TEST ON inversion
Exercise 1. Rewrite the sentences without changing their meaning.
1. Rita doesn’t realise how serious her husband’s operation is going to be.
Little ___________________________________________________
2. Alice and Charles did not decide to move to a bigger house until after the birth of their second child.
Only when ______________________________________________
3. The only way you can become a good athlete is to train hard everyday.
Only by ________________________________________________
4. The council rarely allows appeals against its decision.
Hardly _________________________________________________
5. The journalists only heard about the changes to the wedding plans when they arrived at the venue.
Not until _______________________________________________
6. He forgot about the gun until he got home.
Not until _______________________________________________
7. We didn’t understand the lesson until the teacher explained it again.
Not until _______________________________________________
8. She didn’t practise enough exercise, so she got bad mark in the exam.
Only if ________________________________________________
9. The forth time he asked her to marry him, she accepted.
Only on his forth ________________________________________
10. I have never seen such a mess in my life .
Never _________________________________________________
11. The last thing you should do is to phone the police.
Under _________________________________________________
12. He never suspected that the money had been stolen.
At ____________________________________________________
13. Thanks to Lan’s support, I was able to finish the project.
Had ___________________________________________________
14. The novel is so popular that people are ready to buy it.
Such __________________________________________________
15. Immediately after his arrival, things went wrong.
No sooner ______________________________________________
16. Long didn’t celebrate until he received the offer of promotion in writing.
Not until _______________________________________________
17. His failure went beyond his expectation.
Never _________________________________________________
18. Everyone started complaining the moment the announcement was made.
No sooner _____________________________________________
19. If his lawyer hadn’t advised him, he would have made a serious mistake.
Had it not _____________________________________________
20. You won’t find a more dedicated worker anywhere than Mrs Jones.
Nowhere ______________________________________________
21. The only reason the party was a success was that a famous film star attended.
Had it not _____________________________________________
22. Alice lost all her hope; she decided to stop her business.
Such was her __________________________________________
23. The only thing that prevented the passing of the bill was the death of the Prime Minister
Had __________________________________________________
24.Thank to his aunt’s legacy of $10,000 he was able to buy the house he wanted.
Had __________________________________________________
25.The worker only came out of the office when the manager promised to do this.
Only __________________________________________________
Exercise 2. Choose the best answer.
1. John promised that he would never / never would he tell anyone else.
2. Not until it was too late I remembered / did I remember to call Susan.
3. Hardly had we settled down in our seats than / when the light went out.
4. Only after checking three times I was / was I certain of the answer.
5. At no time I was aware / was I aware of anything out of the usual.
6. Only Catherine and Sally passed / did they pass the final examination.
7. So the waves were high / So high were the waves that swimming is dangerous.
8. Only when Peter has arrived / has Peter arrived can we begin the programme.
9. No sooner had it stopped raining than / when the sun came out.
10. If should you leave early / Should you leave early could you give me a lift ?
Exercise 3. Complete the sentences by suitable words.
1. Scarcely ______________________ when the pilots had to make an emergency landing.
2. Little _______________________ what has been going on in her absence.
3. No sooner ___________________ than I realized I’d left my bag on the platform.
4. Only when ___________________ on the light did we notice the whole in the ceiling.
5. Niot until I asked a passer – by ________________________ where I was.
6. Seldom has _____________________ below freezing at this time of the year.
7. Hardly ___________________ his speech when the Minister was interrupted.
8. On no account am _______________________ while I’m in the meeting.
9. Rarely has _______________________ this school written a better composition.
10. In no way ________________________ bear responsibilities for injuries to passengers.
Exercise 4. Rewrite the sentences without changing their meaning.
1. Her grief was so great that she almost fainted. So _________________________
2. He got down to writing the letter as soon as he returned from his walk No sooner ___________________
3. If you want to save your eyesight, we must operate immediately. Only _______________________
4. Cheque should only be accepted with proof of identity. Never ______________________
5. She had hardly begun to speak before people started interrupting her. Hardly _____________________
6. I only realized what I had missed when they told me about it later. Only _______________________
7. You won’t find a more dedicated worker anywhere than Mrs John. No where ___________________
8. The outcome of the election was never in doubt. At no time __________________
9. The only way to eliminate world terrorism is by united nation. Only _______________________
10. I only recognized him when he put off the hat. Not until ____________________
11. The truth only came out on publication of the General’s personnal diaries. Only _________________
12. I had only just put the phone down when the boss rang back. Hardly ______________________
13. Immediately after his appointment to the post the new editor fell ill. No sooner ___________________
14. I didn’t realize who he was until later. Only _______________________
15. We couldn’t relax until all the guests had gone home. Only _______________________
16. We only despatch goods after receiving the money. Only _______________________
17. There are more people out of work in this country than ever before. Never ______________________
18. He won’t return to his father land on any account. On no ______________________
19. He has such strength that he could bend iron bars. Such _______________________
20. You shouldn’t answer the door when I’m out in any circumstances. In no _______________________
Exercise 5. Change the inversion sentences into ordinary ones with the words given.
1. Were Smith to resign, I might stand a chance of getting his job. ( IF ) _______________________
2. Such was the demand for ticket that people queued day and night. ( GREAT ) __________________
3. Hardly had the ship left port than a violent storm developed. ( SOON AFTER ) _____________
4. They would have discovered land sooner had they carried a compass. ( IF ) _______________________
5. Little did Brenda know what she was going to face. ( IDEA ) ____________________
6. So exhausted were the runners that none of them finished the race. ( TOO ) ___________________
Exercise 6. Rewrite the sentences without changing their meaning.
1. A country cannot be prosperous if it is not quite independent.
Only ________________________________________________________
2. The telephone rang right after he had left the room.
Hardly _______________________________________________________
3. He didn’t forget and neither did she.
He remembered ________________________________________________
4. The only thing that makes this job worthwhile is the money.
Were _________________________________________________________
5. Children learn a lot about how to behave in a situation like this.
Only _________________________________________________________
6. Mary didn’t begin to read until she was eight.
Not until ______________________________________________________
7. It was only when the body was found that the police believed her.
Not until ______________________________________________________
8. Televisions provide and entertainmenta.
Not only ______________________________________________________
9. We finished dinner and a few moment later, Mr John arrived on the door step.
Hardly ________________________________________________________
10. Thank to Laura’s support I was able to finish the project.
Were _________________________________________________________ ( Had ______________ )
11. She didn’t shed a tear when the story ended in tragedy.
Not ___________________________________________________________
12. Everyone started complaining the moment the announcement was made.
No sooner ______________________________________________________