LENGUA INGLESA III

SUBJECT - VERB INVERSION

Inversion: in this structure the verb phrase comes before the subject. There are two main
types of inversion: (1) subject-verb inversion or full inversion where the subject is preceded by
the entire verb phrase and (2) subject – operator (verb used for clause negation or for forming
questions in interrogative clauses) inversion or partial inversion where the subject is preceded
only by the operator rather than by the main verb or full verb phrase. If no operator is present in
the original clause, auxiliary do is added.

(1) Best of all would be to get a job in Wellington.

(2) Never before have so many people united to fight for this cause.

In this example, the main verb is united but only the auxiliary verb have is placed before the
subject. If no other operator is present, auxiliary do is inserted.

(2) Never again did I think of disobedience.

In general inversion serves the following discourse functions:

 Cohesion and information flow (specially subject – verb inversion)

 Intensification, dramatic emphasis (specially subject – operator inversion)
 Placement of focus (both kinds of inversion)
 End-weight (both kinds of inversion)

Types of inversion:

type of inversion examples conditions commonly

associated with this inversion

subject-verb On one wall hung a row initial adverbial (on one long wall)
of Van Goghs. short transitive verbs (hung)
long subjects (a row of Van
Goghs)
subject-operator On no account must he go. negative openings (on no
account)
So badly was he affected that degree expressions with
so
he never recovered. and such
She didn’t know much about life, the linking words so, nor, neither
nor did he.
subject-verb and So be it archaic and formal expressions
subject-operator in Long may she reign!
formulaic use

Subject-verb inversion: this structure is most found with an (1) initial adverbial, (2) a long
subject that introduces new information. Initial place or time adverbials are specially common.
Usually these adverbials have a cohesive function. They are often tied to previous discourse and
they often show how a scene unfolds, either in physical space or time. Here and there define a
place relative to the speaker. Sometimes an adverbial particle of direction is used with inversion
specially to emphasize a sudden action.
When the delayed subject is heavier than the verb, even though the latter can be a more
complex verb phrase inversion is used following the principle of end-weight.

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 End-weight: long or complex elements are placed towards the end of the clause. It helps to
understand as readers or listeners do not have to remember complex information from the
beginning of the speech.

(1) On the beach were four colourful sunshades.

Nowhere have I seen such beautiful flowers.
First came the dancers, next came the flower-decked floats.
Here come the first dancers.
There’s the dog I was telling you about.
There are many ways of cooking potatoes. Among these are frying, boiling, baking.
(academic prose).
In comes Gregory, laughing his head off. (initial adverbial)

(2) Among the sports will be athletics, badminton, basketball and volleyball.
Also taken into account will have been the long and tedious meetings at the
beginning of the year.
Then came the turning point of the whole situation.

Subject operator inversion: in this structure only the operator (auxiliary) is placed before the
subject. Apart from its special use in forming questions, subject –operator inversion occurs under
special conditions:

 Negative and restrictive opening elements: such as neither, nor, never, nowhere, on no
condition, not only, hardly, no sooner, rarely, scarcely, seldom, little, less, only. Through
inversion the force of the negative element is intensified. The negative ‘trigger’ for inversion
is usually an adverbial or a coordinating conjunction.

A: I haven’t got a copy of the timetable. B: Nor have I.

As I said before, on no account must he be told.
Rarely are all the elements in their correct place.
At no time did he say he wouldn’t be there.
Scarcely had I arrived when the fire broke out.

 Degree expressions with so and such, neither and nor: subject –operator inversion
occurs in clauses that begin with the degree adverb so followed by and adjective or adverb,
similar constructions with such … that. With so, that is optional.

So annoyed was he (that) he wouldn’t listen to the explanation.

So badly was he hurt, he spent months in hospital.
Such was his condition that he was operated on right away.
Such is his commitment that he stayed there all through the week.

Inversion can also occur when so is used as a pro-verb pointing back to the predicate of a
preceding clause or when it stands for given information and has a cohesive effect, the new
communicative clause is placed in end-position. Clauses with initial neither and nor express
parallelism with a preceding negative clause which also has a cohesive effect.

A: We used to watch that program on T.V. B: So did I.

As AIDS increased all over the world, so did deaths.
She didn’t know the truth, nor did he.
He hadn’t known about the problem and neither had his parents.

 Special cases of inversion: there are a few cases of formulaic inversion, which are
considered archaic with strong literary overtones. Specially subjunctive verb forms that
express a strong wish.

If that is what you want, so be it!

I won’t let him get into trouble, so help me God!
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 May God forgive your falsehoods.

Inverted Conditional Forms

Sometimes conditional forms are inverted as a means of sounding more formal. In this case,
the conditional 'if' is dropped and the inverted forms take the place of the 'if clause'.

Had he understood the problem, he wouldn't have committed those mistakes.

Should he decide to come, please telephone.
Had I known, I would have helped him.

Biber D., Conrad S., Leech G. (2002) Student Grammar of Spoken and Written English, Essex,
Reino Unido Longman, Pearson Education Limited..

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