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B2–C1 · GFF · 20 patterns

Negation, inversion and focus

Compare how English and German express negation, inversion and focus. Practise reusable constructions with Russian translations.

01 · How to use this set

Start from the communication job

Compare how English and German express negation, inversion and focus. Practise reusable constructions with Russian translations.

Read the frame, try to complete your own sentence before opening an example, then compare the English structure with its German parallel. The point is retrieval and choice, not passive list reading.

02 · Representative patterns

Start with these reusable frames

A compact sample from the 20 patterns in this study set.

01Not until + past clause + did + subject + bare infinitiveNot until I opened the file did I notice the missing pages. · German parallel: Erst als + subordinate clause, + finite verb + subject02Only after + -ing phrase + did + subject + bare infinitiveOnly after checking the figures did we publish the report. · German parallel: Erst nachdem + subject + past clause, + main clause03Only by + -ing phrase + can + subject + bare infinitiveOnly by comparing both versions can we find the difference. · German parallel: Nur indem + subordinate clause, + können + subject + infinitive04Under no circumstances + modal + subject + bare infinitive phraseUnder no circumstances should this door be left unlocked. · German parallel: Unter keinen Umständen + dürfen/sollen + subject + infinitive05At no point + was/were + subject + passive participle phraseAt no point was I told that the meeting had been cancelled. · German parallel: Zu keinem Zeitpunkt + wurde(n) + subject + passive phrase06Not only did + subject + bare infinitive, but + subject + also + past verbNot only did she identify the error, but she also explained its cause. · German parallel: Subject + past verb + nicht nur ..., sondern + past verb + auch ...

03 · Complete set

Browse every pattern

The canonical list follows below. Every pattern has a stable ID and its own page for examples, translation, and reuse.

01Not until + past clause + did + subject + bare infinitiveGFF001 · Not until + past clause + did + subject + bare infinitive / Erst als + subordinate clause, + finite verb + subject02Only after + -ing phrase + did + subject + bare infinitiveGFF002 · Only after + -ing phrase + did + subject + bare infinitive / Erst nachdem + subject + past clause, + main clause03Only by + -ing phrase + can + subject + bare infinitiveGFF003 · Only by + -ing phrase + can + subject + bare infinitive / Nur indem + subordinate clause, + können + subject + infinitive04Under no circumstances + modal + subject + bare infinitive phraseGFF004 · Under no circumstances + modal + subject + bare infinitive phrase / Unter keinen Umständen + dürfen/sollen + subject + infinitive05At no point + was/were + subject + passive participle phraseGFF005 · At no point + was/were + subject + passive participle phrase / Zu keinem Zeitpunkt + wurde(n) + subject + passive phrase06Not only did + subject + bare infinitive, but + subject + also + past verbGFF006 · Not only did + subject + bare infinitive, but + subject + also + past verb / Subject + past verb + nicht nur ..., sondern + past verb + auch ...07Little did + subject + know + that-clauseGFF007 · Little did + subject + know + that-clause / Subject + ahnte(n) nicht, dass + clause08No sooner had + subject + past participle + than + past simple clauseGFF008 · No sooner had + subject + past participle + than + past simple clause / Kaum + hatte(n) + subject + participle, da + past clause09Hardly had + subject + past participle + when + past simple clauseGFF009 · Hardly had + subject + past participle + when + past simple clause / Kaum + past-perfect main clause, als + past clause10Never before + have/has + subject + past participle phraseGFF010 · Never before + have/has + subject + past participle phrase / Noch nie + haben/sein + subject + participle phrase11So + adjective + was/were + subject + that + result clauseGFF011 · So + adjective + was/were + subject + that + result clause / Subject + war(en) so + adjective, dass + result clause12Such was + singular noun phrase + that + result clauseGFF012 · Such was + singular noun phrase + that + result clause / Singular noun phrase + war so groß, dass + result clause13It was not until + time expression/clause + that + ordinary past clauseGFF013 · It was not until + time expression/clause + that + ordinary past clause / Erst + time expression + past main clause / erst als + clause, main clause14What + subject + need(s) + is + focused noun phrase, not + alternativeGFF014 · What + subject + need(s) + is + focused noun phrase, not + alternative / Was + subject + braucht/brauchen, ist + focus, nicht + alternative15All + subject + did + was + bare infinitive phraseGFF015 · All + subject + did + was + bare infinitive phrase / Subject + haben + lediglich/nur + participle phrase16It is not + focused noun phrase + that + clause, but + replacement noun phraseGFF016 · It is not + focused noun phrase + that + clause, but + replacement noun phrase / Nicht + noun phrase + predicate, sondern + replacement noun phrase17The last thing + subject + want(s) + is + to-infinitive phraseGFF017 · The last thing + subject + want(s) + is + to-infinitive phrase / Das Letzte, was + subject + will/wollen, ist, zu-infinitive18Subject + be + not necessarily + complementGFF018 · Subject + be + not necessarily + complement / Subject + sein + nicht unbedingt + complement19Far from + -ing phrase, subject + contrary predicateGFF019 · Far from + -ing phrase, subject + contrary predicate / Statt + zu-infinitive, subject + contrary predicate20Subject + be + anything but + adjectiveGFF020 · Subject + be + anything but + adjective / Subject + sein + alles andere als + adjective