When adverbial or adjectival phrases starting with so are placed at the beginning of the sentence for emphatic

effect, the subject and auxiliary are inverted:

So quickly did he run that the others couldn't catch up with him. (He ran so quickly that the others couldn't
catch up with him.)
So strong was the wind that we couldn't open the window. (The wind was so strong that we couldn't open the
window.)

So + adjective can be replaced with such:

Such was the wind that we couldn't open the window. (The wind was such that we couldn't open the window.)

Subject-auxiliary inversion after negative adverbials

In formal and literary styles, the subject and auxiliary are inverted when negative adverbials are placed at the
beginning of the sentence for rhetorical effect.

NEVER, RARELY, LITTLE, IN / UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES, ON NO CONDITION, IN NO WAY,

NOT ONLY ... BUT ALSO etc.

When never, rarely, little etc. are placed at the beginning of the sentence for rhetorical effect, the subject and
auxiliary are inverted:

Never (before) have we faced such a challenge! (We have never faced such a challenge!)
Rarely has there been so much speculation about the future of the company. (There has rarely been so much
speculation about the future of the company.)
Little did she understand what the conversation was about. (She didn't really understand what the conversation
was about.)
Under no circumstances are you allowed to disturb the pilots. (You are not allowed to disturb the pilots under
any circumstances.)
On no condition will the company bear responsibility for lost property. (The company will not bear
responsibility for lost property on any condition.)
In no way am I related to the suspect. (I am in no way related to the suspect.)
Not only did he exceed the speed limit, but he had also consumed alcohol. (He not only exceeded the speed
limit, but he had also consumed alcohol.)
Not only were you late, but you didn't even have a good excuse. (You were not only late, but you didn't have a
good excuse either.)

HARDLY / SCARCELY / BARELY ... WHEN

NO SOONER ... THAN

When a story is told in the past tense, the adverbials hardly, scarcely, barely and no sooner are often used to
emphasise that one event quickly followed another. The verb describing the earlier event is usually in the past
perfect tense. If hardly, scarcely, barely and no sooner are in the initial position, the subject and auxiliary are
inverted:

Hardly had I arrived home when my phone rang. (I had hardly arrived home when my phone rang.)
Scarcely had she finished reading when she fell asleep. (She had scarcely finished reading when she fell
asleep.)
Barely had they won the match when the coach had a heart attack. (They had barely won the match when the
coach had a heart attack.)
No sooner had the company launched its new product than it went bankrupt. (The company had no sooner
launched its new product than it went bankrupt.)

Note that hardly, scarcely and barely are followed by when, while no sooner is followed by than. (Sooner is the
comparative form of soon.)
ONLY AFTER, ONLY IF, ONLY IN THIS WAY etc., NOT UNTIL

When only after, only if, only in this way etc. are placed at the beginning of the sentence for rhetorical effect, the
subject and auxiliary are inverted:

Only after lunch can you play. (You can only play after lunch.)
Only after finishing your homework can you play. (You can only play after you finish your homework.)
Only after you have finished your homework can you play. (You can only play after you have finished your
homework.)
Only by guessing can you solve this puzzle. (You can only solve this puzzle by guessing.)
Only if everybody agreed would I accept this position. (I would only accept this position if everybody agreed.)
Only in this way does this machine work. (This machine only works in this way.)
Only then did they discover his secret. (They only discovered his secret then.)
Only when he needed some help did he call me. (He only called me when he needed some help.)
Only when I filled my glass did I notice that it was broken. (I only noticed that my glass was broken when I
filled it.)

The last sentence can be rephrased as:

Not until I filled my glass did I notice that it was broken. (I didn't notice that my glass was broken until I filled
it.)

If only is followed by the subject at the beginning of the sentence, there is no inversion:

Only you can understand. (No one else can understand.)

Subject-verb inversion after place adverbials

When an adverb or an adverbial expression of place comes in the initial position (at the beginning of the
sentence), the subject and verb are inverted:

Down the hill rolled the children.

Round the corner was a nice café.

This is a rhetorical device used mainly in formal and literary styles; however, it may also occur in everyday
conversation:

Here comes the bus.

There goes Sally.
Here's my number.

But if the subject is a personal pronoun, there is no inversion:

Here it comes.
There she goes.
Here it is.

Subject-verb inversion in direct speech

In direct speech, if the quotation precedes the reporting verb, the subject and the reporting verb can be inverted:

"I'm so sorry," Maria said / said Maria.

If the subject is long, usually there is inversion:

"Good morning," said the stranger in the black jacket.

But if the subject is a personal pronoun, there is no inversion:

"Good morning," he said.

Conditionals and inversion

In formal English, the subject and the auxiliary can be inverted in the if-clause with if omitted:

Should you see Kate, say hi from me. (if you should see Kate)
Were he to propose to you now, what would you say? (if he were to propose to you)
Were I you, I would stop smoking. (if I were you)
Were it not for Miguel, we wouldn't know what to do now. (if it weren't for Miguel)
Had we booked our flight earlier, it would have been cheaper. (if we had booked our flight earlier)
Had it not been for your foolishness, we wouldn't have got lost. (if it hadn't been for your foolishness)

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BE + TO-infinitive
Be + to-infinitive is used to express:

 official arrangements:

The Prime Minister is to visit India next month.

 official orders:

At the end of the course, all students are to take a written exam.

 things that should be done:

What am I to do?

 a possible aim when saying what should be done to reach it:

If you are to work here for more than three months, you must have a residence permit.

 prohibition (only in the negative):

You are not to do that again.

Be + to-infinitive can also be used in the past:

Mr Jones was to speak at the meeting. (it was arranged and he did)

But was/were + to + perfect infinitive means that the arranged event did not actually happen:

Mr Jones was to have spoken at the meeting, but he had to cancel because of his illness.