Inversion in an English sentence. What is inversion in English and when is it used? Inversion of seldom in English

First, let's find out what this phenomenon is. Inversion is a violation of the usual word order in a sentence: first comes the predicate (auxiliary or modal verb), then the subject. We all get acquainted with the usual inversion in the first English lessons, when we study the structure of the question:

• I know him. – Do you know him?
• I was reading yesterday. – When were you reading?

In this article, we will talk about a more complex inversion that is used in formal and bookish speech styles. With this inversion, we want to emphasize a certain word or expression, or give a more emotional sound to the sentence.

When is inversion used in English

• Inversion with may.

  We use modal verb inversion May when we want something. We will translate such a sentence in the future tense using the words “let”, “yes”.

  May all your dreams come true. - May it come true all your dreams.

  If you remember, this is how Obi-Wan Kenobi wished Luke Skywalker to know the power:

  May the force be with you. - May it be strength is with you.

• Inversion in comparative turns.

  Inversion often occurs in comparisons after conjunctions as(how), than(how). This phenomenon is characteristic of the literary style.

  He is very active as are the most boys of his age. - He is very active like most boys his age.

  country people know nature better than do city dwellers. – Villagers are more familiar with nature, how urban.

• Inversion in conditional sentences.

  All types of conditionals, with the exception of the null conditional, can be inverted. To do this, we bring the auxiliary verb to the first place and remove if.

  • The first type of conditional sentences:

    In the first type of conditionals, there can be inversion with a modal verb should, which will be translated as "suddenly", "happen".

    If I should come early, I will fill the turkey for Thanksgiving dinner. → Should I come early, I will fill the turkey for Thanksgiving dinner.
    If suddenly I am I will come early, I'll make a turkey for thanksgiving dinner. → happen to me come before, I'll make a turkey for Thanksgiving dinner.

  • The second type of conditionals:

    In the second type, the auxiliary verb is were for all persons.

    If he had more free time, he would travel a lot. → Were he to have more free time, he would travel a lot.
    If he had more free time, he would travel a lot. → Be he has more free time, he would travel a lot.

    If in the second type of conditional the main and auxiliary verbs are to be, then we use it only once at the beginning of a sentence.

    If I were a millionaire, I would have many hospitals and nursery schools built. → Were I a millionaire, I would have many hospitals and nursery schools built.
    If I was a millionaire, I would have built many hospitals and kindergartens. → be me millionaire, I would build many hospitals and kindergartens.

  • The third type of conditionals:

    In the third type, the auxiliary verb will be had.

    If you had regularly attended your classes, you could have passed the exam. → Had you regularly attended your classes, you could have passed the exam.
    If If you went to class regularly, you would be able to pass the exam. → walk If you go to class regularly, you would be able to pass the exam.

  • Inversion in negative conditional sentences:

    Be careful when using inversion in negative sentences. They do not allow particle merging not with a verb.

    Should he not come in time, call me. - If suddenly he will not come on time call me.

    Were it not for her bad mood, she wouldn't yell at everyone. - Do not be she's in a bad mood, she wouldn't yell at anyone.

    Had they not lost all their money, they would have moved to another country. - He lose they have all their money, they would have moved to another country.

    • Read more about this phenomenon in the article "".
• Inversion in designs so ... that and such ... that.

  Inversion is used in constructions with adverbs so and such when we want to emotionally highlight some quality, good or bad.

  After so we use first an adjective or adverb that describes a certain property, then we put the verb and the subject.

  So awesome was his speech that I asked him to read it one more time. - So gorgeous was his speech, what I asked to read it again.

  After such immediately there will be a verb and a subject. An adjective or adverb is not needed here. It is usually clear from the context of the sentence which quality is implied.

  Such was her singing that we had to use the earplugs. - She sang So, what we had to use earplugs.

• Inversion and adverbs of place.

  If our sentence begins with an adverb of place, then the verb is placed before the subject, that is, inversion appears. In this form, it is more often found in literary speech, especially in various descriptions.

  on the tree sat an unusual bird. - On the tree sat an unusual bird.

  Directly in front of them stood a beautiful castle. - Right in front of them there was a beautiful castle.

Inversion and negative adverbs

If you see a negative adverb in front of you, then it will be followed by inversion. The education formula looks like this:

Let's see what negative adverbs are:

• Adverbs with particle not.

  With these adverbs, inversion is more common in the second part of the sentence.

  not until I see it with my own eyes will I believe him. - Till I am not I'll see it with my own eyes I don't believe.

• Adverbs with only.

  With the adverbs of this group, inversion can be found both in the main and in the subordinate clause.

  Only in the last week has he started feel better. - Only this week he started himself feel good.

  Only after phone call did she calm down. – Only after phone call she calmed down.

  Only later did I realize how important it was. - Only then did I realize how important it was.

  Only then did I remember that I had forgotten to feed my cat. - Only then did I remember forgot to feed the cat.

  Only when I have called him will I be able to think about anything else. - Only when I will call him I can think of something else.

• Adverbs of frequency of action ( hardly/barely/scarcely- hardly, never- never, rarely/seldom- rarely, no sooner ... than- did not have time ... how).

  The inversion follows immediately after the adverb.

  Never have I seen such a beautiful child. - Never have I seen such a beautiful child.

  Hardly ever does she come in time. - Rarely does she come in time.

  Barely have we agreed with him. - We hardly with him agreed.

  Seldom do they fail to impress their neighbours. - Rarely do they fail impress the neighbors.

  No sooner had they entered the gift shop than the excursion began. - They didn't get in to the souvenir shop, as the tour began.

• Adverb little with a negative value.

  The inversion will come right after the adverb.

  Little do they know how lucky they are to have such a good friend. - They don't understand well How lucky they are to have such a good friend.

  Little did I suspect that he would leave his job one day. - I didn't suspect that someday he will quit his job.

• Other adverbial expressions ( at no time / in no way / on no account- never, by no means, by no means, under/in no circumstance under no circumstances).

  The inversion follows immediately after the adverb.

  At no time did she complain about her problems. - She never complained to your problems.

  Under no circumstances are parents allowed to leave their children alone. - Under no circumstances are parents allowed leave children alone.

Inversion gives our speech a more formal tone, which is why when writing various essays, it will immediately attract attention and will be appreciated by the reviewers. But, like any other grammatical construction, you should not use inversion without understanding this difficult phenomenon properly. A video from the teacher will help you remember the inversion even better Adam.

To finally consolidate your knowledge of inversion, take the test.

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Test

Inversion in English

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English is analytical. This is some of its features, primarily a fixed word order. A simple sentence scheme looks like this:

subject - predicate - secondary members of the sentence

Violation of this structure is justified in the case of interrogative sentences, when the subject and predicate are reversed, or in the imperative mood, when the subject is absent altogether:

Where are you?- interrogative sentence
Come as you are!- exclamatory sentence

Such a violation of the direct order of words in an English sentence is called inversion. However, there are more “exotic” cases of using the reverse word order, which will also have a legitimate right to exist. In these cases, inversion is used for a more colorful presentation of events or in order to emphasize, emotionally highlight a word or phrase.

The grammatical nature of inversion

When using inversion, either a strong verb or an auxiliary is always required.

1. There is/there are
This structure is always at the beginning of the sentence, is not translated into Russian, but has the meaning “there/here”. Offers from there is/there are often end with an indication of the exact place, specifying “there / here”, which creates a kind of frame construction:

There is a girl behind the door.
There are eleven apples on the table.

2. Negative adverbs with a particle not (not until/ not since) and adverbs that include the word only (only after/ only then/ only when/ etc.) It should be borne in mind that in this case the inversion will be used in the main clause, and not in the subordinate clause, which begins with the above adverbs:

not until winter comes, will I see him again.
Only after he came home, did she feel at ease.

3. Modal verb may
Sentences-wishes using a modal verb May cases of inversion are allowed at the beginning of a sentence:

May you have all the best.- I wish you all the best.

4. Conditional sentences
If-clauses (clauses with “if”) can use inversion if they start with were/ should/ had/ could. In this case, they replace the union "if".

The emotional nature of inversion

Inversion gives speech a more artistic tone and attracts attention, because it takes it out of the usual framework for the perception of an English sentence. Often this technique is used in the literature (and not only) to convey brightness. In addition to the “free” movement of a word within a sentence, which is used solely as an artistic device or colloquial expression, there are cases that can be classified:

1. Phrases similar to It's smb. who/ It was smth. that
In these constructions, it is no longer about moving verbs. Here we mean the inversion of any member of the sentence (more often the object or the subject):

It was me who opened the door.- I opened the door.
It is time that we all need.- All we need is time.
It was in the bag where I found my keys.- I found the keys in the bag.

2. Words of the author after direct speech.
A fairly common technique for using inversion in literary works. It should be remembered that the application of this structure is not possible with the use of pronouns. Compare:

“How was the party?” she asked.
“How was the party?” asked Daisy/ Daisy asked./ In this case, both options are correct.

3. so + adjective
This construction aims to emphasize the adjective, as it puts a logical stress on it.

so amazing was she that night, that everybody was knocked down.

Popular adverbs that use inversion

Some adverbs have already met you in the article and fell into one category or another. Nevertheless, we consider it important to mark them again, because sentences with the reverse word order often begin with these phrases. Inversion can be used with this group of adverbs at the beginning of a sentence if a strong or auxiliary verb is used after them:

seldom- rarely
rarely- rarely
little- few/ Little do they know about us. They don't know anything about us.
barely- barely
nowhere (else)- nowhere (more)
never (before)- never before)
not (even) once- never (not even)
on no account- under no circumstances
only by- only (to, through ...)
only in this way- only in this way
only then- Only then
hardly (ever) ... when- hardly... when
no sooner ... than- not before ... than / only ...
not only ... but (also)- not only but
not until/until- not yet / only after / only just
in no way- in no way / in no way
in/under no circumstances under no circumstances / under no circumstances

We wish you productive practices and success!

Victoria Tetkina

Behind the buzzword "inversion" lies the simplest grammatical thing. Inversion or inversion is a change in the places of words in a sentence and their subsequent rearrangement. When it comes to inversion, what is often meant is the swapping of the subject and the auxiliary verb, which appears even in affirmative sentences.

In English textbooks, the phrase is often found:

Invert the subject and the auxiliary verb.

Literally, this phrase translates as "swap the subject and the auxiliary verb."

Examples of inversion in English are also found in declarative sentences.

General question

Marina has come to the local park late.

Marina came to the park late.

Has Marina come to the local park late?

In order to form an interrogative sentence, the first two words were inverted.

Declarative sentences

Inversion occurs in declarative sentences. In this case, circumstance often comes first. Then follows the same scheme as in the question, namely: auxiliary verb - subject - predicate - object - circumstance.

James knew little about it.

James knew next to nothing about it.

Before rushing to invert the sentence. First, decide on the parts of speech.

So, James is a subject, knew is a predicate, little is an adverb, about it is an addition.

Inversion in English, although it implies a violation of the order of words, has its own order, which is called the reverse. In the first place in inversion we put the adverb, then the auxiliary verb. In this proposal, we use . In inversion, the auxiliary verb is used even in affirmative sentences, so we need to put did. The next in line are the subject and the predicate in the first. We finish with all available additions and circumstances.

Little did James know about it.

James knew so little about it!

Inversion is used to place verbal accents. Therefore, Little still needs to be allocated. So the next version of the inverted translation will sound better.

Adverbs are adverbs, but there are also phrases. Their clear sequence can be traced in the following sentence.

Sasha could open the door only this way.

Sasha could only open the door in this way.

Let's break it down into parts of speech:

• Sasha - subject;
• sould - modal verb;
• open - main verb (aka infinitive);
• the door - addition;
• only this way - the circumstance of the way of action.

We find in the sentence a circumstance indicating the place, method and time of performing any action. Basically, these circumstances are adverbs. But very often there is a whole phrase that can be moved from the end to the beginning of a sentence. Here's what we see.

Only this way could Sasha open the door.

Only in this way Sasha could open the door.

Inversion in a compound sentence

original look:

She remembered the man's name after he'd walked away.

She remembered the man's name after he left.

Inversion:

Only after he'd walked away did she remember the man's name.

It was only after he left that she remembered the man's name.

If it so happened that there are no circumstances in the proposal, then it can be invented. Just do this action so that the meaning does not suffer. How to determine what to focus on?

Negative adverbs with which inversion is used

Not until Ruth sees it with her own eyes will she believe Mark.

Until Ruth sees it with her own eyes, she won't believe Mark.

Inversion is created in order to highlight a manner, circumstance or action.

• Seldom
• Rarely
• Scarcely…when
• Hardly (ever)…when
• No sooner…then
• Not only…but also
• Little
• Barely
• Nowhere
• Not till/until

Inversion in conditional sentences

Can be unionless using inversion, see how it works:

If you should see Tom, tell him I am on my way. = Should you see Tom, tell him I am on my way. (1 type)

If I were you, I would buy this dress. = Were I you, I would buy this dress. (type 2)

If he had known, he would have made arrangements. = Had he known, he would have made arrangements. (type 3)

Author's words in direct speech

"Where is my own auto?" asked Noah.

“Where is my personal car? Noah asked.

Sentences with inversion from literature

Worried by silence, sentries whisper, curious, nervous. But nothing happens. (T.S. Eliot).

... Out came the chaise, in went the horses, on sprang the boys, in got the travelers ... (Ch. Dickens).

Inversion is a violation of the usual word order in a sentence for emotional release important information.

For instance.

• Seldom have I eaten at suc h an expensive restaurant. (Rarely have I eaten in such expensive restaurants).
• Compare with normal word order: I have seldom eaten at such an expensive restaurant. (I rarely eat at such expensive restaurants)

#2 When is inversion applied?

Very often, inversion is used in the literature for a more colorful description of events.
For instance. Away flew the birds. (The birds flew away) instead of the usual word order - The birds flew away.

#3 Ways to invert

There are two ways to invert the subject (noun) and predicate (verb).

#3.1 The first way.

Design be/have/modal verb/auxiliary verb + subject + main verb used in the following cases:

• a) after the following words or expressions when they appear at the beginning of a sentence:

seldom - rarely
rarely - rarely
little - little
barely - barely
nowhere (else) - nowhere (more)
never (before) - never (before)
not (even) once - not (even) once
on no account - under no circumstances
only by - only (to, through ...)
only in this way - only in this way
only then - only then
hardly (ever) ... when - hardly ... when
no sooner ... than - not earlier ... than / only ...
not only ... but (also) - not only ... but also
not until/till - until/only after/only
in no way - in no way / in no way
in / under no circumstances - under no circumstances / under no circumstances

• Never (before) have I heard such wonderful music. (Never before have I heard such beautiful music)
• Not only did they buy the house for their children but they (also) redecorated it. (They not only bought a house for their children, but also renovated it)
• Seldom do I go out since I started working for this company. (Rarely have I taken a walk since I started working for this company)
• BUT! I seldom go out since I started working for this company. (I rarely walk since I started working for this company) There is no inversion here, since seldom not at the beginning of a sentence.

Note that when the only after expressions (only after), only by (only(thanks, using, etc.)), only if(only if), only when(only when), not until / till (not before / only when) are at the beginning of the sentence, then inversion, i.e. reverse word order, used in the main clause.

Only if you work hard will you have a success . (Only if you work hard will you succeed.)

Only when he enters the University will we go to the Bahamas . (We will go to the Bahamas only when he goes to university)

• b) with the words so, neither, nor, as to express agreement.

• "I love comedies." "So do I "("I love comedy." "Me too" - we use the word so when we agree with the affirmative statement)
• "I don't like horror movies" Neither/Nor do I "(I don't like horror movies." "Me too" - we use the words neither, nor when agreeing with a negative statement)
• Masha was a talented artist, as was her sister / and so was her sister . (Masha was a talented artist, like her sister / and her sister too)

• c) with the words should, were, had when they are at the beginning of a conditional clause (if-clause) instead of if .

Type 1. Should Peter come, tell him to wait. (=If Peter should come...) - If Peter comes, tell him to wait.

Type 2. Were I you, I wouldn't go there alone. (= If I were you...) - If I were you, I wouldn't go there alone. (If I were you...)

Type 3. Had Katya been told, she would have completed the task earlier. (= If Katya had been told...) - If Katya had been told, she would have completed the task earlier.

#3.2 The second way.

The main verb+subject construct is used in the following cases:

• a) after verbs of motion or adverbs of place when they are at the beginning of a sentence.

• In front of the building was a bus. (There was a bus in front of the building)
• In the cafe played an old music . (Old music was playing in the cafe)
• Here comes the winner ! (And here's the winner!)

If the subject is expressed by a personal pronoun, then there is no inversion in the sentence.

For instance. Here he comes! (And here he is!)

• b) in direct speech, when the noun is the subject of the introductory verb (the introductory verb is a semantic verb that is used to translate direct speech into indirect).

For instance. "I don" t like this film" said Peter. (I don't like this film. - Said Peter)

BUT! "How can I help you?" he asked. (How can I help? - she asked. We cannot put inversion in this case, since the subject is expressed by a personal pronoun)

inversion or in Russian, inversion is a special syntactic technique in English stylistics, when the reverse order of words in speech is applied. It is a well-known fact that in English the word order is very structured and clear:

First, comes the subject;

Secondly, the turn of the predicate comes;

Thirdly, everything completes the addition.

More remarkable are the beginning and end of the sentence itself. This is due to the fact that at the beginning there is a full emphasis on the word, and already at the end there is a noticeable pause.

Types of inversion

In English, there are three types of such a linguistic device:

1. Grammar way

When such an inversion is used, the grammatical meaning of the whole sentence is changed, which allows it to become interrogative. This option is objective, but does not depend on personal attitude, allowing itself to obey the general grammatical rules of the language.

Where do you live now? — Where do you live now?

Can you help me? - Can you help me?

Have you seen my sister? - Have you seen my sister?

2. Gain inversion

This style is semi-regulated and does not change the grammatical meaning of the sentence.

Only then did I realize what was goin on - And only then did I realize what happened

Rarely do members of the same family grow up under the same roof - Rarely do members of the same family grow up under the same roof

Never have I seen such a storm - I have never seen such a storm

3. Stylistic inversion

The peculiarity of this type of stylistic device also does not change the grammatical meaning of the sentence, but it has an emotional coloring or gives a logical stress to the statement. It is for such sentences with stylistic inversion that a certain intonational tone is inherent. As a rule, disobeying the general grammatical rules in this case looks like this:

Predicate and subject

Came frightful days of hunger and cold - Terrible days of hunger and cold have come

Near the house is a big park - There is a big park there

Predicative (predicate), copula and subject

Simple am I in my speech - I am simple in my speech

Complement and predicate

Clever things have I in mind - The right things are in my head

Circumstance, subject and predicate

Right before me stands a woman with a knife in his left hand - A woman stands next to me with a knife in his left hand

At your hearth I fall - I fall to your hearth

The uniqueness of the use of inversion is that the neutral integrity of intonation is violated, therefore, some subtext is often possible, which often leads to overt irony.

A lot of nicely you can do me! - How wonderful you treat me!

Using inversion designs

In English speech, such constructions are used in two cases:

To compose any questions (using the phrases Will they?, Can she?, etc.);

Had I more children, I would have bought a much larger house - If I had more children, I would have bought a much larger house.

You can use inversion after:

. After words like so, neither or nor (for example, so do I, neither do I, etc.)

I love that woman! - So do I!

I love this woman! - I also

I don't believe in God. - Neither do I.

I do not believe in God. - I don't believe it either.

For the literary form, many variants of inversion styles are known:

. With adverbial expressions with a touch of negativity

At no time did Lisa say she would return - Lisa never said when she would return

In no way can he stay unknown - No way can he remain incognito

. After phrases where there is an expression of place

If you come across such a sentence that would directly include such phrases (they would express certain actions that are not transferred to a specific person or object), but usually I take a place before the subject. Such stylistic forms are present in a variety of descriptions.

On the bush sat an unusual butterfly - An unusual butterfly sat on the bush

Round the big house came the baker - A baker appeared around the corner

On the fifth floor was she staying - On the fifth floor she stopped

After words like seldom, never or rarely with mandatory comparison

Never had he felt so happy - Never had he felt so happy

Seldom have they seen her without his car - Rarely did they see her without his car

After words and phrases like no sooner, hardly or scarcely when one action always follows another

Hardly had she closed his notebook when her father came into the nursery - She barely had time to close her notebook when her father came to the nursery

No sooner had she returned from ballet that her mother entered the room - As soon as she returned from the ballet, his mother entered the room

After expressions that begin with the word only

Only after her departure did I realize her importance for me - Only after her departure did I realize how important she is to me

After such adverbs as here comes and t here goes which are most often idiomatic

Here comes only the doomed - Here come the doomed

Here comes my train - Here comes my train

There goes the airplane - And here comes the plane

There goes my children - And here are my children

With a word May when it comes before the subject

May all your dreams come true - May all your dreams come true

"Where is my telephone?" asked Lisa

"Where's my phone?" Lisa said

But if suddenly a pronoun appears instead of the subject itself, but the word order in the speech of the English returns to the correct formulation

"What do you finally want?" he asked

"What do you finally want?" he said

Inversion in English written literature is also considered by writers as a linguistic way that allows you to ennoble the language, making it expressive and bright. That is why such turns are most often present in the works. At the same time, in conversational communication, in addition to the above two situations, inversion is rather optional.