Expression: "Hardly does a day pass..."

[Tom]

Hi

Could you please tell me if both of the following sentences are correct and natural? Is inversion a must here? The speaker is telling someone that he misses his dead wife every single day.

[Yankee]

Hi Tom

Good question. I'd say inversion is optional, but I much prefer sentence 2 (without inversion).
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"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln

[Tom]

[Alan]

Hi Tom,

The difference between your two sentences is one of emphasis. By putting 'hardly' and 'a day' next to each other the stress is on the continuity of the 'missing'. By inverting and thereby imposing 'does', that stress is not so strong.

Alan
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[Yankee]

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Golly! Thanks for the input, Alan. :D
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_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln