This exercise focuses on negative inversion, where a negative or restrictive adverbial phrase at the beginning of a sentence requires a question-like word order (auxiliary verb + subject + main verb).
Complete:
1 No sooner __________________________home than my mother phoned.
KEY
No sooner had I arrived / got home than my mother phoned.
Grammar note: "No sooner... than" usually pairs the past perfect with the simple past.
2. Only when _______________________the news on television did she realise the full scale of the tragedy.
KEY
Only when she saw / watched the news on television did she realise the full scale of the tragedy.
Grammar note: With "Only when", the inversion happens in the main clause ("did she realise"), not the time clause.
3. Never before in all my working life_______________________ such an incompetent boss.
KEY
Never before in all my working life had/have I encountered / met / worked for such an incompetent boss.
Grammar note: "Never before" typically pairs with the present perfect when you are talking about your life experiences up to the present moment and with the past perfect to talk about an experience up to a point in the past.
4. Not until you’ve tidied your room __________________ you to go out and play with your friends!
KEY
Not until you’ve tidied your room will I allow you to go out and play with your friends!
Grammar note: Because the final part uses "to go", an auxiliary like will paired with allow fits perfectly (e.g., "will I allow you to go"). With let we use infinitive without to: "will I let you go".
5 Hardly _______________________________his new job when the company ran into problems and made him redundant.
KEY
Hardly had he started / begun his new job when the company ran into problems and made him redundant.
Grammar note: "Hardly... when" follows the same past perfect pattern as "No sooner... than".
6. At no point in the marathon _________________________of giving up: I had promised myself I would finish it.
KEY
At no point in the marathon did I think of giving up: I had promised myself I would finish it.
Grammar note: "Did I think of" fits the grammar smoothly here. With consider, the structure is "did I consider giving up".
7. Never again _______________________her advice – I’m in more trouble now than I was before.
KEY
Never again will I take / listen to her advice – I’m in more trouble now than I was before.
Grammar note: The second half is in the present/past tense regarding current trouble, meaning they are making a firm resolution for the future ("will I...").
8. Little __________________________that someone was recording their conversation.
KEY
Little did they know / suspect that someone was recording their conversation.
Grammar note: "Little did [someone] know/realize/suspect" is a fixed idiomatic inversion used to show complete lack of awareness.
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