Page 247 - Advanced English Grammar in Use

I n v e r s i o n ( 1 )
Inversion
(1)

=
A In statements it is usual for the verb to follow the subject. Sometimes, however, this word orderorder
Sometimes,
subject.
follow
the
to
statements
In
the
for
however,
this
verb
is
it
word
usual
is reversed. We cancan refer to this as INVERSION. Compare:
refer
INVERSION.
We
to
this
Compare:
reversed.
is
as
doorway
Her father stood in the doorway. ~
her
father.
¢
stood
the
In
• Her father stood in the doorway. —* In the doorway stood her father.
¢
• He had rarely seen such a sunset. —• Rarely had he seen such a sunset.
Rarely
He had rarely seen such a sunset. >
seen
such
sunset.
a
he
had
• ¢ He showed me his ID card. I I only let him in then. ~ Only then did / let him in.
—• Only then did / let him in.
only
showed
me
card.
ID
He
his
him
in
then.
let
Notice how the subject comes after the verb (e.g. stood) or an auxiliary (e.g. had, did). Units 119
after
had,
Notice
an
auxiliary
comes
stood)
(e.g.
or
did).
how
(e.g.
the
119
verb
Units
subject
the
study
of
are
the
these
circumstances
also
Some
in
andand 120 study the circumstances in which inversion takes place. Some of these are also lookedlooked atat
inversion
which
120
takes
place.
brought
and
units
together
here.
inin earlierearlier units and brought together here.
D Inversion after adverbial phrases of direction and place
direction
of
phrases
adverbial
place
and
after
Inversion
adverbial
put
at
the
WhenWhen we put an adverbial phrase, especiallyespecially of directiondirection or place, at the beginning of a a sentence,
beginningof
phrase,
an
sentence,
place,
of
or
we
we sometimes put an intransitive verb in frontfront of its subject. This kindkind of inversioninversion is found
an
subject.
intransitive
This
we
of
put
its
is
sometimes
verb
of
found
in
styles:
particularly
or
literary
particularly inin formal or literary styles:
formal
• * Dave began to open the three parcels. Inside the first was a book of crosswords from his
his
parcels.
book
from
a
Dave
open
crosswords
was
of
Inside the first
the
three
to
began
Aunt Alice, (or, less formally Inside the first there was a book of crosswords...)
first
Inside
formally
less
a
the
there
was
(or,
book
of
Alice.
crosswords...)
Aunt
With the verb be we always use inversion in sentences like this, and is usual
sentences
use
we
be
inversion
always
the
is usual withwith
in
With
verb
like this, and inversioninversion
certain verbs of place and movement, such as climb, come, fly, go, hang, lie, run, sit, stand:
climb,
as
verbs
lie,
of
go,
come,
hang,
fly,
certain
stand:
place
and
such
sit,
movement,
run,
Sf • * Above the fireplace was a portrait of the Duke. (not ...a portrait of the Duke was.)
Duke,
fireplace was a portrait of the
(not ...a portrait of the Duke was.)
Above the
mother,
• ¢ • © In an sat his mother. (rather than ...his mothermother sat.)
than
sat.)
(rather
...his
sat
his
In
an armchairarmchair
usually
doesn't
subject and
verb when
verbs.
invert
other
occur with
We
the
don't
Inversion doesn't usually occur with other verbs. We don't invert subject and verb when the
Inversion
subject is a pronoun. So, for example, we don't say 'In an armchairarmchair sat she.'
she.'
don't
sat
'In
say
for
subject
So,
example,
an
pronoun.
we
is
a
P InIn speech, inversioninversion oftenoften occurs afterafter here and there, and adverbs suchsuch as back, down, in, off,
and
adverbs
off,
speech,
here
as
down,
back,
in,
occurs
and
there,
;
oup, round, etc.:
@up, round, etc.:
Here comes Sandra's car.
T lit the fuse and after a few seconds up went the rocket.
• e • ¢ Here comes Sandra's car. • ¢ I lit the fuse and after a few seconds up went the rocket.
n Inversion in conditional sentences
sentences
conditional
in
Inversion
Compare:
Unit
(See
kinds
use
of
~ We can use clauses with inversion instead of certain kinds of z/-clauses. (See Unit 100.) Compare:
We
if-clauses.
inversion
with
100.)
clauses
of
certain
instead
can

It would be a
serious setback, if the talks
were
setback,
serious
be
• ¢ It would be a serious setback, if the talks • ¢ It wouldwould be a a serious setback, were thethe
It
fail.
to
were to fail. talks to fail.
fail.
were
to
talks
information please
need more information,
should
If you
need
• ¢ Ifyou should need more information, • ¢ Should you need more information, please
Should you
more
office.
please telephone our main office. telephone our office.
telephone our mainmain
please telephone our main office.
asked, I would have been able
• ¢ If Alex had asked, I would have been able • ¢ Had AlexAlex asked, I would have been able
I
been
have
able
Alex
If
asked,
would
Had
had
to help. to help.
to
to
help.
help.

We prefer to use inversion after as and than in formal written language. Notice that we don't
'if. Notice that in negative
The sentences with inversion are rather more formal than those with 'if. Notice that in negative
The sentences with inversion are rather more formal than those with
clauses with inversion, we don't use contracted forms:
clauses with inversion, we don't use contracted forms:
Had he not resigned, we would have
been forced to sack him.
(not Hadn't he...)
• ¢ Had he not resigned, we would have been forced to sack him. (not Hadn't he...)
Inversion in comparisons with 'as' and 'than'
Inversion in comparisons with 'as' and ‘than’
The cake was excellent, as was the coffee,
(or ...as the coffee was.)
• * The cake was excellent, as was the coffee. (or ...as the coffee was.)
I believed, as did my colleagues, that the plan would work,
•
(or ...as my colleagues did...)
my
did...)
my
colleagues
the
I
work.
colleagues,
believed,
(or
*
would
...as
plan
did
as
that
Research shows that children living in villages watch more television than do
•
their
than
in
do
¢
that
villages
living
children
watch
more
shows
their
Research
television
(or ...than their counterparts do...)
counterparts in inner city areas, (or ...than their counterparts do...)
counterparts in inner city areas.
and
after
use
inversion
formal written language.
in
Notice that we don't
than
as
prefer to
We
subject and
subject
is
verb when the
a pronoun.
invert
invert subject and verb when the subject is a pronoun.
Conditionals:
Inversion (2) =
Adverbials of direction and place = FEGEIY = Conditionals =
Adverbials ofdirecionandpece=>
Inversion (2) =>