Intermediate emphasis and inversion. 45 questions on negative inversion with adverbials, only-inversion, and not only…but also constructions.
What this test covers
- Negative Adverbial Inversion
- Only + Inversion
- Not Only…But Also & Correlative Emphasis
Answer the 45 questions below. Each answer is checked straight away, with an explanation. Press Submit at the end to get your score and save it to your dashboard. Answers are not kept if you leave before submitting.
All 45 questions with answers
Pick an answer for each question to see if you are right, with the explanation. Submit when you are done; you can submit before answering them all.
-
Q1Rarely ___ to such a captivating lecture in my entire academic career.
Answer: C. have I listened
When a sentence starts with the negative adverbial 'Rarely,' we use inversion (auxiliary verb before the subject). Since the speaker refers to their life experience up to the present, the present perfect 'have I listened' is the correct tense. Standard word order like 'I listen' or 'I have listened' is incorrect here.
-
Q2Never before ___ such an intense debate during yesterday's board meeting.
Answer: A. had the team experienced
Starting a sentence with 'Never before' requires subject-auxiliary inversion. Because this refers to a specific completed event in the past ('yesterday'), the past perfect 'had the team experienced' is used to show that this intensity was unprecedented. Options like 'the team had experienced' use normal word order and are therefore incorrect.
-
Q3Scarcely ___ the office yesterday when the power went out across the building.
Answer: D. had they entered
The structure 'Scarcely... when' describes two events happening in quick succession. When 'Scarcely' starts the sentence, we use inversion with the past perfect ('had they entered'). 'They entered' and 'they had entered' are wrong because they follow normal word order, while 'did they enter' is the wrong tense for this specific relationship between events.
-
Q4No sooner ___ the announcement this morning than the staff started cheering.
Answer: C. had they heard
'No sooner... than' requires inversion when placed at the start of a sentence. We use the past perfect 'had they heard' for the first action. Note that 'had they hear' is grammatically incorrect because 'had' must be followed by a past participle ('heard'). Options like 'they had heard' fail to use the required inverted word order.
-
Q5Not until the manager arrived at 9 AM ___ the workers know what to do.
Answer: A. did
When a sentence starts with 'Not until,' the inversion happens in the main clause, not the 'until' clause. Since the context is the past ('arrived'), we use the past simple auxiliary 'did' to create the inversion. 'Do' is the wrong tense, while 'would' and 'had' do not fit the past simple sequence established by 'arrived'.
-
Q6At no time last year ___ the company admit that they had made a mistake.
Answer: D. did the company
The negative phrase 'At no time' triggers inversion. Because the time marker 'last year' indicates the past simple, we use the auxiliary 'did' followed by the subject 'the company.' 'The company did' is incorrect because it uses normal word order, and 'has the company' uses the present perfect, which does not match the specific past time.
-
Q7In no way ___ this new policy affect our project timeline next month.
Answer: C. will it
'In no way' at the start of a sentence requires inversion. The time marker 'next month' signals the future, so the auxiliary 'will' must come before the subject 'it.' 'It will' is incorrect because it is not inverted, and 'does it' is the wrong tense (present) for a future event.
-
Q8Under no circumstances ___ you share your password with anyone during the training.
Answer: C. must you
'Under no circumstances' is a strong negative expression used for rules or commands. It requires the modal verb to come before the subject (inversion). 'Must you' is the correct inverted form. Options like 'you must' or 'you should' are incorrect because they use standard subject-verb word order.
-
Q9Barely ___ the curtains when the sun began to rise this morning.
Answer: D. had I opened
Starting a sentence with 'Barely' requires inversion. To show one action happened just before another in the past, we use the past perfect auxiliary 'had' before the subject 'I.' 'Did I opened' is grammatically impossible because 'did' must be followed by the base form 'open,' and 'I had opened' lacks the necessary inversion.
-
Q10Seldom ___ we see such a high level of cooperation between departments these days.
Answer: A. do
'Seldom' is a negative adverb that triggers inversion. The phrase 'these days' indicates we are talking about a current, general situation in the present simple. Therefore, we use the auxiliary 'do' before the subject 'we.' 'Did' is past tense, and 'has' is present perfect, neither of which fits the present simple context.
-
Q11Little ___ that the surprise party was being planned for him.
Answer: C. did he know
When 'Little' is used at the start to mean 'he didn't know at all,' it triggers inversion. Since the sentence describes a past situation ('was being planned'), we use the past simple auxiliary 'did.' 'He knew' is normal word order, and 'he had knowned' is incorrect because 'knowned' is not a valid word form (the past participle is 'known').
-
Q12On no account ___ you leave the laboratory unattended while the experiment is running.
Answer: B. must you
The formal expression 'On no account' triggers inversion when it begins a sentence. This means the modal 'must' must precede the subject 'you.' 'You must' and 'you should' use standard word order, which is incorrect here. 'You must to' is also a grammatical error, as the modal 'must' is followed by a base verb without 'to'.
-
Q13Which of the following is the correct version of this sentence? 'Rarely she comes to work on time.'
Answer: C. Rarely does she come to work on time.
Negative adverbials like 'Rarely' require subject-auxiliary inversion at the start of a sentence. In the present simple, we use 'do' or 'does.' For the subject 'she,' 'does' must come before the subject, making 'Rarely does she come' the only correct choice.
-
Q14Which of the following is the correct version of this sentence? 'Never I have seen such a mess in this office.'
Answer: C. Never have I seen such a mess in this office.
Starting a sentence with 'Never' requires inversion. In the present perfect ('have seen'), the auxiliary 'have' must move before the subject 'I.' This results in 'Never have I seen.' All other the other options are incorrect because they place the subject before the verb.
-
Q15Which of the following is the correct version of this sentence? 'Scarcely they had arrived when the rain started.'
Answer: A. Scarcely had they arrived when the rain started.
'Scarcely' requires inversion of the subject and the auxiliary 'had.' Therefore, 'Scarcely had they arrived' is correct. 'Scarcely they had arrived' uses standard word order, which is wrong after a starting negative adverbial, and 'had they arrive' is incorrect because 'had' requires the past participle 'arrived'.
-
Q16Which of the following is the correct version of this sentence? 'No sooner the bell had rung than the students left.'
Answer: A. No sooner had the bell rung than the students left.
With 'No sooner' at the start, we must invert the subject and auxiliary. 'Had' must come before 'the bell.' The choice 'did the bell rung' is incorrect because 'did' must be followed by the base form 'ring,' not the past participle 'rung.' 'No sooner the bell had rung' lacks the necessary inversion.
-
Q17Only then ___ the true meaning of his words during the meeting.
Answer: D. did I understand
Phrases starting with 'Only' (like 'Only then') trigger inversion in the main clause. Since the meeting is a finished past event, we use the past simple auxiliary 'did' before the subject 'I.' 'I understood' uses normal word order, which is incorrect in this emphatic structure.
-
Q18Only by working together ___ we overcome these challenges next year.
Answer: B. can
When a sentence begins with 'Only by,' the main clause must be inverted (auxiliary/modal before the subject). For the future context ('next year'), the modal 'can' is the most appropriate to express ability. 'Have' and 'do' do not fit grammatically with the verb 'overcome' in this context, and 'are' would require 'able to'.
-
Q19Only when the results were published yesterday ___ the public know the truth.
Answer: C. did
With 'Only when,' the inversion occurs in the main clause that follows the time clause. Because the results were published 'yesterday,' the main clause requires the past simple auxiliary 'did' before the subject 'the public.' 'Do' and 'have' are the wrong tenses, and 'was' does not work with the verb 'know'.
-
Q20Only after the meeting ended at noon ___ she realise the error.
Answer: D. did
A sentence starting with 'Only after' requires inversion in the main clause. Because the meeting 'ended' (past simple), the main clause uses the past simple auxiliary 'did' before the subject 'she.' 'Does' and 'has' are present tense, while 'had' would require the past participle 'realised'.
-
Q21Only in this way ___ you achieve the desired results by the deadline.
Answer: A. can
The phrase 'Only in this way' requires inversion. The modal 'can' must come before the subject 'you' to express possibility. 'You can' is incorrect because it uses normal word order. 'Are' and 'have' are not grammatically compatible with the base verb 'achieve'.
-
Q22Only later ___ that the keys had been stolen from the desk.
Answer: B. did we find out
'Only later' triggers inversion. Since the main event ('finding out') happened in the past, we use the past simple auxiliary 'did' before the subject 'we.' 'We found out' and 'we had found out' are incorrect because they do not use inverted word order.
-
Q23Only once ___ I met such a generous person in my life.
Answer: A. have
'Only once' triggers inversion. The context 'in my life' and the past participle 'met' indicate the present perfect tense. Therefore, we use 'have' before the subject 'I.' 'Has' is incorrect because it does not agree with 'I,' and 'did' would require the base form 'meet'.
-
Q24Only with your help ___ we finish the project on time.
Answer: B. can we
When a sentence starts with an 'Only' phrase, the subject and auxiliary must be inverted. 'Can we' correctly places the modal 'can' before the subject 'we.' 'We can,' 'we do,' and 'we are able to' all retain normal (non-inverted) word order, which is grammatically incorrect after a fronted 'Only' phrase.
-
Q25Only because he was late ___ he miss the start of the film.
Answer: A. did
'Only because' followed by a clause requires inversion in the main clause. Since the situation is in the past ('he was late'), we use the past simple auxiliary 'did' before the subject 'he.' 'Was' and 'had' are grammatically incorrect in this auxiliary role before 'miss,' and 'does' is the wrong tense.
-
Q26Which of the following is the correct version of this sentence? 'Only then I knew the answer to the question.'
Answer: C. Only then did I know the answer to the question.
'Only then' at the beginning of a sentence requires inversion. We place the auxiliary 'did' before the subject 'I' and use the base form 'know.' 'Only then I knew' is incorrect because it lacks inversion.
-
Q27Which of the following is the correct version of this sentence? 'Only by practicing you can improve your skills.'
Answer: A. Only by practicing can you improve your skills.
Starting a sentence with 'Only by' requires inversion in the main clause. The modal 'can' must move before the subject 'you.' Therefore, 'Only by practicing can you improve' is the correct structure. Options like 'you will' or 'you can' are incorrect because the subject comes before the auxiliary.
-
Q28Which of the following is the correct version of this sentence? 'Only when the rain stopped we could continue.'
Answer: D. Only when the rain stopped could we continue.
With 'Only when,' the inversion must happen in the main clause, not the 'when' clause. The main clause 'we could' becomes 'could we.' 'Only when the rain stopped could we continue' is the correct inverted structure.
-
Q29Only after the report was finished ___ he take a break.
Answer: D. did
'Only after' requires inversion in the main clause. The context is past simple, so we use the auxiliary 'did' before the subject 'he' followed by the base form 'take.' 'Was,' 'had,' and 'does' are incorrect because they do not fit the grammatical requirements of the verb 'take' in this past context.
-
Q30Only later ___ the full extent of the damage.
Answer: D. did we realise
'Only later' triggers inversion. In the past simple, this requires the auxiliary 'did' followed by the subject 'we' and the base verb 'realise.' 'Realised we' is incorrect because standard inversion in English requires an auxiliary verb (like 'do', 'have', or 'will') rather than just moving the main verb.
-
Q31Not only ___ she win the race, but she also broke the record.
Answer: A. did
When 'Not only' starts a sentence, the first clause must be inverted. Since the second clause ('broke') is in the past simple, the first clause must also be in the past simple using the auxiliary 'did.' 'Does' and 'has' are the wrong tenses, and 'was' cannot be used with the base verb 'win'.
-
Q32Not only ___ the hotel expensive, but it was also dirty.
Answer: D. was
'Not only' requires inversion. Since the second part of the sentence uses the past tense ('it was also dirty'), we use the past tense of the verb 'to be' ('was') and place it before the subject 'the hotel.' 'Did' is incorrect because 'expensive' is an adjective, not a verb.
-
Q33Not only ___ he late, but he also forgets his notes every time.
Answer: C. is
'Not only' triggers inversion. The second clause ('forgets... every time') shows the sentence is in the present simple. Thus, we use the present tense 'is' before the subject 'he.' 'Was' and 'did' are past tense forms, and 'had' does not fit with the adjective 'late'.
-
Q34Not only ___ the service slow, but the food was also cold.
Answer: D. was
The use of 'Not only' at the start requires inversion. The past tense context ('was also cold') means we must use the past tense of 'to be' ('was') before the subject 'the service.' 'Is' and 'does' are the wrong tenses, and 'did' cannot be used directly with the adjective 'slow'.
-
Q35Not only ___ we tired, but we were also hungry after the hike.
Answer: D. were
'Not only' triggers inversion. Since the context is past ('were also hungry'), we need the past tense verb 'were' placed before the subject 'we.' 'Are' is the wrong tense, and 'did' or 'had' do not work with the adjective 'tired'.
-
Q36Not only ___ she speak French, but she also speaks German fluently.
Answer: B. does
Starting with 'Not only' requires inversion. The second clause ('speaks') is in the present simple, so we use the present simple auxiliary 'does' before the subject 'she.' 'Did' is past tense, and 'is' or 'has' are not used to auxiliary the base verb 'speak'.
-
Q37Not only ___ the price too high, but the quality is poor.
Answer: C. is
'Not only' triggers inversion. The present tense 'is poor' in the second clause means we need the present tense 'is' before 'the price' in the first clause. 'Was' is the wrong tense, and 'does' or 'did' cannot be used with the adjective 'high'.
-
Q38Not only ___ he fail the test, but he also lost his book.
Answer: C. did
The phrase 'Not only' requires inversion. The second clause ('lost') is in the past simple, so we use the auxiliary 'did' before the subject 'he' and the base verb 'fail.' 'Was' is incorrect because 'fail' is a verb here, and 'has' is the wrong tense.
-
Q39Not only ___ she talented, but she is also very hardworking.
Answer: A. is
'Not only' triggers inversion. The second part of the sentence uses the present tense 'is,' so we use 'is' before the subject 'she.' 'Was' is past tense, and 'did' or 'has' do not grammatically function with the adjective 'talented'.
-
Q40Not only ___ they arrive on time, but they also brought gifts.
Answer: A. did
'Not only' triggers inversion. The second verb 'brought' is past simple, so we use the past simple auxiliary 'did' before the subject 'they.' 'Have' and 'has' are perfect tenses, and 'do' is present simple; none of these match the past simple context.
-
Q41Which of the following is the correct version of this sentence? 'Not only the price is high, but the quality is low.'
Answer: C. Not only is the price high, but the quality is low.
When 'Not only' starts a sentence, the first clause must be inverted. The verb 'is' should move before the subject 'the price.' 'Not only the price is high' is incorrect because it uses normal word order, and 'did the price high' is grammatically incorrect because 'did' needs a base verb, not an adjective.
-
Q42Which of the following is the correct version of this sentence? 'Not only she did win, but she also cheered.'
Answer: A. Not only did she win, but she also cheered.
'Not only' requires inversion at the start of the sentence. The auxiliary 'did' must come before the subject 'she.' 'Not only she did win' is incorrect because it maintains normal word order. 'Had she win' is wrong because 'had' requires the past participle 'won'.
-
Q43Which of the following is the correct version of this sentence? 'Not only he arrived late, but he also forgot the file.'
Answer: D. Not only did he arrive late, but he also forgot the file.
Starting a sentence with 'Not only' requires inversion. In the past simple, we use 'did' before the subject 'he' and follow it with the base verb 'arrive.' 'Not only he arrived late' is incorrect because it does not use the required inverted word order.
-
Q44The product is innovative. It is also very affordable. ___ innovative, it is also very affordable.
Answer: B. Not only is it
To combine these sentences using 'Not only' for emphasis, we must invert the subject 'it' and the verb 'is.' This gives us 'Not only is it.' 'Not only it is' is incorrect because it uses normal word order, and 'was it' is the wrong tense.
-
Q45The team worked efficiently. They finished the project early. ___ they work efficiently, but they finished early.
Answer: D. Not only did
Combining these past simple sentences ('worked', 'finished') with 'Not only' requires inversion. We use the past simple auxiliary 'did' before the subject 'they' and the base verb 'work.' 'Not only do' is the wrong tense, and 'were' or 'had' do not fit the grammar of the main verb 'work'.
Done? Submit to get your score.
Answer at least one question to submit. Questions you leave out count as skipped.