone.
D. She was very busy so that she couldn’t answer the phone.
22. She didn’t read the reference books. She wouldn’t be able to finish the test.
A. Had she read the reference books, she would have been able to finish the test.
B. If she had read the reference books, she could finish the test.
C. Although she didn’t read the reference books, she was able to finish the test.
D. Not having read the reference books, she couldn’t finish the test.
23. It was not until the sun was shining brightly that the little girl woke up.
A. No sooner was the sun shining brightly than the little girl woke up.
B. Not until the little girl woke up was the sun shining brightly.
C. Not until the sun was shining brightly did the little girl wake up.
D. As soon as the little girl woke up, the sun hasn’t shone brightly yet.
24. We couldn’t solve the problem until our teacher arrived.
A. Not until we solved the problem could our teacher arrive.
B. When our teacher arrived, we solved the problem.
C. Until our teacher arrived, we were able to solve the problem.
D. Not until our teacher arrived could we solve the problem.
25. The mistake in the accounts was not noticed until the figures were re-checked.
A. It was not until the mistake in the accounts was noticed that the figures were re-checked.
B. Once re-checking the figures, the mistake in the accounts was noticed.
C. The mistake in the accounts only came to light when the figures were re-checked.
D. When the figures were re-checked they came to light the mistake in the accounts.
26. You won’t find a more dedicated worker anywhere than Mrs Jones.
A. Mrs Jones is the most dedicated worker you won’t find nowhere.
B. Nowhere will you find a more dedicated worker than Mrs Jones.
C. Nowhere will not you find a more dedicated worker than Mrs Jones.
D. Mrs Jones can’t be found in nowhere.
27. The outcome of the election was never in doubt.
A. At no time was the outcome of the election in doubt.
B. At no time the outcome of the election was in doubt.
C. Never in doubt was the outcome of the election.
D. By no means was the outcome of the election been suspected.
28. The only way to eliminate world terrorism is by united opposition.
A. Only with united opposition could we eliminate terrorism.
B. Only by united opposition can we eliminate terrorism.
C. Only in this way can world terrorism be eliminated.
D. Only then can we eliminate terrorism.
29. He forgot about the gun until he got home.
A. Not until he got home did he forget about the gun.
B. Not until he got home did he remember about the gun.
C. Not until he had got home did he remember about the gun.
D. Not until he had got home did he forget about the gun.
30. The truth only came out on the publication of the general’s personal diaries.
A. Only by publishing the general’s personal diaries, did the truth come out.
B. Not until the general’s personal diaries published did the truth come out.
C. Hardly were the general’s personal diaries published than the truth came out.
D. Only when the general’s personal diaries were published did the truth come out.
II. Are the following sentences grammatically RIGHT or WRONG?
31. Not only Tom was late, but he had left all his books behind.
32. No sooner had I gone to bed when someone rang my doorbell.
33. Seldom I have stayed in a worse hotel.
34. Never I have heard such nonsense.
35. Not a single day goes by without him practicing the piano.
36. At no time should you let misunderstandings linger in your friendships.
37. Not until they experienced loss did they understand the value of family support.
38. Under no circumstances shouldn’t you ignore your health.
39. Nowhere in the city you can find better pizza than at that little shop.
40. Round the corner came the bus.
41. Hardly had she entered the office than she realized that she had lost her wallet.
42. Never before has many people in the U.S been interested in soccer.
43. She told his son only when he grew up he could understand it.
44. The witness reported that standing in the doorway a man with a gun was.
45. Although he has just returned from the United States, not a penny he gets.
46. So extensive the lakes are that they are viewed as the largest bodies of fresh water in the world.
47. Such was he surprised that he nearly fell off his chair.
48. John never comes to class on time and so does Peter.
49. No sooner when he had got home than he was called back to the office.
50. As fuel prices rose, bus companies raised their fares and neither did the airlines.
III. Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence.
51. I understood Hamlet only after seeing it on the stage.
Only after _________________________________________________________________
52. The embassy staff little realized that Ted was a secret agent.
Little _____________________________________________________________________
53. You should never use a lift immediately after an earthquake.
On no account ______________________________________________________________
54. They wouldn’t reject such an offer.
By no means _______________________________________________________________
55. Jim was so tall that he hit his head on the ceiling.
So ________________________________________________________________________
56. The only reason the party was a success was that a famous film star attended.
Had it not __________________________________________________________________
57. He had hardy left the office when the telephone rang.
No sooner __________________________________________________________________
58. Tom never seems worried about his future.
Never ______________________________________________________________________
59. We won’t tell anybody the good news until we’re certain it’s true.
Not until ____________________________________________________________________
60. There is a red flower tree near the old pagoda.
Near _______________________________________________________________________
