Language holds secrets and beauty in it more than we can imagine. I mean it’s not only about learning grammar and vocabulary to use them ordinarily, it’s also a mean of expressing thoughts and feelings to connect to the rest of the world at different levels of communicative density. What we will be delving into today is a grammar topic that can be used to add up to your way of communication, more formally, beautifully, and emphatically: the grammar technique of inversion.
The following two sentences will make it easy for our beloved readers to comprehend the aspects of this technique:
We can save endangered species only when we take real actions.
Мы можем спасти исчезающие виды только тогда, когда предпримем реальные действия.
Only if we take real actions, we can save endangered species. Только если мы предпримем реальные действия, мы сможем спасти исчезающие виды.
As you might have noticed, the two sentences have the same exact meaning, but each one of them gives a different feeling and density. We inverted the negative adverbial and made it take the first place by highlighting the position of “Only” in the beginning and adding an “if” clause followed by a main clause after the comma.
This grammar skill is based on some rules that are meant to be followed in restricted cases.
By placing a negative adverb at the beginning of a sentence, we use the following rule:
I could travel nowhere. Nowhere could I travel.
Я никуда не мог поехать. Никуда у меня не получалось поехать.
When the auxiliary verb is absent and a restrictive adverb is present, such as only, we can add the auxiliary verb do in both the present and past simple.
I like this movie only now. Only now do I like this movie.
Мне нравится этот фильм сейчас. Только сейчас мне нравится этот фильм.
I didn’t manage to learn Russian until I found a good teacher. Not until I found a good teacher did I manage to learn Russian.
У меня не получалось выучить русский язык, пока я не нашел хорошего преподавателя. Пока я не нашел хорошего преподавателя, у меня никак не получалось выучить русский язык.
In the overall, this skill should be practiced intensively, especially in formal writings. Writing comes in handy when we are on the verge of breaking through the levels of English, then comes speaking with its magnificent uses in different situations in our daily life.
You might as well make use of the following common adverbs relating to this grammar technique:
hardly…when, barely…when, scarcely…when, no sooner…when, only if + clause, only when + clause, only now, only + any element, under no circumstances, in no way, nowhere, no way (informal), never (before), rarely, seldom, little…etc.
Some examples:
Scarcely had they arrived when finished cleaning the house. Едва они прибыли, как закончили уборку в доме.
Only when I travel can I relax. Только когда я путешествую, я могу расслабиться.
Not since I came to Russia have I had this chance to taste real Russian food. С тех пор как я приехал в Россию, у меня не было возможности попробовать настоящую русскую кухню.
Under no circumstances should they trespass the borders. Ни при каких обстоятельствах они не должны пересекать границы.
Seldom have I played a video game since I started my professional career. С тех пор как я начал свою профессиональную карьеру, я редко играл в видеоигры.
In the cases of hardly, barely, scarcely, no sooner they are used in narratives with the tense past perfect.
An extra remark relating to adverbial + clause + inversion, the inversion happens in the main verb but not in the subordinate clause.
Only when I listen to classical music can I focus on my studies. Только когда я слушаю классическую музыку, я могу сосредоточиться на своей учебе. 
Only when I do sleep I can focus on my studies.
And the same goes for some other adverbials such as not since and not until. Additionally, with the case of NOT, it must always be followed by an inversion element before the inversion takes effect. For example:
Not often can we observe an asteroid passing by our planet. Не часто мы можем наблюдать астероид, проходящий мимо нашей планеты. Not can we observe an asteroid passing by our planet often.
Finally, and as I mentioned in a previous piece of writing, learning comes with commitment and motivation, so being intimidated by such rules can be an important factor to cease from progressing towards the next steps of greatness. Try to practice and use your own imagination and examples so that you can master this new skill that will hopefully make you express your feelings and thoughts more effectively.
Как вы видите, такая сложная тема требует постоянной практики, которую вы сможете получить на занятиях с Аюбом!
Оставьте заявку и мы подберём удобное расписание для вашего обучения
Вы можете узнать свой примерный уровень знаний, пройдя небольшой грамматический тест.
