PART I:

INTRODUCTION

1.1. Rationale
English is one of the necessary subjects for students in general, and it is
more important for high school students because it is not only a compulsory subject
at school but also a subject of decision in the important contests as high school
exams and university entrance exams. It is considered as a main key to open the
treasure of human knowledge. Like other languages, there are ways to emphasize in
English. Knowledge of inversion is an emphasized way which is quite popular in
English. For students, it is not easy to understand this form of emphasic and
distinguish the differences in different situations. As soon as students entered High
school, teachers had to think about how to systematize elementary knowledge in
English in order that students could be easily master these elements . During the
teaching process, I found that Inversion is one of the basic and important
knowledge sections, but this knowledge was not fully synthesized in reference
books and textbooks are only mentioned few simple structures. While most of the
exams for high school students have sentences related to inversion, most of
students are embarrassed when they encounter these types of exercises.
Therefore, I chose the topic "Systematizing the use of Inversion to prepare for
GCSE examination at Ha Van Mao Upper Secondary School" to provide a
relatively complete system of using this topic to help students learn more
effectively.
In my initiative experience, I focused on the theory of Inversion. In each
section, there is a simple, easy-to-understand example. Next is the exercise
assignments arranged from easy to difficult levels.
1.2. Aims of the study
This study is conducted to help students of Ha Van Mao upper secondary school
to understand Inversion more clearly. Furthermore, it is hoped that students learn
how to use inversion phenomenon. To summarize the above, my study is aimed at:

Nowadays, English is a language widely used in the world. It is the official
language of many countries and many people use it as a second language.It is used
as the language of many important fields, such as: aviation, sports, business,
engineering, etc. It can be easily seen that we need to master English to be able to
have better access to human knowledge, and with international integration.
Therefore, equipping students with good knowledge of this language and the skills
to use it is very important.
Inversion is regarded as one of the essentially grammatical sections in English.
It is generally understood as a way to reverse certain words or phrases at the
beginning of a sentence. Then the verb form in the sentence is like a question but
the sentence has no "?" And the purpose is not to ask but is to emphasize. There are
also cases when verbs are often reversed in front of the subject without the need for
verbs. For having the knowledge system to students adequately on Inversion, I
have also refered to many different books. In this study, I am focusing on the
following key issues:
- Distinguish between island and question.
- Inverted structures.
- Homework exercises and answers.
2. Practical background
To master the knowledge of any subject, learners must meet some basic
requirements. First of all, they have to understand basic elements. Next, students
have to apply that knowledge to do the tasks given by their teachers. Learning
English is the same, it requires learners systematize fully and remember correctly.
Knowledge of Inversion has always been a challenge for students because of its
diversity.
In teaching practice, we can see that not all students master or systemize the
knowledge related to this topic.
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As far as disadvantageous aspects are concerned, the teaching and learning the
knowledge of inversion in my school have some common difficulties :
- There are many structures which confuse students
- Teaching and learning facilities are limited.
- Some students are not really aware of the importance of English, so they have
not worked hard and their background knowledge is not good.
- Teachers have not yet encouraged students' self-study, and students’s learning
at school doesn’t recieve lots of attention from parents.
- Theories and exercises on this topic are not introduced in textbooks. The
grammar books and reference books also do not fully systemize this section.
Therefore, teachers and students have difficulty in the knowledge system as well as
finding practical exercises.
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CHAPTER 3. THE USE OF INVERSION IN ENGLISH.
1. DISTRIBUTION BETWEEN INVERSION AND INTERROGATIVE.

Inversion is a form of reversing the position of a subject and a verb or a
auxiliary verbs in a sentence when certain words or phrases are placed at the
beginning of a sentence. The end of the sentence without the "?" with the purpose is
not to ask but to emphasize.
Here is an example of Inversion:
No sooner had we left our school than it started to rain.

4


There comes the bus.


So
Eg: - My father likes football. So does my brother.( My brother likes football too.)
- She didn’t see the film on TV last night. Neither did I. / Nor did I.(I didn’t
see the film on TV last night either)
2.4. Inversion with ONLY
Only once
Only later
+ auxiliary + S + V(infinitive)
Only then
Only by/in/with/at…+ Noun/V+ing
Eg: - Only by working hard could he feed the family.
- Only later did I know who he was.
- Only in this bookshop can you buy this book.
Only when
Only after + clause + auxiliary + S + V(infinitive)
Only if
Eg:

- Only after he had graduated, did he start looking for a job.
- Only after all guests had gone home, could we relax.
2.5. Inversion with some phrases
At no time
On no occasion
On no account
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Under / in no circumstances + auxiliary + S + V
For no reason
In no way

Eg: - No where do I feel as comfortable as I do at home.
- No where could we find him.
2.10. Inversion with SO … THAT …; SUCH … THAT …
So + adj/adv + auxiliary + S + V + that + clause
Eg: - So dark is it that I can’t write.
= It is so dark that I can’t write.
- So difficult was the exam that few students passed it.
So + adj + a/an + noun + clause + that + clause
Eg: So nice a day it was that all of us wanted to go out for a picnic.
7


So little
So few
So much
So many + ( noun ) + auxiliary + S +V + that + clause
Eg: - So much did he drink that he didn’t know the way to his home.
Such + be + noun + that + clause
Eg: - Such was the force of the storm that all the trees were uprooted.
2.11. Inversion with HERE and THERE
Here + be / main Verb + noun
There
Eg: - Here comes the bus.
- Here are the answers.
- There goes the bus.
Note:
Here + pronoun + be / main Verb
There
Eg: - Here he comes.
- There they arrive.

= I will give him your message should I meet him.
Type 2:
If clause = Were + S + ( to V )
Eg: - If I were you, I would work harder.
= Were I you, I would work harder.
- If I knew her, I would invite her to the party.
= Were I to know her, I would invite her to the party.
Type 3:
If clause = had + S + ( not ) + past participle
Eg: - If my parents hadn’t encouraged me, I wouldn’t have passed the exam.
= Had my parents not encouraged me, I wouldn’t have passed the exam.
2.15. Inversion with adverbs of order. ( first, second…)
Eg: - First came the ambulance.
2.16. Inversion with verbs SAY, ASK, … in reported speech.
Eg: - “What do you mean?” Henry asked / asked Henry.
But: - “What do you mean?” he asked.

3. Inversion exercises and keys.
Exercise 1. Rewrite these sentences, putting the underlined part in the first
position.
1. She rarely smiles at me.
2. You can buy this book only in this shop.
3. She never in life feels happy.
4. My teacher is no longer teaching in this school.
5. He never smokes in bed.
6. She has never seen such a beautiful sight.
7. I know little about computer.
8.The rich man seldom help the poor.
9. They rarely talk in class.
10. She has made good progress only within two months.

6. So old __ that she can’t dance.
a. she isn’t
b. she is
c. isn’t she
d. is she
7. Never __ the work been so easy.
a. is
b. does
c. have
d. has
8. Nowhere __ such cooperative staff.
a. you can find
b. you find
c. can you find
d. you do find
9. Seldom __ a newspaper.
a. buys Anna
b. does Anna buy
c. Anna does buy d. Anna buys
10. Only by saving money, __ a house.
a. he buy
b. he can buy
c. buy he
d. can he buy
11. Not even once __ the truth.
a. he tells
b. he has told
c. has he told
d. do he tell
12. No sooner __ than he begins to be washed.

- Seldom ………………………………………………………
6. They little suspected that the musical was going to be a runaway success.
- Little …………………………………………………………
7. The embassy staff little realized that Tet was a secret agent.
- Little …………………………………………………………
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8. I had hardly apologized when the door closed.
- Hardly ……………………………………………………….
9. The shop can in no way hold responsibility for customers’ lost property.
- In no …………………………………………………………
10. The couple had no sooner arrived than the priest started the ceremony.
- No sooner ……………………………………………………
11. Tom only understood the meaning of the comment when he saw his wife’s face.
- Only ………………………………………………………….
12. The restaurant can not accept animals under any circumstances.
- Under …………………………………………………………
13. The artist rarely paid any attention to his agent’s advice.
- Rarely ………………………………………………………...
14. Her grief was so great that she almost fainted.
- So ……………………………………………………………..
15. He got down to writing the letter as soon as he returned from his walk.
- No sooner ……………………………………………………..
Exercise 4. Supply the correct form of the verbs in the brackets.
1. Never before I ( accept ) a bribe.
2. Not only they ( rob ), they ( smash ) everything too.
3. Not until he ( get ) home he ( realize ) that he ( lose ) his wallet.
4. On no account this switch ( must ) ( touch ).
5. Only by shouting he ( be ) able ( make ) himself heard.

4. Only in Britain … the notion of a gentleman’s agreement be understood.
5. Not only … the piano brilliantly but she also sings well.
6. Never in my life … so humiliated.
7. Under no circumstances … the fire doors be locked.
8. Not once during her entire life … in trouble with the law.
9. Not only … rather naïve but he also seems to be very sensitive.
10. Seldom … any assistance or advice.
ANSWER KEY
Exercise 1.
1. Rarely does she smile at me.
2. Only in this shop can you buy this book.
3. Never in life does she feel happy.
4. No longer is my teacher teaching in this school.
5. Never does he smoke in bed.
6. Never has she seen such a beautiful sight.
7. Little do I know about computer.
8. Seldom does the rich man help the poor.
9. Rarely do they talk in class.
10. Only within two months has she made good progress.
11. No longer do they work here.
12. Only in summer is it hot enough to sit outside
13. Never have we been to London.
14. Seldom is it wise to say too much about oneself.
15. Rarely do we eat out.
Exercise 2.
1.C
2.B 3.C 4.A 5.B 6.D 7.D 8.C 9.B 10.D
11.C 12.A 13.B 14.D 15.B
Exercise 3.
1. Never had he been so happy before.

12. does he meet
13. have they managed
14. go the children
15. did she realize
Exercise 5.
1. Only by experiencing can we get experience.
2. Hardly had he left the room when the telephone rang.
3. Never does Bill talk about his background.
4. So immense are the distances between the planets that it’s impossible for us to
measure.
5. Not only did they refuse to give me a helping hand but they also made faces at
me.
6. So angry was the director that none of his employees dared to utter a word.
7. Were I the Prime Minister, I’d reduce taxes.
8. No sooner had the lecturer begun to talk than many people booed.
9. Near the Town Hall stands the new monument.
10. Had she met him before, she might have married him.
Exercise 6.
1. have I seen
2. would/could
3. must/should/can this
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4. could/can
5. does she play
6. have/had I been
7. should/must
8. has she been
9. is he

a. do we have
b. we do have
c. have we
d. we have
7. Many a time __ he wants to marry me.
a. said he
b. he said
c. has he said
d. he has said
8. Only at weekend __ my kids to Water Park.
a. I don’t take
b. do I take
c. I take
d. I do take
9. So old __ that she couldn’t dance.
a. she wasn’t
b. she was
c. wasn’t she
d. was she
10. __ here yesterday, you would have met her.
a. Were you
b. You were
c. Had you been
d. You had been
11. On the battle field __.
a. the tank did lie
b. the tank lays
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c. so surprising
d. surprising enough
18. Such __ that we all felt numb.
a. a cold weather was
b. was a cold weather
c. cold the weather
d. was cold weather
19. __ that he felt he didn’t need to revise any more.
a. So confident was that arrogant student of passing
b. Such was the confidence of that arrogant student on passing
c. So confident in passing was that arrogant student
d. Such confidence in passing did that arrogant student have
20. Not until __ himself seriously ill.
a. he had complete the task did he find
b. had he completed the task did he find
c. had he completed the task he found
d. did he completed the task he had
21. Never before __ such a disaster.
a. They suffer
b. they have suffered
c. they suffered
d. have they
suffered
22. Only once a day __ home.
a. we can speak
b. can we speak
c. we speak
d. we can’t speak
23. Hardly __ out when it started to rain
a. they went

8. I saw only then the danger we were in.
9. He didn’t realize that he had lost the key until he got home.
10. They not only robbed, they smashed everything too.
KEY
I.
1. A
6. A
11. D
16. D
2. C
7. C
12. D
17. C
3. C
8. B
13. A
18. D
4. B
9. D
14. A
19. A
5. D
10.C
15. B
20. A
II.
1. than
2. Not
3. Were
4. So

35
12A3
38
12A5
38

Very
Good
2 5.7%
1 2.6%
0
0%

Moderately
good
7
20%
6
15.7%
4
10.5%

Average
17
16
17

48.5%
42.1%
44.7%

48.5%
15
39.4%
14
36.8%

Average
8
14
15

23%
36.8%
39.4%

Weak
1
3
5

2.8%
8.1%
13.3%

PART III: CONCLUSION
1. Important issues mentioned in the initiative
In this initiative, I have fully systematized the theory of inversion in English.
Besides, there are special cases of inversion knowledge and the knowledge related
to inversion. Attached to the theory is a rich exercise section from easy to difficult
levels.

to remember logically. Of course, knowledge is infinite and language changes over
time. Therefore, I am looking forward to the leadership equiping us with equipment
and materials to help us have better teaching conditions and learning with high
effectiveness .I also look forward to receiving the contributions from professionals,
English teachers for my study to make it better .
XÁC NHẬN CỦA TỔ TRƯỞNG
CHUYÊN MÔN

Thanh Hãa, ngµy 26 th¸ng 4 N¨m
2019
Cam kÕt kh«ng copy
DƯƠNG NGỌC

LỊCH
XÁC NHẬN CỦA THỦ TRƯỞNG
ĐƠN VỊ

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REFERENCES
1. A.J. Thomson and A.V. Martinet A practical English Grammar, Oxford
University Press
2. Chu Xuân Nguyên Ngữ pháp tiếng Anh, World Publishing House, Vietnam
3. Mai Lan Hương, Hà Thanh Uyên Giải thích ngữ pháp, Da Nang Publishing
House, Vietnam
4. Michael A. Pyle, M.A and Mary Ellen Munoz, M.A Toefl, Education Publishing
House, Vietnam
5. Michael Swan Practical English Usage, Oxford University Press
6. Phạm Khuê Ngữ pháp tiếng Anh, Da Nang Publishing House, Vietnam