Thread: Not until
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Old 14-Nov-2003, 11:41
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Default Re: Not until

Quote:
Originally Posted by nicolas
Why do we put auxiliary verb "did" there?
Not until he arrived home did he find he'd left it in the restaurant.
( the 2nd sentence is correct, isn't it? )
Yes. The 2nd part, "did he find he'd left..." is OK. :D

he did (in fact) find.... (did refers to 'it's a fact'; used for emphasis)

Quote:
Originally Posted by nicolas
When would we put auxiliary verb in that position? When and Why?
did he (in fact) find.... (did is moved to the verb position)

Not until X verb Y
X = he had arrived home
Y = he find he had left the key....

If we add a verb, then 'did' becomes ungrammatical:

It was not until he had arrived home did he find.... Ungrammatical

:D

By the way, the original sentence is not grammatical to me. I prefer:

Not until he had arrived home did he find he had left....

:D
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