UNIT: 19

COMPLEX SENTENCES

* Inversion with negative adverbial words and phrases

Hardly (… when)

Scarcely (… when)

Barely (… when)

No sooner (… than)

Only

Only after

Only when

Not until

At no time/ point/ stage

In no way

Little

Never

Not

Not only (… but also/

too)

On no account

Rarely

Seldom

Under no circumstances

Hardly had the new law been introduced when the mistake was

released.

Scarcely had I opened the front door when I heard a noise from the

kitchen.

Barely had we solved one problem when another one arose.

No sooner had the alarm gone off than the police arrived.

Only in an emergency should you dial 999.

Only after I had checked that the burglars had left did I call the

police.

Only when we agree what measures are needed will we be able to

solve the problem.

Not until the next election will we know how the public feel about

this new.

At no point did I realize that he was the Prime Minister.

In no way does this decision represent a change in government

policy.

Little did Ralph know that the burglar was still inside his house.

Never have I seen such a ridiculous suggestion.

No one vote did the proposal receive.

Not only has this government failed but it has also stolen ideas from

other parties.

On no account should you try to tackle a burglar yourself.

Rarely do the newspapers present a balanced view of current events.

Seldom do people leaving prison stay out of trouble.

Under no circumstances will we accept an increase in working

hours

Watch out: With not until and only (when/ after), you have to be careful to invert the verb and

subject in the main clause.

Not until/ Only when this government realizes what a mistake it is making will things change.

* Inversions with adverbial expressions of place (+ verb of movement/ position)

here

there

adverbial phrases

participle phrases

Here comes the Minister now.

There stood the next king of England.

At the top of society are the aristocracy

Besides the Town Hall stood the public library.

In this prison are housed some of the most dangerous criminals.

On the corners of the street sat a homeless man.

Running down the road was a young man with a woman’s handbag

under his arm.