Negative and limiting adverbials

Sometimes you can place a negative or limiting adverbial in the front position in a sentence to create emphasis. This effect is most frequently found in writing.

Word Order

In this type of sentence, the subject+auxiliary word order is inverted.

     I have never seen anything quite so breathtaking.

     Never have I seen anything quite so breathtaking.

The same thing happens with the verb be.

    It is not only one of the oldest cities on Earth, it is also one of the most beautiful.

     Not only is it one of the oldest cities on Earth, it is also one of the most beautiful.

In the present simple and past simple, use do/does or did.

     We rarely visit that part of town.

     Rarely do we visit that part of town

Negative adverbials

Not a + noun
Not a word did she say to anyone.

Not until + verb phrase
Not until I got home did I realise how lucky I'd been.

Not until + noun phrase
Not until the end did I realise how lucky I'd been.

Under no circumstances
Under no circumstances are you to leave before you finish the exercise.

On no account
On no account can they claim to be the best.

Never
Never had I seen such a beautiful sight.

No sooner...than
No sooner had I arrived than the doorbell rang.

Limiting adverbials

Only + by + -ing
Only by bribing the police officer was he able to get away.

Only + conjunction + verb phrase
Only if he promised to help would she tell him where he had left left his keys.
Only after they had finished their lunch were they allowed to play outside.
Only when I took the test did I realise how little I knew!

Little
Little did the know that we were following them.


Rarely/Seldom
Rarely had I seen such a beautifu sight.


Barely/Hardly/Scarcely...when
Barely had I arrived when the doorbell rang.