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Inversion

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

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Inversion

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  1. Inversion

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

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

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

  5. 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. ->Normal word order : ‘They found the body under the floorboards’

  6. 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. ->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) (position : hang,lie,live.sit.stand ) ->Under the floorboards lay a body. ->In the doorway stood a tall stranger.

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

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

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

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

  11. 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 : 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 . Here there is no inversion .

  12. 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?

  13. 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

  14. 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 .

  15. 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. Step 1 .Which action happens first? Put it in the PAST PERFECT tense . ->I had got out of the car . A thief grabbed my suitcase . Step 2. In the first sentence put the auxiliary verb first ->Had I got out of the car . A thief grabbed my suitcase. Step 3. HARDLY+1st sentence+WHEN+2nd sentence ->Hardly had I got out of the car when a thief grabbed my suitcase. NO SOONER +1st sentence+THAN+2nd sentence ->No sooner had I got out of the car than a thief grabbed my suitcase.

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

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

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