Inversion
Inversion happens when we flip the Subject and the Auxiliary Verb. It creates drama, emphasis, and a highly academic style!
library_add Not only... but also
bolt No sooner... than
Used to show that one action happened IMMEDIATELY after another in the past. Always uses had.
diamond Never / Rarely
When you start a sentence with a negative or limiting adverb, you must invert!
Only invert the FIRST part!
The C1 Flip 🎬
Watch Teacher Sopheak explain the mechanics of Inversion. Notice how inserting "do/does/did" works exactly like making a question!
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Recent Questions
Hi Serey! Great question. Generally, no. Inversion is very formal, dramatic, and academic. You will see it a lot in literature, news articles, and formal speeches (or IELTS essays!). If you use it while ordering coffee with a friend, it will sound very dramatic and funny! 🎭
Why did we use "did he win" in the Not Only example? The original verb was just "won".
Ah! This is the secret of Inversion! Because we MUST flip the subject and the auxiliary verb, if there is no auxiliary verb in the sentence (like "He won"), we have to create one, just like we do when making a question. "He won" -> "Did he win?". This is exactly why it is C1 grammar! 🧠
Teacher, do we use this inversion when speaking normally with friends?