20171207

We should be eating more fat and less carbohydrates say scientists after large-scale global study found higher death rates in people who eat more carbs

A large study by Canadian researchers found people consuming the most carbs died sooner and those eating higher levels of fats had a reduced mortality. Now Swiss experts also agree. DailyMail

20171123

Inversion

Inversion happens when we reverse (invert) the normal word order of a structure.

When does inversion happen?
1. After negative adverbs: never, seldom, rarely, scarcely, hardly) in front position for emphasis, we invert the subject (s) and auxiliary (aux)/modal verb:
  • Never have we witnessed such cruel behaviour by one child to another
  • Seldom does one hear a politician say ‘sorry’
  • Seldom have I seen such beautiful work.
2. Expressions beginning with not + a prepositional phrase or a clause in initial position:
  • Not for a moment did I think I would be offered the job, so I was amazed when I got it.
  • Not till I got home did I realise my wallet was missing.

3. Here and there: we can use a main verb without an auxiliary verb or modal verb:

  • Here comes the bus!
  • Here’s your coffee.
  • I opened the door and there stood Michael, all covered in mud.
In the following expressions, the inversion comes in the second part of the sentence: Not until, Not since Only after, Only when, Only by

Not until I saw John with my own eyes did I really believe he was safe.

Not since Lucy left college had she had such a wonderful time.

Only after I'd seen her flat did I understand why she wanted to live there.

Only when we'd all arrived home did I feel calm.

Only by working extremely hard could we afford to eat.


4. Inverted Conditional Forms 
  • Were I you, I wouldn’t do it. (= If I were you, I wouldn’t do it.)
  • Had I understood the problem, I wouldn’t have made those mistakes. (= If I had understood the problem, I wouldn’t have made those mistakes.)