Expression requiring inversion: 'By no means, for example!'

[Tom]

Hi

Just got to know from Amy that By no means requires an inversion. For example,

1- By no means did I mean to mock you.

My first question is:

Would it be incorrect or odd or unnatural to say:

1- By no means I meant to mock you.

My second question is that:

Could you please provide me with a list of phrases that require inversion?

Tom

[Yankee]

Hi Tom

Yes, you need inversion.

Take a look at this thread:
Inverted verb and subject after "so"
http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic13367.html

You can add "By no means" to the short list that's already there.

You can also look at one of Alan's articles:
English Grammar Lesson: Adverb Types
http://www.english-test.net/lessons/50/index.html

Amy

[Butterfly]

Never
Not once
Under no circumstances
At no time
Rarely
Only twice
By no means
Barely
Scarcely
Only once in a blue moon
Seldom
Hardly
In no way
On no account
On no condition
Nowhere
No sooner
Not only
Not until
Only if/after/then/when/later
Little
So/ Such
As
Neither/So
In vain
+some conditional sentences (3rd condition)

[Yankee]

That's quite a good list, Butterfly.

Tom, one thing you'll notice is that the majority of these words and expressions are negative or semi-negative.

Even in spoken English, it is quite natural to invert subject and verb if you begin a sentence (or clause) with one of these words/phrases.

I suggest you now give it a whack. Let's see some more sentences from you. Under no circumstances can this structure be mastered without practicing it.

Amy