Inversion
Inverze/změna slovosledu

Not only can inversion be used to form questions and conditional sentences, but also it can used for emphasis.

Little did she know how much work was left.
On no account must you sleep at school.
Never should you remember who your boss is.
Only then can you belong to me.
Here comes the sun.

All these structures are rather literary, which means there are more likely to appear in books.

Inversion sometimes takes place with certain adverbs and adverbial phrases, mostly with a negative or restrictive sense. Such adverbs (adverbial phrases) can be placed first in a sentence or clause for emphasis. They are then followed by the interrogative (i.e. inverted ) form of the verb.

The most important of these adverbs are:

  •   hardly ever
  •   never
  •   scarcely ever
  •   only by
  •   in no circumstances
  •   only in this way
  •   on no account
  •   hardly . . . when
  •   only then/when
  •   no sooner . . . than
  •   scarcely . . . when
  •   not only
  •   seldom
  •   nowhere
  •   not till
  •   so
  •   neither/nor
I had never before been asked to lie. =
Never before had I been asked to lie.
They not only rob you, they smash everything, too. =
Not only do they rob you, they smash everything, too.
She became so depressed that. . . =
So depressed did she become that. . .
This switch must not be touched on any account. =
On no account must this switch be touched.
Mike didn't realize how difficult his situation was till he received the letter. =
Not till he received the letter did he realize how difficult his situation was.
Also note that the second negative verb in a sentence can sometimes be expressed by nor with inversion:
She had no friends and didn't know anyone who could help her. =
She had no friends, nor did she know anyone who could help her.

 


testy

Cvičení

cvičení úspěšnost
Inversion 1 Spustit cvičení


Homophones
předchozí lekce
Participle clauses
následující lekce

vyuka