Questions tagged [inversion]
Inversion is the placing of words or whole phrases in the reverse of their usual order in a sentence. It can serve a grammatical or a rhetorical purpose.
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“… said Sally” or “… Sally said”?
I have always hesitated about the order S+V or V+S after a quote. For example, in the following sentence should I write "... said Sally" or "... Sally said"?
"If everything ...
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1answer
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Is neither … nor used correctly in this sentence?
Consider the following sentence:
Therefore, they neither need someone else to flatter them, nor depend in great part on a government pension.
Is it grammatically a correct sentence?
Is there any ...
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Mixed conditionals and inversion
I've been trying to play around with mixed conditional clauses and inversion. These topics are obviously not the easiest ones, so I have experienced some issues.
My sentence:
Weren’t professionals ...
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1answer
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Inversion in this sentence: “Nothing can/could I do…”
Is it possible to use an inversion like this:
"Nothing could (can) I do in that situation."
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1answer
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Inversion of a negative sentence including there
Sometimes inversion seems really complicated. Suppose the following sentence:
If there had not been modern communication platforms across the globe,
there could have not been any scientific progress.
...
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1answer
26 views
Inversion in comparative sentences
I came across this sentence in my English textbook :
They seem to vary in brain dominance more than do right handers.
But I think a more grammatically correct sentence would be:
They seem to vary ...
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1answer
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I wonder why are … vs i wonder why the majority of people who … are …?
Do we say
I wonder why the majority of people who liked this are ....(adjective)
Or
I wonder why are the majority of people who liked this ....(adjective)
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1answer
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“To …” as a subject of a sentence?
To the Mall’s polite formality-- its “tulips all in a line,” in House’s words-- has come a contrasting presence: a wetland visible from the Capitol sprouting cattails, wild rice and about 1,440 ...
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Change your mind as you will, you will gain no…
I saw sentences like "Try as he might, he couldn't get the door open." I'd like to know whether the same pattern can be applied to the following sentence.
Change your mind as you will, you ...
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inversion: sing as you do
Is the following sentence correct, on the model of "try as you may"?
Sing as you do today, he is never going to be happy with you.
Live as I do in Japan, I will never be treated as a local....
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The usage of “preposition+noun”
Under the siege was the hardest time.
Through the long hard slog was depressing.
Through the wood is the nearest way.
I’ll give you until the next morning.
Are those sentences natural?
I’m wondering ...
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Is this an inversion?
Only if upward compatibility and speed are important issues should a system supporting the double extended format also support single extended.
Is this sentence the same as following one?
Only if ...
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1answer
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Structure of a sentence from The War of the Worlds
You know how that blackness looks on a frosty starlight night. In a
telescope it seems far profounder. And invisible to me because it was
so remote and small, flying swiftly and steadily towards me ...
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2answers
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What is the sentence structure of “Divergent as the arguments are, It is my firm conviction that…”?
What is the sentence structure of "Divergent as the arguments are, It is my firm conviction that..."?
Is it a correct sentence? It seems like an inversion but I can't find this structure ...
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1answer
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Asking multiple questions successively and grammar structure
Do you see where I am coming from or my idea is still not clear?
Do you see where I am coming from or is my idea still not clear
I was thinking which is more grammatically correct, I know that, in a ...
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1answer
25 views
About exclamatives with interrogative form
Did I do something stupid last night!
I suppose it can be expressed by: What a stupid thing I did last night!
Wow! Can she sing!
It means that She is really good at singing.
Look at those ones! ...
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1answer
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Which is correct, would you or you would?
What is one question would you like to ask a time traveler from 1000 years in the future?
or
What is one question you would like to ask a time traveler from 1000 years in the future?
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2answers
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Is this inversion? “Seldom is the weather more dramatic…”
Seldom is the weather more dramatic than when thunderstorms strike.
Is it an inverted sentence?
Or what is it?
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1answer
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Do some subjunctive sentences mean the same with the sentences with the pattern “ Too…for…to ”?
The question is " Can I use inversions and subjunctives " in the same sentence ? ". In subjunctive sentence ,it says " It's so important that he get back home early " ,then ...
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Can I apply Inversions and subjunctives to the same sentence?
Like, " So strange was the situation that I can sleep ". Is it correct? Also how about " The situation was so strange that I can sleep ". Which one is correct? Are both them ...
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If he became successful , I would be proud of him or if he were to be successful… or if he becomes successful , I'll be proud of him?
What are the differences ? If I become rich or if I became rich or if I were to become rich ? What do they mean? I can't distinguish the conditional type 1 and 2.
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Can I apply Inversions to the sentences that include “ When ”?
Like " When I got back home, went the lights out/went out the lights " or " When got I back home, the lights went out ".
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1answer
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How can I apply inversions to sentences that include “because”?
Which of the following sentences is correct?
Because did I love the dinner, I ate it to my full
Or
Because I loved the dinner, did I ate it to my full
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1answer
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Is “When I got back home, did the lights go out?” grammatically correct?
Is the sentence:
When I got back home, did the lights go out?
grammatically correct, as compared to its inverted form:
Did the lights go out when I got back home?
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2answers
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Only if ~ is~ : inversion?
Sentence: Only if we go out there and clean it up this amount of plastic is going to go down.
Is this grammatically correct? I heard that when "Only if" is used, we invert the subject and ...
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0answers
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“A formidable figure she was too, in her belted smock and green breeches” Is this sentence a relative clause?
A formidable figure she was too, in her belted smock and green breeches
Is this sentence a relative clause ?
like 'A formidable figure (which) she was too'
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108 views
If I had money / Had I money, I would like to buy a car
If I had money, I would like to buy a car.
Had I money, I would like to buy a car.
Are they correct and if not, why?
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0answers
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Why is the usage of inversion incorrect? While It seems it should be right
The sentence is as below:
I wish I had never worked there.
And the sentence with inversion is as below:
I wish never had I worked there.
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1answer
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If you don't mind me asking + Wh. words
I am well aware what does the indirect speech mean.
Example:
Person a. How old are you?
Person b. I didn't notice what he asked!
Person C. He asked how old you are. [Indirect speech]
But could ...
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0answers
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Is it possible to leverage two inversions into one sentence?
I don't have the foggiest idea about the rectitude of my instance, as well as about the viability of the creation of this sort of sentence. If my example is not correct, and if putting two inversions ...
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2answers
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Subject-verb inversion
I've seen these sentences :
There goes the train!
There goes Peter!
Here comes Peter!
But
There he goes!
Here he comes!
Why is there a subject-verb inversion when the subject is ...
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0answers
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What are the grammatical facts of this 'Be it enacted by' structure?
Be it enacted by the King's Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate and the
House of Assembly of the Union of South Africa, as follows:-
I see the structure 'Be it enacted by...' in a lot of law-related ...
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“He/Peter said” vs. “Said he/Peter”
We often see "said he/Peter" or "he/Peter said" after the direct speech :
"Your information is out of date" he said.
"Your information is out of date" said he.
"Your information is out of date" Peter ...
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1answer
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“Left dislocation” of object for emphasis
I admire her. (SVO).
Her I admire. (OSV).
The left dislocation of the object is due to emphasis on it.
"I know when he will come."
Here, the object is "when he will come".
Is 'left ...
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0answers
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Is the second part an inversion?
In the following sentence, is the second part an inversion?
She was fair and not very tall; after her trotted a white Pomeranian.
Can I rephrase it as the second?
She was fair and not ...
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1answer
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“As can I.“ Is this grammatically correct?
I know English has inversion features. And So does my first language.
She can speak Swahili and so can I.
— this sounds totally correct.
Then how about using as instead of so:
She can speak ...
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1answer
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Could you explain “had it not been for”?
Could you explain the grammar of this sentence?:
...my own father would have drowned himself had it not been for my mother's prayers and faith.
I didn't understand the construction of this ...
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1answer
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Why in “Frozen” the statement “Am I so ready for this change” has an inversion?
In the first "Frozen" movie, while the city prepares for the Coronation Day, Anna is singing a song describing how she imagines the new situation she is going to encounter on that day. At some point ...
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1answer
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'Not until three years ago _________ to work outside.' [(a) he began (b) he begins (c) began he (d) did he begin ]
'Not until three years ago _________ to work outside.'
[(a) he began (b) he begins (c) began he (d) did he begin ]
Hi guys, I know the answer to this question is 'd', but I've had someone ask me ...
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1answer
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Which one is correct? “Why is art a culture” or “Why art is a culture”?
I'm just a little bit confused today. If I were to ask a question, would it be "Why is art a culture?" or "Why art is a culture?". Is there a difference? I'm thinking the correct ...
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2answers
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subject questions and inversion
I was told that we don't use inversion when asking about the subject of a sentence.
I encountered these two sentences while surfing the internet.
Whose book won the prize?
Whose gloves are these?
If ...
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1answer
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Meaning of 'have it they did'
When they had the ultimate audacity and have it they did then you needn't wonder that everything was turned upside down.
In this sentence, what is the meaning of 'have it they did'? Please tell me I ...
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1answer
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Inversion in the adverbial clause
Two questions about this sentence
Only now could he see what a terrible decision he had made.
The inversion should happen in the main clause and not in the adverbial clause, isn't it?
The ...
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1answer
192 views
“Not only can I not help you, but also (never/ under no circumstances) can our parents help you.”
Is my sentence grammatically correct?
Not only can I not help you, but also (never/ under no circumstances) can our parents help you.
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“what had she said ” vs “what she had said” Which one is correct?
I had been deemed "what she had said" is correct sentence. However lately I played some English visual novel games, there was a sentence with strange grammar: "what had she said".
Which one is ...
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1answer
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auxiliary in inversion without a negation
I thought we must use auxiliary verbs in sentences with inversion only when we have an explicit (not, never) or implicit (only if, hardly, little) negation. But I have come across the next sentence:
...
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“No sooner had … than” and “No sooner did … than”
Are both of the following sentences grammatically correct?
No sooner had the committee made the announcement than everyone started complaining
No sooner did the committee made the announcement ...
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Ask about the reason of not giving money to people by banks
Suppose you live in a country, and an economical issue was happened, and the country's banks refuse giving money back to people ... what is the best way to ask about the reason?
Why are not banks ...
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1answer
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Is the usage “it is not until now……” grammatically correct?
I have heard a lot of sentences including the phrase "until now" at the begining of sentences.
But when I search its inversion format in Google, I hardly find any related sentences which begin with
...
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2answers
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Usage of “How can we” and “How we can” in the following case
Correct
This is how we can improve XXX.
Correct
How can we improve XXX?
May I know, which is the correct form?
Would you mind telling us how we can improve XXX?
Would you mind telling us how can ...
