Inversion / Инверсия в Английском языке

Choose the correct option to complete the sentences below

 

1.    He can speak French but  [rarely he uses/*seldom does he use/not once does he use]  it in public, and almost never when on diplomatic duty.

2.    [As soon as had he uttered/*No sooner had he uttered/No sooner he'd uttered]  those words  [that/as/*than]  all the newspapers published them.

3.    [Only now I realise/*Only now do I realise/Now only do I realise]  the stress she was under.

4.    [Hardly/Under no circumstances/*Not until]  the world gets rid of all nuclear weapons  [*can we feel/we can feel/can us feel]  truly safe.

5.    [Nowhere I've encountered/Nowhere have I encounter/*Nowhere have I ever encountered]  such dedicated and honest leaders.

6.    [No sooner did he know/*Little did he know/Never before did he know]  what was in store for him after he landed here.

7.    [*Hardly had/Hardly did/Hardly do]  the voutes been counted  [*when/than/that]  the president started breaking his promises.

8.    [*Only if/No sooner/Never before]  we are able to reinvent ourselves  [will be able/we will be able/*will we be able]  to succeed in business and life.

9.    [Never I have/*In no way have I/Little have I]  ever said anything to damage his reputation.

10.    [Never had/*Never did/Never]  the South Americans lose their ice-cold concentration, and  [rarely did/*rarely did they/rarely had they]  fail to control the ball.

ANSWERS

1.    He can speak French but seldom does he use  it in public, and almost never when on diplomatic duty.

• In this sentence we need to express frequency.
• We could use seldom or rarely, but after rarely there should be an inversion: rarely does he use ...

2.    No sooner had he uttered  those words than  all the newspapers published them.

• We need to use no sooner + auxiliary (had) + subject.

3.    Only now do I realise  the stress she was under.

• We use only now (NOT now only) as a negative adverbial at the beginning of the sentence.
• We use only now + auxiliary verb (do) + subject + verb.

4.    Not until  the world gets rid of all nuclear weapons can we feel  truly safe.

• After not until, not if, or not since we need to use a clause (subject + verb...) before the inversion; the inversion comes after that clause.
• When we use under no circumstances or hardly at the beginning of the sentence, the inversion comes right after them.

5.    Nowhere have I ever encountered  such dedicated and honest leaders.

• After nowhere we need an inversion, which in this case is have + subject + past participle.

6.    Little did he know  what was in store for him after he landed here.

• Little did he know is the only answer that makes sense.
• With never before we normally talk about experiences, and we normally use present or past perfect.
• And we normally use hardly … when, barely … when, scarcely … when, and no sooner … than in narratives with past perfect in the inversion.

7.    Hardly had  the votes been counted when  they started breaking promises.

• We normally use hardly … when, barely … when, scarcely … when, and no sooner … than in narratives with past perfect in the inversion.

8.    Only if  we are able to reinvent ourselves will we be able  to succeed in business and life.

• After only if, only when, or only after we need to use a clause (subject + verb…) before the inversion; the inversion comes after that clause.
• When we use never before or no sooner at the beginning of the sentence, the inversion comes right after them.

9.    In no way have I  ever said anything to damage his reputation.

• We can use in no way at the beginning of the sentence to mean 'not at all'. We need to use an inversion after it.

10.    Never did  the South Americans lose their ice-cold concentration, and rarely did they  fail to control the ball.

• We need never/rarely + auxiliary verb + subject + verb.
• The use of had as the auxiliary verb is not an option, because after had we would need a past participle and not an infinitive.