1. Trung tâm Luyện thi Đại học QSC-45
Giảng viên: LÝ SIÊU HẢI
THE INVERSION OF SUBJECT AND VERB
I. INTRODUCTION
The inverted to verb and subject mainly emphasize to the modifier in sentence, adverbial phrase / prepositional
phrase or some structuring sentences.
II. KINDS OF INVERTED SENTENCES
1. Adverb of negation / semi negation:
S + Adv + Vm + O => Adv + aux. verb + S + Vm + O
1.1 rarely, never, scarcely, hardly, seldom, occasionally, barely, neither, few, little, nor.
This remedy rarely failed
 Rarely did this remedy fail.
1.2 many a / an, not, no, such, so, only
He didn’t talk any words in the party
 No words did he talk in the party.
1.3 no longer, lest,
They no longer work at company
 No longer do they work at company.
1.4 often, always, usually, much, thus
She often rides to school by bike
 Often does she ride to school by bike.
2. Prepositional phrase in negation
S + V + prep. phrase => Prep. phr. + aux. verb + S + V + …
2.1 at times, at no time, by no means, nowhere, no help
I didn’t find my missing wallet anywhere.
 Nowhere did I find my missing wallet.
2.2 under / in no condition, under / in no circumstance, nowhere, on no account
She always fails in his intention
 At no time does she fail in his intention.
3. Adverbs of place / prepositional phrase of place
S + Vm + Ap / Prep. Phr. => Prep. Phr. / Ap + Vm + S
3.1 here / there
The bus comes there / here
 Here / There comes the bus.
3.2 down, out, up, in, over, … + phrase of place
My village locates at the foot of the hill.
 At the foot of the hill locates my village.
4.
Adverb with “ONLY”
Only + prep. phrase + aux. verb + S + V + O
Only + conj. + clause + aux. verb + S + V + O
4.1 Prepositional phrase: only in this way, only by, only today, only yesterday, only on rare occasions,
only with difficulties, only by luck
He was able to make himself heard only by shouting.
 Only by shouting was he able to make himself heard.
Địa chỉ:92 Nguyễn Đình Chiểu – P.ĐaKao – Q.1 – Tp. HCM
Điện thoại: (08) 36.016.768 – 0908.348.745 (Th. Nam)
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Website:www.qsc45.com
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2. Trung tâm Luyện thi Đại học QSC-45
Giảng viên: LÝ SIÊU HẢI
4.2 Prepositional clause: only after, only when, only if, only while, only before, only once, only then, only by
chance.
He will only talk this after he meets her.
 Only after he meets here will he talk this.
5. Some common structures
5.1 hardly … when / since, scarcely … when / since, barely … then, no sooner … than, hardly … ever,
barely … ever, scarcely … ever
Adv + had + S + PP + … + conj. + S + V + …
He had just come home when the phone rang.
 No sooner / Hardly had he come home than / when the phone rang.
5.2 Not only … but also / but … as well
Not only + aux. verb + S + V + … + but + S + also + V +
but + S + V + … + as well.
They not only robbed me but they also smashed everything.
 Not only did they rob me but they also smashed everything but they smashed everything as well.
5.3 Not until / till
Not until + S + V + … + aux. verb + S + V + …
He didn’t realize that he had lost it until he got home.
 Not until he got home did he realize that he had lost it.
5.4 “If” clauses
aux. verb + S + V + …, S + V + O
If you should arrive before 6:00, just give me a call.
 Should you arrive before 6:00, just give a call.
I would help you if I were in a position to help.
 I would help you were I in a position to help.
If he had worked harder, he’d have passed the test.
 Had he worked, he’d have passed the test
5.5 So … that, such … that.
So + adj + be + S + that + S + V + O.
adv + aux. verb + S + V
Such + noun phrase + be + that + S + V + O
aux. verb + S + V
It rained so hard that we could not play football.
 So hard did it rain that we could not play football.
He works so carefully that everybody can praise him much
 So carefully does he work that everybody can praise him much.
It was such hot coffee that we couldn’t drink all of them.
 Such hot coffee was that we couldn’t drink all of them.
He has such a modern car that everybody can watch it.
 Such a modern car does he have that everybody can watch it.
Địa chỉ:92 Nguyễn Đình Chiểu – P.ĐaKao – Q.1 – Tp. HCM
Điện thoại: (08) 36.016.768 – 0908.348.745 (Th. Nam)
Email: qsc45com@gmail.com
Website:www.qsc45.com
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3. Trung tâm Luyện thi Đại học QSC-45
Giảng viên: LÝ SIÊU HẢI
5.6 Comparison clauses
S + V + as + adj / adv + as + aux. verb + S
more + adj / adv + than + aux. verb + S
A – er + than + aux. verb + S
My sister spends more hours in the office than John.
 My sister spends more hours in the office than does John.
Mary is as beautiful as Daisy
 Mary is as beautiful as is Daisy.
III. SOME MEANING FOR EXPRESSIONS OR IDIOMS IN INVERSION
3.1 Inversions take place after some negative adverb such as: little (một ít), nowhere (không một nơi nào),
no longer (không còn nữa), in vain (vô ích), not until (mãi đến khi), never (không bao giờ), never again
(không bao giờ nữa), never before (không bao giờ nữa), seldom = rarely, hardly (gần như không, khó
mà), not for one minutes (không một phút nào)...
3.2 Inversions are used in some phrases with “no”
- In no way (không bằng cách nào cả)
- At no time (chưa bao giờ)
- On no account (không vì một lý do gì)
- In/under no circunstances (cho dù thế nào cũng không)
3.3 Nhóm từ: never (không bao giờ), rarely (hiếm khi), seldom (hiếm khi), hardly (hầu như không), barely
(chỉ vừa đủ, vừa vặn), no sooner (vừa mới), or scarcely (chỉ mới, vừa vặn).
3.4 Một số cấu trúc khác
• In/ Under no circumstances: Dù trong bất cứ hoàn cảnh nào cũng không.
• On no account: Dù bất cứ lý do gì cũng không
• Only in this way: Chỉ bằng cách này
• In no way: Không sao có thể
• By no means: Hoàn toàn không
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Địa chỉ:92 Nguyễn Đình Chiểu – P.ĐaKao – Q.1 – Tp. HCM
Điện thoại: (08) 36.016.768 – 0908.348.745 (Th. Nam)
Email: qsc45com@gmail.com
Website:www.qsc45.com
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