INVERSION AND

EMPHASIS IN THE
ENGLISH
LANGUAGE
Cao Thu Hiền ETE 38
 When inversion takes place, either the whole

01 predicate verb is put before the subject ( full

inversion) or only the auxiliary verb or modal verb
( partial inversion)

INVERSION
Happens when the order of the
subject and the predicate verb
is changed.
e.g:
Never in mid-summer does it snow.
Little did I know that he was a compulsive liar.
At no time (= never) did I say I would accept late homework.
1.1 Inversion may be required by the grammatical structure
● In interrogative sentences the finite verb must precede the subject:
Example:
Do you like that album ?
Can I talk to you ?

● Same word order is obligatory for a subordinate clause of unreal condition when the
conjunction “if” is omitted:
Example:
Were I not so tired, I would be there with you.
Had we arrived sooner, we would have seen what happened.
 1.2 Inversion may be the result of emphasis:
When some word in the sentence is put in a prominent position to make it emphatic, the structure of the sentence may require an
inverted order of subject and predicate verb:
Example: Never have I had such a wonderful time.
Up jumped the cat.
An inverted order of subject and predicate verb takes place in the following cases:
1, In question: Have you got 1 millions dollar for nothing ? ( The verb “ have” is placed before the subject “ you”).
How did she bring that box to school ? ( The verb “ did” is placed before the subject “ she”).
However: How many books do you have in your bookshelf ? ( The verb “ do” is placed after the subject “ you”).
2, In sentences expressing wish or concession:
Example: May you success. / Long live the peace of the world.
3, In the imperative mood: Happens when there is a subject expressed by a pronoun in set phrase – survival of the old word order:
Example: Did you kill that tree.
Fix me that bike.
 1.2 Inversion may be the result of emphasis:
4, In conditional clause “if”: The conjunction is omitted, but only when the predicate contains an auxiliary or modal
verb, or when the verb to be and to have are used as predicates:
Example:
- If you hear the fire alarm, leave the building at once.
=> Should you hear the fire alarm, leave the building at once.
-If they had realized the danger, they would have done it differently.
=> Had they realized the danger, they would have done it differently.
- If I were you, I wouldn’t do that. => Were I you, I wouldn’t do that.
5, When auxiliary verb or modal verb are repeated to apply a preceding statement to a new subject. Affirmative sentences
open with so, negative sentences open with neither, nor, no more:
Example: I have finished my homework. So have i.
I got up at 6 am. So did I.
6, When the sentences with subject is noun, begin with: here, then, now, then :
Example: Here comes the sun./ There goes the last bus./ Now comes the end of his presentation.
However: Here they are or there she comes. Not correct.
- If a long adverbial expression, especially preposition one, opens the sentence ( but only if the subject group is lengthy):
Example: In the corner of the street, had I saw an accident.
 1.2 Inversion may be the result of emphasis:
7, Open with the verbs to say, to answer, to ask, etc,.. Except when the verb is in analytical form or followed by an object denoting
the person addressed.
Example:
"I love you" said Harry.
"How far is it?" asked the passenger.
8, If an adverb, a conjunction or an emphatic particle with a negative or restrictive meaning begins the sentence: hardly, little,
neither, nor, no sooner than, not only, scarcely when, etc.
● Hardly had I begun to speak when I was interrupted.
● Scarcely had we started our meal when the phone rang.
● No sooner had I arrived than they all started to argue.
● Little did he imagine how dangerous it would be.
● So do I, neither do I, nor do I.
9, If a predicative begins the sentence, the inversion is used though sometimes the normal word order remains:
Example: Beautiful and slim is Anna that every girl dreams about.
10, If an emphasized so preceding an adverbial modifier, or an emphasized thus is put at the head of the sentence:
Example: Thus was the country plundered by the invaders.
02
EMPHASIS
To make a word or
word group
prominent.
1, INTONATION: Most important means of emphasis.
The word or word group to be emphasized receives a prominent stress.
In printed text: bold type, italics, underlined,…
If a word has a weak and a strong form, use the strong form to emphasis.
Example: I got the job. ( normal ) / I got the job. ( emphasis)

2, WORD-ORDER: Use Front position to emphasis.

However, a word or word group becomes emphatic when it put any abnormal position:
Example: John sent the letter to Marry.
It was the letter that John sent to Marry.

3, CONSTRUCTION WITH AN ANTICIPATORY IT:

Example: It was he who ruined my car.

4, CONSTRUCTION: OF + OBJECTIVE case of the personal pronoun

Example: It will be unavoidable the death of that man.
5, The so-called repetition-groups:

Example: It was miles and miles of winding forest path.

He thought of it again and again.

6, Abstract nouns and names of materials in plural form:

Example: A thousand pardons were produced when she made a mistake.

7, The auxiliary verb DO

Example: Do it now ! Do you understand what i am saying ?

8, The reflexive pronouns ( used as apposition to nouns and pronouns)

Example: We did the assignment ourselves.