Inversión y énfasis
Algunas expresiones negativas o restrictivas, al ir al principio de la frase, obligan a poner el auxiliar delante del sujeto, como en una pregunta. Es un registro formal que sale en la parte 4 y deja huecos fáciles de reconocer en la parte 2.
Inversión
- never / rarely / seldom
Auxiliar + sujeto + verbo.
- Never have I seen such a beautiful sunset.
- Rarely do we get snow in this part of the country.
- no sooner … than / hardly … when
Una cosa pasó justo después de otra. Suele ir con past perfect.
- No sooner had I sat down than the phone rang.
- Hardly had we arrived when it started to rain.
- not only … but also
La inversión va solo en la primera parte.
- Not only did she win the race, but she also broke the record.
- only when / only after / not until
La inversión va en la oración principal, no en la de tiempo.
- Only when I got home did I realise I had lost my wallet.
- Not until the next morning did we hear the news.
- under no circumstances / on no account
Prohibición fuerte.
- Under no circumstances should you open this door.
- only + otra expresión / so + adjetivo … that
También invierten only con una expresión de modo o tiempo, y so + adjetivo al principio.
- Only by working hard can you pass this exam.
- So loud was the music that nobody could sleep.
- little
Significa que alguien no tenía ni idea.
- Little did he know that his life was about to change.
- had / should / were + sujeto
Condicional sin if.
- Should you need any help, just call me.
- Were I in your position, I would accept.
- so / neither / nor + auxiliar + sujeto
«Yo también» y «yo tampoco».
- I love jazz, and so does my sister.
- She can't swim, and neither can I.
- She doesn't eat meat, and nor does her brother.
Énfasis sin inversión
- it is / it was … who / that
Destaca una parte de la frase.
- It was Maria who found the solution.
- what … is / was
«Lo que…» al principio.
- What I need is a long holiday.
- all … is / was
«Lo único que…».
- All I want is a quiet weekend.
Cómo resolverlo
Cuando veas al principio de la frase una de las expresiones de la tabla (never, rarely, not only, only when, not until, under no circumstances…), busca el auxiliar del tiempo que corresponde y ponlo delante del sujeto. Si en la frase original no hay auxiliar, usa do, does o did y deja el verbo en infinitivo. Luego cuenta las palabras: en la parte 4 son de dos a cinco, con la palabra clave incluida. Si only va con el sujeto (Only Tom knew), no hay inversión.
Dónde aparece en el examen
- Parte 4: As soon as I arrived, it started to rain → No sooner had I arrived than it started to rain.
- Parte 4: I didn't realise until I got home → It was only when I got home that I realised o Not until I got home did I realise.
- Parte 2: faltan had, did, than, when, only, so, neither o what.
Trampas típicas
- Si la frase no tiene auxiliar, añade do, does o did, y el verbo va en infinitivo: Rarely does he complain.
- No sooner va con than; hardly y scarcely, con when.
- Con not until y only when, invierte la oración principal: Only when he left did I relax.
- So y neither repiten el auxiliar de la primera frase: I've finished → So have I.
Ojo.En español el adverbio va delante sin cambiar el orden, y se copia esa estructura. ✗ Never I have seen such a mess. ✓ Never have I seen such a mess.
Ojo.Se mezcla la pareja de no sooner con la de hardly. ✗ No sooner had we left when it began to snow. ✓ No sooner had we left than it began to snow.
Dónde cae en el examen
- Parte 2 · Open cloze , con ejercicios de muestra
- Parte 4 · Key word transformation , con ejercicios de muestra