Negative adverbials which are followed by the inversion of a verb 1
Negative adverbials are often used in sentences:
It is only now that I understand what she meant.
He didn’t attempt to speak to me once.
He didn’t once attempt to speak to me.
There is no way I can finish my essay today.
There is no way I would tolerate her boss’s attitude.
He not only ignored most of his friends, he even acted as if he’d never met them in his life! Strange!
So why place them first in a sentence or clause?
- to give greater emphasis to a statement
- to make language more formal
If they are placed first in sentences or clauses, the verb is inverted:
Only now do I understand what she meant.
Not once did he attempt to speak to me.
Not only did he ignore most of his friends, he even acted as if he’d never met them in his life! Strange!
We use them in informal language too:
*No way can I finish my essay today.
No way would I have tolerated her working conditions.
*No way (informal) means ‘it’s completely impossible’, or ‘it’s out of the question’
Can you start the sentences or clauses below with the negative adverbials given?
1 Now we are finally starting to see the benefits of your having revised so well for the exam. (Only now….)
2 They then remembered they had forgotten to take their passports with them. (Only then…)
3 I didn’t mention her rude behaviour once. (Not once…)
4 There is no way I would move to Wales unless I had found a place to live first.(No way…..)
5 She has only now found her door-keys! (Only now….)
6 She was arrested for theft not once, but several times.(Not once…..)