Unit 9: Inversion

1 Complete the sentences with the correct words.


Never          hardly          Nowhere          under no circumstances

          Not until          No sooner          Little          Not only


1 ____________ 1846 was the existence of the planet Neptune finally proven.

2 ____________ did I know that more trouble was just around the corner.

3 ____________ have I been spoken to so rudely!

4 ____________ was he a valued colleague, but he was also a good friend.

5 ____________ had they left the restaurant, than a group of journalists surrounded them.

6 ____________ can you find such wonderful pizzas as those in Rome and Naples.

7 ____________ should you be absent from your seminars.

8 ____________ had I got into bed, when there was a knock at the door.


2 Finish each of the following sentences in such a way that it means the same as the sentence
above.


 1 We had hardly started when it began to rain.
Hardly _______________________________________________________________
 2 I have seldom heard such beautiful singing.
Seldom _______________________________________________________________
 3 I shall never forget your kindness.
Never ________________________________________________________________
 4 I saw only then the danger we were in.
Only _________________________________________________________________
 5 We had no sooner left the house than it exploded.
No ___________________________________________________________________
 6 He didn’t realize that he had lost the key till he got home.
Not __________________________________________________________________
 7 They not only robbed you, they smashed everything.
Not __________________________________________________________________

 8 You can find this special kind of ice cream only in Italy.

Only _________________________________________________________________

 9 Passengers are not permitted to open the door themselves under any circumstances.

Under no circumstances __________________________________________________

10 He didn’t say a single word.

Not __________________________________________________________________