На днях я решила освежить в памяти случаи инверсии в английском языке.

Как известно, английский язык отличается, в частности, от русского меньшей свободой в отношении порядка слов в предложении. Самым обычным и нормальным считается такой порядок, когда глагол следует за подлежащим. Однако, существует некоторое количество случаев инверсии, когда этот порядок нарушается и глагол выходит на переднюю позицию.

Вот что мне удалось собрать:

1. Questions

• Where is my bag?
• Have you seen it?

2. Sometimes after how in indirect questions (in formal writing; especially when the subject is long)

• I wondered how reliable was the information I had been given.

3. Sometimes in exclamations

• Was I mad! (AmE)
• How beautiful is this place! (old-fashioned literary style)

4. May in wishes

• May all your wishes come true!

5. There / here at the beginning of the sentence

• There is no reason for such confusion.
• Here is your change.

BUT: with pronouns → here it is; there she is!

6. Here comes / there goes + noun

• Here comes the bus.
• There goes the phone. Can you answer it?

7. In short answers and similar structures after so, neither, nor

• I’m tired. – So am I.
• I don’t believe him. – Neither /nor do I.

BUT: so + subject + auxiliary – to express surprised agreement

• It’s raining. – Why, so it is!

8. After few, such, so, little at the beginning of the sentence (unless this words modify a noun)

• So nervous was she that she couldn’t speak clearly.
• Such was their astonishment that they didn’t stop asking questions.

9. After as and than in comparisons, with a noun subject (in formal language)

• Ann decided to cancel the journey, as did John.
• She was upset about the situation, as was Mary.
• Research shows that parents watch more television than do their children.

BUT: with pronouns ↓

• His parents now watch more television than they did a couple of years ago.

10. Sometimes in reporting, with a noun subject

• ‘What did you say?’ asked Tom.
• ‘We should book the tickets’ suggested Mary.

11. Prepositional phrase indicating location at the beginning of the sentence + intransitive main verb (often verbs indicating position or motion)

• In the box were several old books.
• On the corner stood his brother.

12. Participle + be

• Standing on the corner was his brother.
• Lying in the box were several old books.

13. After the adverbs expressing direction or movement, such as away (=off), along, down, in, out, up, over, round, etc. at the beginning, when the subject is a noun.

• Down came the rain.
• Away went the visitors.
• In walked the doctor.
• Round and round flew the plane.

BUT:

• Off we go!
• Away they went.
• Round and round it flew.

14. After a “negative” word or expression at the beginning of the sentence: never, hardly, seldom, rarely, barely, scarcely, not only, not until, at no time, nowhere, in no way, under no circumstances, etc.

• Never has he faced so many problems at once.
• At no time did they break the rules of the game.
• Not only did the police arrive, but the firemen came too.
• Not a single word did he say.

15. Restrictive expressions: after only + time expression / prepositional phrase

• Only once was I late to class.
• Only after he finished the project, did he go on holiday.
• Only when he apologises will I speak to him again.
• Only by chance had he found the evidences.

16. In conditional sentences without if or unless (more formal)

• Should he ask me, I would surely help him. / Were* he to ask me…
• Were I in your shoes, I would apply for this position.
• Had I known, I would have told you.
• Should you change your mind, don’t hesitate to call me.

*were is also used with I, he, she and it

17. When a passive verb is split and the main verb begins the sentence

• Held as hostages were several reporters.
• Seen leaving the building were two masked hold-up men.

18. Literary sentences, e.g. beginning with an adjective (or past participle used like an adjective), and some other cases

• Blessed are the children who are still unaware of what the future holds.
• Gone are the days when she could have been happy.
• Later came a message from his wife.

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