Toefl rules for Inverted Word Order.

1.- Inverted word order is needed when a sentence begins with there.

Many have known him for a long time, so there is no doubts about his honesty.

Since she accepted to be the problem, there was few excuses to be given.

After the accident, there were no news about the driver.

2.- Inverted word order is needed when a sentence begins with a prepositional phrase, has
an intransitive verb as a main verb, and states location.

The man ran into the house to catch the mouse.

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Many tickets were in her pocket.

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Many books lay on the shelf.

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A policeman stood outside her house to take care of her.

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3.- Inverted word order is needed in conditional sentences (of types 2 and 3) without if or
unless.

If I were you, I would give her the news.

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If they saw her they might talk to her.

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If she weren’t so tired, she would come with us.

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If they didn’t understand, could they ask you for some help?

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If we had read the mail, we might have gone to your party.

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If you hadn’t come with us, we wouldn’t have found the address.

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4.- Inverted word order is needed when a sentence begins with a negative word or a
expression such as never, hardly, seldom, rarely, barely, scarcely, not only, at no time,
nowhere etc.

1.-They not only sing well but they also dance well.

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2.- She is barely studying her subjects.

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3.- They will never see you again.

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4.- She went nowhere after a long day at work.

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5.- They said that at no time.

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5.- Inverted word order is needed when a sentence begins with only and a time expression,
the subject and the verb of the main clause are inverted.

Only at night, Only once, Only in the morning, Only at eight o’clock, Only on Sundays, Only
on vacation etc…

She has worked only at nights.

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They will come here only at one.

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She went to work only on Sundays.

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The baby wakes up only once.

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You can talk to her only in the morning.

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NOTE: With Only after, the invertion will be in the main clause.

Only after Sam took the money, he knew he had made a mistake.

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Only after you finish your homework, you may go out.

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Only after she pays, she will get the receipt.

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Only after we have finished doing this, we will be able to watch T.V.

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6.- Inverted word order is needed when an adverb such as down, in, out, up is placed at the
beginning of the sentence, the verb is placed before the subject if the subject is a noun.

The doctor walked in with his bag in hand.

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The man climbed up to see the fire.

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Marina went out when she saw her husband.

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David sat down and rested.

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The rain came down and the villagers burst into tears.

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7.- Inverted word order is needed when a sentence begins with few, such, so, little unless
this word modifies a noun.

1.- Her desire to win was such that she practiced a lot.

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2.- Her surprise was such that she almost faints.

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3.- His education is so good that he will succeed.

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4.- The pollution is such that I will have to move to another city.

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5.- She knew little that her dad was coming.

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8.- Inverted word order is needed when a passive verb is split and the main verb begins the
sentence.

1.- Several people were held in the barn.

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2.- The reports were hidden in the drawer.

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3.- Our money is kept in that bank.

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4.- Many classes were taken by them.

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5.- Messages here are taken at once.

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