Grammar: Inversion Flashcards
I had just finished my homework when my friend called.
No sooner … than …
(= Не успел я закончить домашнюю работу, как позвонил мой друг)
No sooner had I finished my homework than my friend called.
She left the house, and it started to rain.
No sooner … than …
(= как только… / не успела она…)
No sooner had she left the house than it started to rain.
The teacher asked the question, and the students raised their hands.
No sooner … than …
No sooner had the teacher asked the question than the students raised their hands.
If Olympia trusted Matty more, she might share important information with her.
Were Olympia …
Were Olympia to trust Matty more, she might share important information with her.
To invert second conditional sentences, we replace if with were and change the verb form to to + infinitive.
No __ said than __.
(= сказано - сделано)
No sooner said than done.
If California were a country, it would be one of the world’s largest economies.
Were…
Were California a country, it would be one of the world’s largest economies.
To invert second conditional sentences, we replace if with were and change the verb form to to + infinitive.
Note that if a second conditional sentence uses the verb be, we don’t need the infinitive for the inverted version. We just replace the existing form of be with were, and invert the subject and verb.
If I wasn’t good at maths, I’d find this homework very challenging.
Were I…
Were I not good at maths, I’d find this homework very challenging.
Note: To make negative inverted conditionals, we put not after the subject.
If I hadn’t been busy this morning, I would have attended the meeting.
Had I …
Had I not been busy this morning, I would have attended the meeting.
Note: To make negative inverted conditionals, we put not after the subject.
A: Think he’ll go for our idea?
B: You couldn’t win him over – he’s completely against it.
Not in a million years…
Not in a million years could you win him over – he’s completely against it.
A: I’m already working on my victory speech!
B: You shouldn’t get ahead of yourself
- the results aren’t even out yet!
Under no circumstances…
Under no circumstances should you get ahead of yourself — the results aren’t even out yet!
get ahead of oneself act or plan prematurely or overconfidently
A: He seemed really on board at first.
B: I didn’t know he had a hidden agenda the whole time.
Little did I know…
(= я и не знал; я и не подозревал…)
Little did I know he had a hidden agenda the whole time.
A: Did he even notice how burned out he was?
B: Only when his health really started to take a toll on him he finally slowed down.
Not until…
(Только когда…)
Not until his health really started to take a toll on him did he finally slow down.
A: You think he’ll use this to his advantage?
B: If you ask me, he shouldn’t leverage someone else’s mistakе — totally unfair.
In no way…
If you ask me, in no way should he leverage someone else’s mistake—totally unfair.
How did she crack the case so fast?
She followed a hunch and also backed it up with solid proof.
Not only did she follow a hunch, but she backed it up with solid proof.
