انجليزي متقدم فصل أول

 

1. Inversion

What is it?

Inversion means reversing the normal word order (putting the auxiliary verb or modal before the subject).
We use it mainly for emphasis after negative or limiting expressions.

Rule

Negative/Limiting Word + Auxiliary/Modal + Subject + Main Verb

If there is no auxiliary, use do/does/did.

Common negative words:

• Never / Rarely / Seldom
  Never before had I experienced such intense heat.

• Hardly / Scarcely / Barely … when
  Hardly had we set off when the buildings started to disappear.

• No sooner … than
  No sooner had we reached the top than I realised how high the dunes were.

• Only + when/after/by/then
  Only when we reached the top did I realise how high the dunes were.

• Little (= I didn’t know…)
  Little did I know what was going to happen.

• Under no circumstances / At no time / In no way
  Under no circumstances should you remove your seat belt.

Example 

Normal: I realised how high the dunes were only when we reached the top.
Inversion: Only when we reached the top did I realise how high the dunes were.

⚠️ Watch out!
❌ Only then I realised…
✅ Only then did I realise…

2. Cleft Sentences

What is it?

Cleft sentences “split” a sentence to highlight or emphasise one particular part (who, what, when, why, where).

Type A: It-cleft

It + be + focus + (that/who) + rest of the clause

• It was the flowing golden dunes which really impressed me.

• It was Dad who said it was like a rollercoaster.

Type B: Wh-cleft

What + clause + be + focus

• What really impressed me was the flowing golden dunes.

• What I loved most was the sense of speed.

• From the text: What followed was the ride of a lifetime.

Other patterns

• The only thing that… is…
  The only thing that mattered was safety.

• The reason why… is…
  The reason why we stopped was the heat.

• The day/time/place (when/where)… is/was…
  The day when I learnt to use cleft sentences was the best day of my life!

3. Inversion vs Cleft

• Inversion → highlights an adverbial phrase (Never, Only when, Hardly…).

• Cleft → highlights a part of the sentence (who, what, where, why).

Examples:

• Never before had I experienced such intense heat. → Inversion

• Only when we reached the top did I realise… → Inversion

• It was the flowing golden dunes which really impressed me. → It-cleft

• What followed was the ride of a lifetime. → Wh-cleft

4. Practice

A) Change to Inversion:

1. I had never experienced such intense heat before.
   Never before had I experienced such intense heat.

2. I only realised how high the dunes were when we reached the top.
   Only when we reached the top did I realise how high the dunes were.

3. We had hardly set off when the buildings started to disappear.
   Hardly had we set off when the buildings started to disappear.

B) Change to Cleft:
4. The flowing golden dunes really impressed me.
It was the flowing golden dunes that really impressed me.
What really impressed me was the flowing golden dunes.

5. Dad said it was like a rollercoaster.
   It was Dad who said it was like a rollercoaster.

6. Safety mattered most to us.
   The only thing that mattered was safety.
   What mattered most was safety.