Inversion

1.Introduction The normal word order for English sentences is : Subject+verb. Subject+verb. Example : ‘She is laughing.’ Example : ‘She is laughing.’ We cannot change the word order. We cannot change the word order. We cannot say : ‘Laughing she is’ nor ‘Is she laughing’ (at least not in an affirmative sentence) We cannot say : ‘Laughing she is’ nor ‘Is she laughing’ (at least not in an affirmative sentence)

1. Introduction But in certain cases we can change the word order to : Verb+Subject. ‘Off walked ( VERB) the dragon (SUBJECT) into the sunset’ ->The normal word order is : ->The normal word order is : ‘The dragon (SUBJECT) walked (VERB) off into the sunset’ ‘Never have ( AUX. VERB) I (SUBJECT) heard such a ridiculous story’ ->The normal word order is : ->The normal word order is : ‘I (SUBJECT) have ( AUX. VERB) never heard such a ridiculous story’

Introduction When do we use inversion? When do we use inversion? For emphasis For emphasis To make the sentence more dramatic To make the sentence more dramatic In literary or formal language (especially negative sentences) In literary or formal language (especially negative sentences) In the cartoon, why did the little angels use inversion?

Uses of inversion : 1. Simple inversion : COMPLEMENT+’TO BE’+SUBJECT Examples :  The night is tender. -> ‘Tender is the night’ (poetic) -> ‘Tender is the night’ (poetic)  His real plan is to take over the world. -> ‘To take over the world is his real plan.’

Uses of inversion : 2. with adverbs of place (under, in etc.) and direction (into,off etc.) Example : ‘The police searched the house. Under the floorboards they found a body’ ‘Under the floorboards’ (adverb of place) is at the beginning of the sentence. ‘Under the floorboards’ (adverb of place) is at the beginning of the sentence. ->Normal word order : ->Normal word order : ‘They found the body under the floorboards’ ‘They found the body under the floorboards’

Inversion : adverbs of place/movement If we use inversion, we put the subject after the verb ‘to be’. The adverb is at the beginning of the sentence! ->Under the floorboards was a body. ->Under the floorboards was a body. ->In the doorway was a tall stranger. ->In the doorway was a tall stranger. We also put the subject after intransitive verbs which indicate position or movement towards (but not if the verb is followed by an adverb of manner) (but not if the verb is followed by an adverb of manner) (position : hang,lie,live.sit.stand ) (position : hang,lie,live.sit.stand ) ->Under the floorboards lay a body. ->Under the floorboards lay a body. ->In the doorway stood a tall stranger. ->In the doorway stood a tall stranger. (movement :come,walk,run,fly,go,swim etc.) (movement :come,walk,run,fly,go,swim etc.) -> Up the street walked the protesters. -> Up the street walked the protesters. ->Into the room came a tall stranger. ->Into the room came a tall stranger. But not usually : Up the street slowly walked the protesters. But not usually : Up the street slowly walked the protesters. ->The protesters walked up the street slowly. ->The protesters walked up the street slowly.

Inversion : adverbs of place/movement Practice : Rewrite these sentences to make them more dramatic or literary. 1.A dark wood was at the bottom of the garden. 2.The car stopped suddenly and Nick jumped out. 3.A lovely necklace hung around her neck. 4.The horse ran down the hill. 5.The horse ran down the hill quickly.

Answers 1.At the bottom of the garden was a dark wood. 2.The car stopped suddenly and out jumped Nick. 3.Around her neck hung a lovely necklace. 4.Down the hill ran the horse. 5.The horse ran down the hill quickly.

3.Inversion : ‘Here comes..’ and ‘There goes…’ We use these to talk about things and people moving towards or away from the speaker. Examples : Examples : ‘My bus is coming’ ‘My bus is coming’ ->’Here_____________’. ->’Here_____________’. ‘My bus is leaving!’ ‘My bus is leaving!’ ->_______________! (I´ve lost it) ->_______________! (I´ve lost it) ‘Antoni is coming’ ‘Antoni is coming’ ->’_______________’ ->’_______________’

3.Inversion : ‘Here comes..’ and ‘There goes…’ Answers: ‘My bus is coming’ ‘My bus is coming’ ->’Here comes my bus’. ->’Here comes my bus’. ‘My bus is leaving!’ ‘My bus is leaving!’ ->’There goes my bus! (I´ve lost it) ->’There goes my bus! (I´ve lost it) ‘Antoni is coming’ ‘Antoni is coming’ ->’Here comes Antoni’ ->’Here comes Antoni’

4. Inversion : ‘Hardly’/’No sooner’ When two events in the past happen at the same time or in quick succession, we often join them together in one sentence. Example : Example : I got out of the car. A thief grabbed my briefcase. I got out of the car. A thief grabbed my briefcase. ->When/As soon as I got out of my car, a thief grabbed my suitcase. ->When/As soon as I got out of my car, a thief grabbed my suitcase. Here there is no inversion. Here there is no inversion.

4. Inversion : ‘Hardly’/’No sooner’ Hardly had the President arrived when a group of protesters started booing. No sooner had I finished my supper than I began to feel unwell. What tenses are used in these sentences? Is there inversion? Which words are used at the beginning of the second part of each sentence?

4. Inversion : ‘Hardly’/’No sooner’ What tenses are used in these sentences? The past perfect and the simple past. Is there inversion? Yes. The auxiliary verb ‘had’ before the subject (like in a question) Which words are used at the beginning of the second half of each sentence? Hardly  WHEN No sooner->THAN

4. Inversion : ‘Hardly’/’No sooner’ Now we try and join the sentences with ‘hardly’ or ‘no sooner’. I got out of the car. A thief grabbed my briefcase. I got out of the car. A thief grabbed my briefcase.

4.Inversion : ‘Hardly’/’No sooner’ Now we try and join the sentences with ‘hardly’ or ‘no sooner’. I got out of the car. A thief grabbed my briefcase. I got out of the car. A thief grabbed my briefcase. Step 1.Which action happens first? Step 1.Which action happens first? Put it in the PAST PERFECT tense. Put it in the PAST PERFECT tense. ->I had got out of the car. A thief grabbed my suitcase. ->I had got out of the car. A thief grabbed my suitcase. Step 2. In the first sentence put the auxiliary verb first Step 2. In the first sentence put the auxiliary verb first ->Had I got out of the car. A thief grabbed my suitcase. ->Had I got out of the car. A thief grabbed my suitcase. Step 3. Step 3. HARDLY+1st sentence+WHEN+2nd sentence HARDLY+1st sentence+WHEN+2nd sentence ->Hardly had I got out of the car when a thief grabbed my suitcase. ->Hardly had I got out of the car when a thief grabbed my suitcase. NO SOONER +1st sentence+THAN+2nd sentence NO SOONER +1st sentence+THAN+2nd sentence ->No sooner had I got out of the car than a thief grabbed my suitcase. ->No sooner had I got out of the car than a thief grabbed my suitcase.

4.Inversion : ‘Hardly’/’No sooner’ Now try and join these sentences. 1.We arrived in Berne. It started to snow. 2.The police left. He took out a huge knife. 3.They set off. The baby began to cry. 4.I got into the shower. The phone rang.

4.Inversion : ‘Hardly’/’No sooner’ 1.No sooner had we arrived in Berne than it started to snow. 2.No sooner had the police left than he took out a huge knife. 3.Hardly had they set off when the baby began to cry. 4.Hardly had I got into the shower when the phone rang.