Inversion with negative adverbials: Adding emphasis

This exercise focuses on the use of inversion after negative adverbials such as never, seldom, hardly, no sooner, and under no circumstances. These structures are commonly used in formal writing and speech to create emphasis or dramatic effect. Mastering them will enhance your grammatical range and elevate your writing style to a more advanced level. The activity contains varied sentences, including questions, to help you practise B2-level usage of inversion with negative adverbials.

1. _____ such a breathtaking performance.

I rarely had seen

Rarely had I seen

Had I rarely seen

2. _____ open the door to strangers.

Under no circumstances should you

You should under no circumstances

No circumstances under you should

3. _____ than it started raining.

We had no sooner arrived

No sooner had we arrived

Had we no sooner arrived

4. _____ about his secret plans.

She little knew

Little did she know

Did she little know

5. _____ how much he had meant to me.

I realized only when he left

Only when he left did I realize

Did I realize only when he left

6. _____ the seriousness of the situation.

Not until I saw her face did I understand

I did not understand until I saw her face

Until I saw her face not did I understand

7. _____ such an exquisite dessert.

I have never before tasted

Never before have I tasted

Never have I before tasted

8. _____ his sentence when the phone rang.

Hardly had he finished

He hardly had finished

Had he hardly finished

9. _____ such heavy snowfall.

Does this area seldom experience

Seldom does this area experience

This area does seldom experience

10. _____, but she’s also incredibly kind.

She is not only smart

Not only is she smart

Is she not only smart

11. _____ for what he had done.

He apologized at no point

At no point did he apologize

Did he apologize at no point

12. _____ when the lights went out.

Scarcely had the concert begun

The concert scarcely had begun

Had scarcely the concert begun