Inversion
Définition :
Inversion means the verb is placed before the subject for emphasis.It occurs in many situations
in questions
Exemple :
Are you hungry?
What have you done to solve the problem?
Attention :
No inversion when the question word is the subject.
Who invented the computer?
in question tags
in question tags[1], the verb preceeds the subject
Exemple :
He loves her very much, doesn't he?
They cried, didn't they?
after “so, neither/nor, as
Exemple :
He is polite and so is his brother.
Ann was not at home and neither/nor was Ben.
His colleagues respected him, as did his boss.
in exclamation
Exemple :
Here comes my aunt!
There goes the taxi!
Attention :
No inversion when the subject is a pronoun.
Here he comes!
after adverbs of place/direction
Exemple :
On top of the mountain lies a farm.
Away ran the thief!
after verbs of reporting
Exemple :
Can you find it?” asked David.
“I have never seen it,” said Helen
in “there be” structure
Exemple :
There were three students in the classroom.
in emphatic sentences with a negative word or idea.
Exemple :
Never have I heard such a strange story.
= I have never heard such a strange story.
Seldom do they visit us.
= They seldom visit us.
Little did she suspect that she was cheated.
= She little suspected that she was cheated.
Rarely have we watched such a moving film.
= We have rarely watched such a moving film.
Not until Monday did he return the camera to me.
= He did not return the camera to me until Monday.
Nowhere can you buy such cheap jeans.
= You cannot buy such cheap jeans at anywhere.
No sooner had he arrived than he called us.
= As soon as he had arrived, he called us.
Hardly/Scarcely had he returned from the journey when he fell ill.
= As soon as he had returned from the journey, he fell ill.
Under no circumstances will I give way to his demands.
= I will not give way to his demands under any circumstances.
In no way can they help you.
= They cannot help you in any way.
At no time was I aware of what was happening.
= I was at no time aware of what was happening.
On no account will she forgive him.
= She will not forgive him on any account
in adverbial expressions placed at the beginning
Exemple :
Often have I heard that corruption doesn't pay.
= I have often heard that corruption doesn't pay.
Twice has he been warned to keep away from drugs.
= He has been warned twice to keep away from drugs.
So desperate was their situation that they decided to sell their house.
= Their situation was so desperate that they decided to sell their house.
Only after a hot debate did they agree to compromise.
= They agreed to compromise only after a hot debate.
Not only was he the producer but he was also the director of the film.
= He was not only the producer but also the director of the film.
After adverbial expresions
Inversion also occurs in other expressions like)
Only afterwards/ later/ yesterday/ last week/...
Only if Only when Only after Not since
with “Should, Were, Had” in conditionals when “If”is omitted.
Type 1: Should you see him, tell him to call me.
= If you should see him, tell him to call me.
Type 2: Were I you, I would cancel my appointment.
= If I were you, I would cancel my appointment.
Type 3: Had he known, he would have solved the problem
