Inversion for Emphasis

In formal English writing and speeches, we sometimes put the verb before the subject for emphasis. This is called **inversion**. **Common patterns:** 1. **Negative adverbs at the start:** - Never **have I** seen such beauty. (Normal: I have never seen...) - Rarely **does she** make mistakes. - Not only **did he** win, but he also broke the record. 2. **"Hardly/Scarcely...when" and "No sooner...than":** - Hardly **had** the match begun **when** it started raining. - No sooner **had** the PM spoken **than** the opposition protested. 3. **"Were" in conditionals (formal):** - **Were** I the PM, I would invest in education. (= If I were the PM) 4. **"So/Such...that":** - So impressive **was** his speech **that** the audience gave a standing ovation.