Joy English
Joy English

C1 Gramática

C1Inversión22 min

Inversión tras adverbiales negativos y restrictivos

Inversion after negative and restrictive adverbials

Coloca el auxiliar antes del sujeto tras expresiones como hardly, not until y under no circumstances.

Cuando una oración empieza con un adverbial negativo o restrictivo, el inglés suele invertir el sujeto y el verbo auxiliar. Esta inversion da más énfasis a la escritura formal y a los discursos. Compara la oración neutra She had rarely seen such skill con la enfática Rarely had she seen such skill.

Expresión inicialEstructuraEjemplo
Never, rarely, seldom, littleadverb + auxiliary + subjectSeldom do we get such honest feedback.
Hardly / scarcely ... whenhad + subject + past participleHardly had the talk begun when the lights failed.
No sooner ... thanhad + subject + past participleNo sooner had she left than the phone rang.
Not only ... but (also)auxiliary + subjectNot only did he apologise, but he also paid for the damage.
Only after / only when / not untilauxiliary + subject in the main clauseOnly after the storm did the villagers see the damage.
Under no circumstances, on no account, at no timeauxiliary or modal + subjectOn no account should the door be left open.
Nowhere, in no way, by no meansauxiliary + subjectNowhere in the report is the cost mentioned.

Si la oración no tiene verbo auxiliar, añade do, does or did, igual que en una pregunta: Little did they know that the contract was already void. Con el verbo be, se mueve el propio be: Never was the city so quiet.

Inversión condicional

En inglés formal puedes omitir if e invertir en su lugar. Esto funciona con had, were y should. El significado no cambia, pero el registro se vuelve más elevado.

  • Had I known the risks, I would have refused. (If I had known ...)
  • Were the funding to be cut, the project would collapse. (If the funding were cut ...)
  • Should you need further help, contact the office. (If you should need ...)
  • Not until the results arrived did anyone suspect an error.

Ejercicio 1 de 2

Elige la forma correcta

Elige la opción que completa correctamente cada oración.

  1. Not only _____ the deadline, but she also exceeded every target.

  2. Rarely _____ such a thoughtful reply to harsh criticism.

  3. No sooner had the lecture begun _____ the projector stopped working.

  4. Hardly had we sat down _____ the waiter brought the menus.

  5. Only after the results were published _____ the scale of the problem.

  6. Under no circumstances _____ the storage room be left unlocked.

  7. Little _____ that the decision would change her career for ever.

  8. Nowhere in the whole document _____ any mention of the budget overrun.

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Ejercicio 2 de 2

Completa las frases

Escribe una palabra en cada hueco para que la oración sea correcta y formal.

  1. Not until the sensors failed the engineers notice the fault.

  2. No sooner had she arrived the meeting started.

  3. Seldom I seen such careful craftsmanship.

  4. Only when the lights went out we realise how quiet the town was.

  5. On no account the exhibits be touched by visitors.

  6. Hardly the film begun when the power went off.

  7. Not only the manager apologise, but he also offered a full refund.

  8. I known the risks, I would have declined the offer.

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Fuente

Lección original de Joy English.

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