Home of English Grammar

Free Guide (Updated for 2022)

  • Home
  • Download Lessons
  • Grammar Rules
  • Online Exercises
  • Online Tools
    • Grammar Checker
    • Word Counter
  • Guides
  • Contact
You are here: Home / Lessons / Inversion of subject and verb

Inversion of subject and verb

December 29, 2010 - pdf

In English, the usual order of words in a sentence is subject + verb + object. Sometimes certain adverbs come at the beginning of the sentence. This order is then inverted and the verb comes before the subject.

Study the following sentences.

  • Scarcely had I stepped out when the telephone rang.
  • Hardly had I reached the station when the train departed.
  • No sooner had she read the telegram than she started crying.
  • Never have I seen such a mess.

Note that the sentences given above can also be written with normal word order.

  • I had scarcely stepped out when the telephone rang.
  • I had hardly reached the station when the train departed.

Exercise

Rewrite the following sentences, putting the adverb first and inverting the subject and verb.

1. I have seldom heard such a beautiful voice.
2. He had hardly sat down for dinner when someone knocked at the door.
3. I have never heard such utter nonsense.
4. They not only looted the shop, but also set fire to it.

Answers

1. Seldom have I heard such a beautiful voice.
2. Hardly had he sat down for dinner when someone knocked at the door.
3. Never have I heard such utter nonsense.
4. Not only did they loot the shop, but also set fire to it.

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • WhatsApp
1,127,749 
201,073 

Check Your Grammar

GrammarCheck.net - Try online
Hint → Bookmark GrammarCheck for future use.

Latest Exercises

  • Will vs. Would June 26, 2022
  • See vs. Look vs. Watch June 23, 2022
  • General Grammar Exercise June 21, 2022
  • Tenses Gap Filling Exercise June 21, 2022
  • Gap Filling Exercise June 20, 2022
  • Subject Verb Agreement Exercise June 20, 2022
  • Prepositions Exercise June 19, 2022
  • Gap Filling Exercise June 19, 2022
  • Tenses Exercise June 18, 2022

Topics

  • Adjectives
  • Adverbs
  • Business Writing
  • Commas
  • Conjunctions
  • Creative Writing
  • Difference
  • Essay Writing
  • Exercises
  • Learning
  • Lessons
  • Nouns
  • Prepositions
  • Pronouns
  • Proofreading
  • Punctuation
  • Quiz
  • Spelling
  • Style Guide
  • Teaching
  • Terms
  • Verbs
  • Words
  • Writing

Quiz

  • Can you correct these 14 basic grammar mistakes?
  • What kind of writer are you?

Copyright © 2022 · EnglishGrammar.org
Disclaimer · Privacy Policy · Sitemap