Inversions?

Hi... Can you guys give me other examples of sentences that seem to have inverted structures? Apart from:
-Never will I talk about that issue.
-Not only can he speak French, Italian and Spanish but he can also (We never invert this part, the second clause, do we? We don't say 'but can he also', right?) speak Chinese, Japanese and Korean.
I hope you could give me other inversions similar to these:
e.g. Too big an oppotunity to miss.
Too big a job/opportunity/etc.
I suppose that's as good a plan as any.
(More examples please )

(Does this sound correct? Natural? Is is grammatically correct? I don't feel very comfortable. I'm not sure.)
"Thank you, if only you knew how big/great a help you gave/it was... (or is it necessary to put 'was' at the end...? 'how big a help you gave was'?)"
But we can just simply say "If only you knew how much help........." right?

I wanna master these inversions. Would really appreciate your help and links to rules and references. :-D

paochai01 said:

Hi... Can you guys give me other examples of sentences that seem to have inverted structures? Apart from:
-Never will I talk about that issue.
-Not only can he speak French, Italian and Spanish but he can also (We never invert this part, the second clause, do we? We don't say 'but can he also', right?) speak Chinese, Japanese and Korean.
I hope you could give me other inversions similar to these:
e.g. Too big an oppotunity to miss.
Too big a job/opportunity/etc.
I suppose that's as good a plan as any.
(More examples please )

(Does this sound correct? Natural? Is is grammatically correct? I don't feel very comfortable. I'm not sure.)
"Thank you, if only you knew how big/great a help you gave/it was... (or is it necessary to put 'was' at the end...? 'how big a help you gave was'?)"
But we can just simply say "If only you knew how much help........." right?

I wanna master these inversions. Would really appreciate your help and links to rules and references. :-D

Click to expand...

NOT A TEACHER


(1) Have you checked Mr. Michael Swan's very popular Practical

English Usage? He gives many helpful examples.

(2) Here are just a few that I found in his very good book:

(a) adjective/adverb + as + clause

(i) Cold as it was, we went out.
(ii) Bravely though they fought, they had no chance of winning.

(b) Here is a sampling of other kinds of inversions that are given

in his book:

(i) Under no circumstances can we cash cheques [checks].
(ii) She was very religious, as were most of her friends.
(iii) Were she my daughter .... (= If she were my daughter ....)
(iv) On the grass sat an enormous frog.
(v) He believed, as did all his family, that ....

(c) Here are two examples that I have just remembered:

Martha: Would you like a donut?

Tony (smiling): No, thanks. Donuts I don't need!!! I'm already

too overweight!!! (Instead of "I don't need donuts." We use inversion

to be slightly humorous.)

***

Ralph: I cannot understand this math problem.

Mona: Why don't you ask your uncle for help?

Ralph: Are you kidding (joking)? An [Albert] Einstein he isn't.

("He isn't an Einstein" = He isn't very intelligent.)


Respectfully yours,


James

Hi James! So nice to hear from you again. Guess what, I've got Michael Swan's Practical English Usage and it's my most favorite book ever but... err... Haven't read it for a while. Thanks for your examples and for reminding me again about that book.
Yes, the inversion we use to be slightly humorous I know. lol Thanks!

Hmm, what about...
1. "Not only can he speak French, Italian and Spanish but he can also (We never invert this part, the second clause, do we? We don't say 'but can he also', right?) speak Chinese, Japanese and Korean.
2. (Does this sound correct? Natural? Is is grammatically correct? I don't feel very comfortable. I'm not sure.)
"Thank you, if only you knew how big/great a help you gave/it was... (or is it necessary to put 'was' at the end...? 'how big a help you gave was'?)"
But we can just simply say "If only you knew how much help........." right?

And please give me more examples similar to:
Too big an oppotunity to miss.
Too big a job/opportunity/etc.
I suppose that's as good a plan as any.

paochai01 said:

Hi James! So nice to hear from you again. Guess what, I've got Michael Swan's Practical English Usage and it's my most favorite book ever but... err... Haven't read it for a while. Thanks for your examples and for reminding me again about that book.
Yes, the inversion we use to be slightly humorous I know. lol Thanks!

Hmm, what about...
1. "Not only can he speak French, Italian and Spanish but he can also (We never invert this part, the second clause, do we? We don't say 'but can he also', right?) speak Chinese, Japanese and Korean.
2. (Does this sound correct? Natural? Is is grammatically correct? I don't feel very comfortable. I'm not sure.)
"Thank you, if only you knew how big/great a help you gave/it was... (or is it necessary to put 'was' at the end...? 'how big a help you gave was'?)"
But we can just simply say "If only you knew how much help........." right?

And please give me more examples similar to:
Too big an oppotunity to miss.
Too big a job/opportunity/etc.
I suppose that's as good a plan as any.

Click to expand...

NOT A TEACHER


Thanks for your kind note.

Like you, I am eager to see what the great teachers and

enthusiastic non-teachers say in answer to your great question.


James


P.S. While we are waiting for them, I found something in

Harper's English Grammar by Dr. John B. Opdycke. I do not know

whether this is what you are looking for:


many a boy
too severe a strain
how excellent a view
so sweet a story
too great a sacrifice
all the more
all the greater reason


And from Professors Pence & Emery's A Grammar of Present-Day

English:

many a man
so great an ordeal
too sweeping a statement
how great a menace


Respectfully yours,


James

Hey, you're always most welcome. Oh I see. Ok, let's wait for their comments. Hey James! Gosh! You know lots of books! I've just bought Modern American Usage by Bryan Garner. I think I'm gonna buy that Harper's and Pence and Emery's. You actually found the most perfect and exact examples I've been looking for, you know? Great great great! Love the examples. Can you tell me other good books similar to these ones including Michael Swan's? I'm helping out a friend learning English but I'm no grammar guru nor English teacher but I'm trying my best to help. I can't give him any other examples. It's good for me as well. I haven't been very impressive with my spoken and written English for some time. It's a good refresher.

paochai01 said:

Hey, you're always most welcome. Oh I see. Ok, let's wait for their comments. Hey James! Gosh! You know lots of books! I've just bought Modern American Usage by Bryan Garner. I think I'm gonna buy that Harper's and Pence and Emery's. You actually found the most perfect and exact examples I've been looking for, you know? Great great great! Love the examples. Can you tell me other good books similar to these ones including Michael Swan's? I'm helping out a friend learning English but I'm no grammar guru nor English teacher but I'm trying my best to help. I can't give him any other examples. It's good for me as well. I haven't been very impressive with my spoken and written English for some time. It's a good refresher.

Click to expand...

NOT A TEACHER


(1) Thank you for your kind note.

(2) As you can understand, this website does not want any

free advertising, but I think the moderators allow posters to

suggest books if the moderators think that the poster is not

being paid to publicize a book.

(3) I notice that you live in the beautiful and peaceful country

of New Zealand. If you live in a big city, I imagine that you

can go to a bookstore to check out these two books I shall

name before you spend your hard-earned money to buy them.

(4) Before you think about buying Harper's or Pence and Emery's,

I suggest two other books more suitable for learners:

Grammar in use by Mr. Raymond Murphy.
He has written a series, depending on one's level of understanding.
I understand that you can buy an edition with or without the answers to the book's exercises.

You should definitely check out his series. It's presented in a easy-to-understand way and the chapters are short (and illustrated). And it has
exercises (be sure to get the edition with answers!!!). I hear that
beginning, intermediate, and even advanced students like his books very much.

The Azar-Hagen Grammar Series.
Ms. Betty Azar has written several books. I have read only one in the past. I do not have a copy now. It was for advanced students. They really liked it. It explains things very well. I understand it is now online, too. She has books for all levels. The book I saw was all business. Very
serious and complete.

If you are tutoring someone, I think that you would fine those two series of books very helpful. I do not think that Harper's or Pence and Emery's would be appropriate for your purposes.

And as you know, this website along with the Web has many lessons and
tests that you can use in tutoring.




Best of luck.


James

Hi, James, you're welcome. Hey, thanks! I love every word you said in item number 3! And sorry about the delay! Been to a holiday. Yup, I've got Grammar in Use but the old versions. I checked Cambridge's website and they seem to have updated most of their books. I just bought online the 3rd edition. Their Vocabulary in Use is pretty good too! But gosh, everything's updating. I'll be broke soon. Hey, also, I've just ordered online the Azar-Hagen's Grammar Series. Never heard of that. Thanks very much James! Can't wait to read all these. Well, yeah, I know there's quite a lot of online grammar tests and stuff but they're so many I'm not bothered to check them one by one so I just ask the best books from the pros. Just like now. Thanks again!