When nowhere, never, rarely, or seldom open a sentence for emphasis, the following clause requires subject-auxiliary inversion, with do-support inserted if needed, as in never have I witnessed such courage. In mid-sentence position, ordinary word order is used, as in I have never witnessed such courage.
Grammar Rule
When nowhere, never, rarely, or seldom open a sentence for emphasis, the following clause requires subject-auxiliary inversion, with do-support inserted if no auxiliary is present. In mid-sentence position, ordinary word order is used without inversion.
Nowhere, Never, Rarely, Seldom with Inversion: Rules and Examples
| Position | Word order | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Fronted for emphasis | inversion required | Never have I witnessed such courage. |
| Normal mid-sentence position | no inversion | I have never witnessed such courage. |
Remember: Front nowhere, never, rarely, or seldom for emphasis and invert the subject and auxiliary, inserting do-support whenever no auxiliary is already present.
Practice Test
Instructions
Answer each question in the test below using nowhere, never, rarely, and seldom correctly with inversion. You will get a new random set of questions every time you retake the test, plus a downloadable results summary with your name and score at the end.
C2-39 "Nowhere", "Never", "Rarely", "Seldom" with Inversion
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Frequently Asked Questions
What happens when never opens a sentence for emphasis?
The clause requires subject-auxiliary inversion, as in never have I witnessed such courage.
What happens in mid-sentence position?
Ordinary word order is used, as in I have never witnessed such courage.
What is inserted if no auxiliary is present?
Do-support.
Which four adverbs follow this inversion pattern?
Nowhere, never, rarely, and seldom.