[General] Two tricky multiple answer questions.

[Maudlin]

Hey, folks.

I've been doing some online tests for the last weeks, ready to give them to my Upper-Intermediate students. However, I do not fully agree with the given answers, so your opinion and explanation would be greatly appreciated. Here are two of the tricky questions:

1. Not only ..... to London but she also visited many other places in England.

a/ she went
b/ went she
c/ did she go

2. Rarely .... meat.

a/ I eat
b/ do I eat
c/ I have eaten


I expect your help.

Thank you in advance.

 

[Tdol]

I'd use c & b.

 

[SoothingDave]

I'd use c & b.

Me, too. "B" is possible for #1, but it would be an odd, poetic use of inversion. Certainly not a natural sentence.

I always eat my meat medium rare. ;-)

 

[Maudlin]

Thanks a lot! These were my proposals as well. However, the system gave different answer for question 1. Anyway, could you suggest easier way to explain the right answers? What makes students confused is why "do and did" (in examples 1 and 2) are before the lexical verbs when the sentence is not interrogative.

 

[Nicklexoxo]

Hello.

While I was reading the thread I got a question: Why can we use "a" in the first and "a" in the second? Where can I find that rule?

Thanks in advance,
Nickle.

 

[Tdol]

However, the system gave different answer for question 1

Maudlin, was that a quiz on this site? If so, could you give me the name of the quiz so I can correct it.

If they're looking at these questions, then they should be able to get the idea that we invert verbs after certain structures and words when they come at the start of the sentence. Tell them, they were designed by sadistic teachers and examiners to keep themselves in jobs, which is why they appear in so many tests.

 

[Tdol]

While I was reading the thread I got a question: Why can we use "a" in the first and "a" in the second? Where can I find that rule?

You can''t use a) in either question. After some negative adverbs and phrases, we invert the verb. It's correct to say I have never eaten, but if you put never at the beginning, then we have to invert the verb- Never have I eaten....

 

[Maudlin]

Maudlin, was that a quiz on this site? If so, could you give me the name of the quiz so I can correct it.

If they're looking at these questions, then they should be able to get the idea that we invert verbs after certain structures and words when they come at the start of the sentence. Tell them, they were designed by sadistic teachers and examiners to keep themselves in jobs, which is why they appear in so many tests.

No. It was on a different site.

And just for the record - grammar looks very natural and obvious for a native speaker. But the case is different for learners whose native language is not English. Therefore asking dumb and ridiculous questions regarding something that looks very easy for a native speaker is allowed and forgivable.

Thanks, Tdor for your prompt responses.

 

[Maudlin]

Maudlin, was that a quiz on this site? If so, could you give me the name of the quiz so I can correct it.

If they're looking at these questions, then they should be able to get the idea that we invert verbs after certain structures and words when they come at the start of the sentence. Tell them, they were designed by sadistic teachers and examiners to keep themselves in jobs, which is why they appear in so many tests.

All right, I got that. How about a little conversion and say it this way:

1. Not only she did go.....
2. Rarely I do eat meat.

Again, when the auxiliary verb is before the lexical verb the learner considers that to be a question. And for a non-native speaker and learner is very peculiar to see the auxiliary verb before the lexical one in a non-interrogative question. This is where the confusion starts.

 

[bhaisahab]

All right, I got that. How about a little conversion and say it this way:

1. Not only she did go.....
2. Rarely I do eat meat.

Again, when the auxiliary verb is before the lexical verb the learner consider that to be a question. And for a non-native speaker and learner is very peculiar to see the auxiliary verb before the lexical one in a non-interrogative question. This is where the confusion starts.

No, those are wrong.

 

[SoothingDave]

Note Tdol said:

we invert verbs after certain structures and words when they come at the start of the sentence

 

[Tdol]

No. It was on a different site..

Thanks

And just for the record - grammar looks very natural and obvious for a native speaker. But the case is different for learners whose native language is not English. Therefore asking dumb and ridiculous questions regarding something that looks very easy for a native speaker is allowed and forgivable.

These aren't dumb questions, and inversion is not natural to learners. However, I cannot explain why we do it. Drawing up lists of when we do it, and showing the patterns is easy enough, but I know of no logical reason behind it.