Negative Inversion: Real Life Examples

But I’ve never heard anything like that!
Do people actually use it?

This is what my B2+ / C1 / C2 students often tell me whenever I try to teach them how to add emphasis using negative inversion. This shouldn’t come as a surprise since inverted and added auxiliaries are not always easily noticeable (i.e. salient in the input).

So, the aim of this mini-lesson is to expose students to a number of “real life” examples of negative inversion in order to (1) show them that negative inversion does exist and is used far more frequently than some people might think, and (2) train them to listen out for examples of negative inversion in the English that surrounds them.

You can use this mini-lesson to review or introduce negative inversion.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

A Read these excerpts from six (old!) songs. Using your intuition, choose the best alternative.

1 Nowhere in the word [there could be / could there be] a boy as true as you.
2 Never again [I will hear / will I hear] you, never again [I will miss / will I miss] you, never again [I will fall / will I fall] to you.
3 Only then [you can belong / can you belong] to me.
4 Only when I’m dancing [I can feel / can I feel] this free.
5 Little [you know / do you know] how I’m breaking while I fall asleep.
6 Never before [someone has been / has someone been] more unforgettable.

B Watch video 1 and check.

Video 1

C Read the song lines again and underline the correct words to complete the rules.

1 You can put a negative or limiting adverb at the [beginning / end] of a sentence to emphasize what you are saying and sound more dramatic.
2 In this case, the subject and the auxiliary verb [are / are not] inverted.
3 If there is a clause immediately after only, it [is / is not] inverted.

Click here for more information.

D Read these excerpts from different TV shows and choose the correct alternative.

(Market analyst talking about Apple)
1 Rarely _____ back to Samsung or HTC.
A the iPhone user goes
B goes the iPhone user
C does the iPhone user go
(Talk show hostess playing a game with her guests)
2 Never _____ drunk before noon.
A I have ever been
B have I ever been
C I ever have been
(Politician talking about the economy)
3 Rarely _____ when I don’t hear from folks who are hurting.
A a day goes by
B does a day go by
C goes by a day
(Documentary about a journalist who was an undocumented immigrant)
4 Not only _____, he thrived.
A Jose Antonio Vargas survived
B survived Jose Antonio Vargas
C did Jose Antonio Vargas survive
(News report on Black Friday in the US)
5 No sooner _____ than the shoppers hit the stores.
A the Thanksgiving meals had digested
B had the Thanksgiving meals digested
C had digested the Thanksgiving meals
(Famous actor describing a movie scene)
6 Under no circumstances _____.
A you can publish
B publish can you
C can you publish
(News report about a space mission)
7 Only now _____ to reach the edge of the solar system.
A the voyagers are about
B are the voyagers about
C about are the voyagers
(Comedian talking about his son’s fear of roller coasters)
8 _____ that, I would’ve felt terrible.
A I had known that
B Had I known that
C Known had I that

E Watch video 2. Notice the examples of negative inversion and check.

Video 2

F Rewrite sentences 1-6 more dramatically beginning with the expressions in caps.

1 (Cartoon) In my life, I have never needed something so much and never known until I received it. NEVER IN MY LIFE
2 (News report) France has never before faced such a big danger when it comes to terrorism. NEVER BEFORE
3 (Tech review) It not only lets you connect up to an external microphone, it also has its own microphones. NOT ONLY
4 (News report) He only changed his mind after a phone call and assurances from Angela Merkel. ONLY AFTER
5 (Live footage from a war zone) They must not be allowed to advance on any account. ON NO ACCOUNT
6 (Interview with movie star) I didn’t really know that soon after I would land this magnificent role. LITTLE

G Watch video 3 and check.

Video 3

H What would you say in situations 1-3? Use two examples of negative inversion in each case.

1 You’ve just watched a movie and you loved it. It’s probably your favorite movie ever. You want to record a short review and post it on YouTube.
NEVER BEFORE…
NOT ONLY…
2 You’re going away for a few days and your 15-year-old will be home alone for the first time. You’re worried. Speak to your son/daughter.
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES…
ON NO ACCOUNT…
3 You’re giving a school presentation about regrets. Mention two things you regret (not) doing when you had the chance.
HAD I KNOWN…
LITTLE DID I…

Answer key:
Exercise C: 1 – beginning / 2 – are / 3 – is not
Play videos 1-3 to check the other exercises (except H).