Giving Emphasis

Subject-verb inversion occurs as standard in questions. Otherwise it is used in

formal English to give emphasis or dramatic effect to what we are writing about.
This type of inversion is introduced by certain words like the ones in bold in the
sentences below.
To learn about the changes that take place when we give emphasis by using
subject-verb inversion, read the following sentences and fill in the gaps by naming
the syntactic categories of the words above them.

Nowhere is the expansion of English seen more clearly than in the development of ‘net English’.
Nowhere + ______ + _____________________

We know little about African dialects.

Little do we know about African dialects.
Adverb + __________ + __________ + main
with verb _______
restrictive
meaning

English had never had a dominant role before the expansion of the British empire.
Never ______ English _____ a dominant role before the expansion of the British empire.
_______ + ________ + ___________ + _______
with ________ _______
negative
meaning

We use this pattern of inversion after the following words:

adverbs with ‘restrictive’ or negative Hardly had he watched the clock for lunch
meaning: e.g. hardly/scarcely (… when), no break when the bell rang.
sooner (… than), seldom, rarely, little, No sooner had she bought that toy than
never) she regretted it.

only when used with other words to Only later did the Polish migrant get a
complete a phrase residence permit.
Only with much effort was she able to
finish the work on time.

(in) no way, under no circumstances, in In no way are the workers going to stop
vain, at no time, on no account fighting for their rights.

not only (… but also) Not only is he late, but he has also
forgotten to bring his coursebook.

neither or nor Many Chinese factory workers don’t have

health insurance, neither do many
Indonesian workers.