Inversion: Never, Rarely, Little — The Happiness Trap
Grammar: Inversion
Free ESL grammar exercise on inversion: never, rarely, little themed around the happiness trap. Printable worksheet from EnglishPlans.com.
What's on this worksheet
A Level 6 (proficiency) ESL grammar exercise on psychology, practising inversion. The worksheet has a short reading excerpt, a grammar reference and graded practice items.
From the reading
Rarely has a dataset so efficiently illustrated a problem philosophers identified two and a half thousand years ago. Not only does this exclude momentary pleasure as a sufficient criterion, but it also excludes the passive recipient of good fortune. Little did his critics understand that the pleasure Epicurus prescribed was largely the pleasure of absence. Never in the classical tradition is well-being simply a feeling you can summon or purchase.
Grammar: Inversion
- Never / Rarely +
- Never has a philosopher made the case more clearly. — emphasis through fronted negative adverbial
- Not only…but also
- Not only does this exclude pleasure, but it also excludes passivity. — additive reinforcement
Sample items
- ______ has the concept of eudaimonia been fully translated into modern English.
- ______ do contemporary psychologists engage seriously with Aristotle's concept of telos.
- ______ did early commentators appreciate how far Epicurus was from simple hedonism.
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