Task 1. Mark the following statements as true or false.

1. A traditional feature of word order in English is its fixed character that is based on subject-verb-object word order. true
false

2. End-focus is placing the new or most important idea in a piece of information at the beginning of the sentence, thus making it more prominent. true
false

3. End-weight is moving the more ‘weighty' part(s) of a sentence towards the end, thus making sentences ‘light' at the beginning. true
false

4. Such a shift when you put focus and emphasis on the subject of the sentence is known as fronting. true
false

5. A good way to highlight a subject complement is to use wh-cleft sentences. true
false

6. Inversion is generally recognized as conventional word order in English. true
false

7. Besides full and partial inversion some grammarians also distinguish double inversion. true
false

8. In some cases inversion may be devoid of any special coloring and be required by purely grammatical reasons. true
false

9. Front position is emphatic for adverbials of time, manner, degree and direction and is often accompanied by inversion. true
false

10. The main function of word order for the English language is communicative, while for the Russian language it is grammatical. true
false

Task 2. Identify the type of inversion as subject-operator or subject-verb and state its function.

E x a m p l e: Down flew the bird. – subject-verb, emphatic

1. Scarcely had he started speaking when the lights went out. ,
2. In the doorway stood Mr Big. ,
3. Out came the sun. ,
4. At no time was I asked my opinion on the subject. ,
5. Should danger come, we shall be prepared to meet it. ,
6. – She is a real opera fan. – So am I. ,
7. Here comes my brother. ,
8. Many a time did she plan to divorce her husband, but she never did. ,
9. Behind those mountains lies the canyon. ,
10. Long live heroes! ,
11. Have you ever cheated in an exam? ,
12. Down came the prices, up went the sales. ,
13. Were I you, I wouldn't tell them anything. ,
14. Far away in a dark wood stood a little hut. ,
15. Little did I know that I was speaking to someone as important as Professor Sims. ,

Task 3. Complete the following sentences using the words and phrases in the box. Each of them can be used only once.

at no point	in no way	little	never	not	not only
on no account	only after	scarcely	under no circumstances	rarely	no sooner

1. were the security guards to blame for what happened.
2. once did the old woman thank me for helping her.
3. seeing the doctor was Theresa allowed to leave hospital.
4. will passengers be allowed to carry more than 2 pieces of hand luggage.
5. were they late to work, but they also forgot to bring the reports.
6. during the party did anyone mention that Peter and Julie were getting married.
7. had Alan arrived in Mexico when he was arrested.
8. did the passengers know that the driver was really an undercover police officer.
9. do you meet anyone as charming as Mr. Peterson.
10. should unaccompanied children be allowed to enter the pub.
11. before has the company found itself facing such stiff competition.
12. had the alarm gone off than the police cars arrived.

Task 4. Paraphrase the sentences using inverted word order or stylistic emphasis.

1. I was so scared that I couldn't even scream.

that I couldn't even scream.

2. He didn't enjoy the show last night, and I didn't either.

He didn't enjoy the show last night, and .

3. They have met such good people nowhere before.

such good people.

4. The family tried to discover the truth in vain.

to discover the truth.

5. Though she was calculating of brain, Emily could be impulsive of heart.

, Emily could be impulsive of heart.

6. If I saw Jack much oftener, I could help him.

, I could help him.

7. The owl flew off through the open window.

through the open window.

8. The roar of the ocean came from behind the hills.

of the ocean.

9. She had wanted for her niece a nice English boy.

for her niece.

10. – I can speak English. – I can, too.

– I can speak English. – .

11. She had barely begun to study when her Dad rang the bell.

when her Dad rang the bell.

12. He had left silently, without so much as a good-bye. But it had been good-bye for him.

He had left silently, without so much as a good-bye. But for him.

13. I seldom leave my house so early.

my house so early.

Task 5. Choose the correct variant.

1. What a nice surprise this is from my beloved husband!
What a nice surprise is this from my beloved husband!

2. Down the road she went.
Down the road went she.

3. Only in business she was prepared to gamble.
Only in business was she prepared to gamble.

4. Although reluctant she was to leave her mother, Mari now realized that this was exactly what she must do.
Reluctant although she was to leave her mother, Mari now realized that this was exactly what she must do.

5. Had the match not been postponed because of heavy rain, the players wouldn't have been disadvantaged.
Hadn't the match been postponed because of heavy rain, the players wouldn't have been disadvantaged.

6. Bill is married, and so his elder brother is.
Bill is married, and so is his elder brother.

7. Were youth to know what old age would crave, it would both get and save.
Did youth know what old age would crave, it would both get and save.

8. I don't want to make a fuss, nor my classmates do.
I don't want to make a fuss, nor do my classmates.

9. – I wish the weather would improve. – So do I.
– I wish the weather would improve. – So I do.

10. Here came the rest of the cats.
Here the rest of the cats came.

Task 6. Translate the underlined parts into English using inversion.

1. Хоть я и сильно пытаюсь to understand his behavior, I can't agree with it.
2. Ни разу не пожаловалась она of pain.
3. Случись вам попасть в Kenya, go on safari.
4. – He is an expert in economics. – Так и есть .
5. Не успел он произнести слова, как she began laughing.
6. Ralph, несмотря на свою молодость, was one of the best of them.
7. Будь я на вашем месте , I wouldn't tell them anything.
8. Велико же было их удивление when they saw an unknown object in the sky.
9. Постарайтесь все-таки in future to accurately follow our instructions.
10. Было б у меня much more money, I would buy a car.

Correct answers	Mark
85–82	10
81–77	9
78–73	8
72–64	7
63–56	6
55–47	5
46–42	4
41–34	3
33–26	2
under 26 points gained	1

TEST 14

Word Order. Inversion