Susan wholthat is making lunch. (emphasis on the subject: Susan) b) Susan is making lunch. It is lunch that Susan is making. (emphasis on the object: lunch) • All (that) = The only thing (that) All (that) he wants is to be happy

INVERSION
Emphasis
We can put emphasis on certain words or
parts of a sentence using the following
• It is/was ... who/which/that
a) Susan is making lunch.
It is Susan wholthat is making lunch.
(emphasis on the subject: Susan)
b) Susan is making lunch.
It is lunch that Susan is making.
(emphasis on the object: lunch)
• All (that) = The only thing (that)
All (that) he wants is to be happy.
• That is/was + question word in statements
or is/was that + question word in questions
That is what he told the police.
Is that where he is living now?
• Question word + is/was it + that in
questions
Who was it that sent you those flowers?
Where is it that you're planning to go?
When was it that you realized you were being
followed?
• What
a) Swimming keeps me in shape, (subject)
What keeps me in shape is swimming.
OR Swimming is what keeps me in shape.
b) We love relaxing on the beach, (object)
What we love (doing) is relaxing on the
beach.
OR Relaxing on the beach is what we love
(doing).
• W hat... do (emphasis on verbs)
Mike builds houses.
What Mike does is (to) build houses.
• Question word + ever (usually shows
surprise)
Whoever suggested such a thing?
Which and whose are not used in this case.
Whose car is that? (NOT: Whose ever car...)
Note: Question words + ever (except for why)
can be written as one word. Whoever told you...?
Wherever did you find it? Whatever are you doing
there?
• We use do/does/did + infinitive without
‘to’ in the present simple, past simple or
the imperative to give emphasis.
a) She goes to the gym every day. She does
go to the gym every day.
b) They decorated the living room. They did
decorate the living room.
c) Sit down. Do sit down.

Inversion

There are two ways to invert the subject and the verb:
A. auxiliary verb/modal + subject + main verb
• in questions Is she working tomorrow?
• after certain expressions when they are at the beginning of a sentence
Little
Barely
Nowhere
Not till/until
Seldom
Rarely
Scarcely (ever)... when
Hardly (ever)... when
No sooner... than
Not only ... but (also)
In/Under no circumstances
Never
Never before
Not since
Only in this way
Only by
Nor/Neither
Only then
On no occasion Not (even) once
In no way On no account
Rarely do we see him these days. No sooner had we got into the house than he phoned us

NOTE: When the following expressions begin a sentence, we use inversion in the main clause.

only after, only by, only if, only when, not till/until, not since
Only after he had graduated, did he start looking for a job.
Only if you invite her, will she come to your party.
Not until all tests had been completed, were we told the results.
• after so, such, to such a degree (in result clauses) when they are at the beginning of a sentence
So careful is he that he never makes any mistakes.
Such a brilliant student was he that he was offered a scholarship.
• with should, were, had in conditionals at the beginning of the sentence when “if ’ is omitted
Type 1:
Should you see him, tell him to call me. (= If you should see ...)
Type 2:
Were I you, I would cancel my trip. (= If I were you ...)
Type 3:
Had he known, he would have made arrangements. (= If he had known ...)
• after so, neither/nor, as when expressing agreement
“I hate horror films." “So do I." (‘So’ is used to agree with an affirmative statement.)
“Jane hasn't returned our calls." "Neither/Nor has her husband.” (‘Neither/Nor’ is used to agree with a
negative statement.)
His colleagues respected him as did his boss, (“as did" is used to show both his boss and his
colleagues respected him.)
B. main verb + subject
• after adverbs of place
Here comes the bride! Away ran the thief!
• in Direct Speech when the reporting verb comes after the quote and the subject is a noun
“I've never seen him," said Helen.

In Other Words

•
Being hungry, Dan ate everything on his plate.
So hungry was Dan that he ate everything on his plate.
•
Don't show this picture to anyone on any account.
On no account should you show this picture to anyone.
•
When did you get married?
When was it that you got married?
I didn't write graffiti on the wall.
It wasn’t me who wrote graffiti on the wall.
You have to get all the questions right to
pass the exam.
Only by getting all the questions right will
you pass the exam.

Reflexive/Emphatic Pronouns (myself, yourself, etc.)

• Reflexive pronouns are used with certain verbs such as behave, burn, cut, enjoy, hurt, kill,
look at, laugh at, introduce, dry, teach, etc. or with prepositions when the subject and the
object of the verb are the same. Mark (subject) taught himself (object) how to drive.
• Reflexive pronouns can be used after be, feel, look, seem to describe emotions or states. He
doesn’t seem himself these days. They are also used after prepositions but not after
prepositions of place. He is so proud of himself. BUT He looked behind him. (NOT: behind himself)
• Certain verbs do not normally take a reflexive pronoun. These are: wash, shave, (un)dress,
afford, complain, meet, rest, relax, stand up, get up, sit down, wake up, etc. He got up and
shaved. We don’t say: He got up himself and shaved himself. However we can use a reflexive
pronoun with wash, shave, or dress when we want to show that the action is difficult.
Although Tony is handicapped, he can dress himself.
• Emphatic pronouns have the same form as reflexive pronouns but a different meaning.
They emphasise the noun, or the fact that one person, and not another, performs an action.
He himself conducted the interview. They also mean ‘without help’. She fixed the leak herself.
(without help) They go after nouns, pronouns or after ‘but’ and ‘than’. She'd like to marry
someone older than herself.
Note these expressions: Enjoy yourself! (= Have a good time!) Behave yourself! (= Be good!)
I like being by myself. (= I like being alone.) She lives by herself. (= She lives on her own.) By
myself, by yourself, by himself, etc. (= on my own, on your own, on his own, etc.) Help yourself
to coffee. (= You're welcome to take some coffee if you want some.) Do it yourself. (= Do it without
being helped.) Make yourself at home! (= Feel comfortable.) Make yourself heard. (= Speak
loudly enough to be heard by others.) Make yourself understood. (= Make your meaning clear.)