Complete the 12 sentences below. Choose the best answer for each one.
1Not once ............... that its earlier figures had been misleading.
Wrong!
After the negative adverbial "Not once," use inversion: "did the committee acknowledge".
2Hardly ............... the negotiations when a new legal objection was raised.
Wrong!
After "Hardly" with "when," use inversion: "had we begun".
3No sooner ............... been published than several departments asked for clarifications.
Wrong!
After "No sooner" with "than," use inversion: "had the report".
4Under no circumstances ............... personal data without the client’s written consent.
Wrong!
After the negative phrase "Under no circumstances," use inversion: "will the company disclose".
5Seldom ............... a public consultation attract such detailed responses from local residents.
Wrong!
After "Seldom," use inversion: "have I seen".
6At no point ............... the exact wording of the agreement.
Wrong!
After "At no point," use inversion: "could the witness remember".
7Little ............... the scale of the market reaction to the announcement.
Wrong!
After "Little," use inversion when it means "not at all":" did the analysts expect".
8Only later ............... how much the delay had damaged public confidence.
Wrong!
After "Only later," use inversion: "did we appreciate".
9Barely ............... been installed when the first security warning appeared.
Wrong!
After "Barely" with "when," use inversion: "had the software".
10On no account ............... their submitted portfolios after the deadline.
Wrong!
After "On no account," use inversion: "can applicants change".
11Not until the final meeting ............... a convincing explanation for the sudden budget cuts.
Wrong!
After "Not until the final meeting," use inversion in the main clause: "did the director offer".
12Only by combining the two datasets ............... a conclusion robust enough for publication.
Wrong!
After "Only by combining the two datasets," use inversion: "did they reach".
Done.
Score: 0/12
Answers
- Not once did the committee acknowledge that its earlier figures had been misleading.
- Hardly had we begun the negotiations when a new legal objection was raised.
- No sooner had the report been published than several departments asked for clarifications.
- Under no circumstances will the company disclose personal data without the client’s written consent.
- Seldom have I seen a public consultation attract such detailed responses from local residents.
- At no point could the witness remember the exact wording of the agreement.
- Little did the analysts expect the scale of the market reaction to the announcement.
- Only later did we appreciate how much the delay had damaged public confidence.
- Barely had the software been installed when the first security warning appeared.
- On no account can applicants change their submitted portfolios after the deadline.
- Not until the final meeting did the director offer a convincing explanation for the sudden budget cuts.
- Only by combining the two datasets did they reach a conclusion robust enough for publication.
