Skill 17: INVERT THE SUBJECT AND VERB WITH NEGATIVES
The subject and verb can also be inverted after certain negatives and related expressions. When negative expressions, such as “no, not, or never”, come at the beginning of a sentence, the subject and verb are inverted.
Not once did I miss a question.
Never has Mr. Jones taken a vacation.
At no time can the woman talk on the telephone.
In the first example the negative expression “not once” causes the subject “I” to come after the helping verb “did”. In the second example the negative word “never” causes the subject “Mr. Jones” to come after the helping verb “has”. In the last example the negative expression “at no time” causes the subject “woman” to come after the helping verb “can”.
Certain words in English, such as “hardly, barely, scarcely, and only”, act like negatives. If one of these words comes at the beginning of a sentence, the subject and verb are also inverted.
Hardly ever does he take time off.
(This means that he almost never takes time off.)
Only once did the manager issue overtime paychecks.
(This means that the manager almost never issued overtime paychecks.)
In the first example the "almost negative" expression “hardly ever” causes the subject he to come after the helping verb “does”. In the second example the "almost negative" expression “only once” causes the subject manager to come after the helping verb “did”.
When a negative expression appears in front of a subject and verb in the middle of a sentence, the subject and verb are also inverted. This happens often with the negative words neither and nor.
I do not want to go, and neither does Tom.
The secretary is not attending the meeting, nor is her boss.
In the first example the negative “neither” causes the subject “Tom” to come after the helping verb “does”. In the second example the negative “nor” causes the subject “boss” to come after the verb “is”.
Example:
Only in extremely dangerous situations _____ stopped.
(A) will be the printing presses
(B) the printing presses will be
(C) that the printing presses will be
(D) will the printing presses be
Answer:
In this example you should notice that the sentence begins with the negative “only”, so an inverted subject and verb are needed. Answer (D) contains a correctly inverted subject and verb, with the helping verb “will”, the subject “Printing presses”, and the main verb “be”, so answer (D) is the best answer.
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