Inversion & Cleft Sentences
This lesson on using inversion and cleft sentences is part of an Advanced English course. There are also exercises for this topic.
Introduction
Inversion is a grammatical technique used to change the normal word order of a sentence. Inversion is a useful grammatical technique that can be used to add emphasis or create a more formal style of writing. By using inversion with adverbs such as “seldom,” “hardly,” and “little,” and phrases such as “not only” and “not until,” learners can improve their understanding and use of inversion in their writing and speech.
Inversion with Seldom, Hardly, and Little
Seldom, hardly, and little are adverbs that can be used to create a more formal or emphatic sentence. Inversion is used to invert the subject and auxiliary verb in the sentence. Here are some examples:
- Seldom have I ever seen such a beautiful building. (I’ve hardly ever seen such a beautiful building.)
- Seldom do I eat out. (I don’t eat out often.)
- Seldom can I understand him. (I can’t understand him often.)
- I don’t have to go away very often. (Seldom must I go away.)
- Seldom does he eat meat. (He doesn’t eat meat very often.)
- I had never heard such a ridiculous story. (Never had I heard such a ridiculous story.)
- I have never even thought about it. (Never have I even thought about it.)
- Hardly had I arrived when everybody went home. (I had just finished eating when the waiter cleared the table.)
- Hardly had I finished eating when the waiter cleared the table. (I had just started speaking when the phone rang.)
- Little had I understood how difficult it would be. (I hadn’t really understood how difficult it was.)
- Little did I expect him to accept the offer. (I didn’t really expect him to accept the offer.)
- Little do people realize how fortunate they are. (People don’t realize how fortunate they are.)
Not Only
“Not only” is another phrase that can be used to create a more formal or emphatic sentence. Inversion is used to invert the subject and auxiliary verb in the sentence. Here is an example:
- Not only is he good looking, but he is also incredibly rich.
- Not only is this city dangerous, but it is also dirty. (This city is dangerous and dirty. )
Inversion with Not Until
“Not until” is a phrase that can be used with inversion to create a more formal or emphatic sentence. Inversion is used to invert the subject and auxiliary verb in the sentence. Here are some examples:
- I didn’t realize how big the Grand Canyon was until I saw it with my own eyes. (Not until I saw it with my own eyes did I realize how big the Grand Canyon was.)
- I didn’t know that they were related until I saw them together in a family photo. (Not until I saw them together in a family photo did I realize that they were related.)
- I couldn’t believe it until I saw it. (Not until I saw it could I believe it.)
Exercises
Test your understanding of how to use inversion and cleft sentences in English with this interactive gap-fill exercise.