inversion

 0    57 Datenblatt    valerianoesteban
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Frage English Antworten English
298. inversion.
Lernen beginnen
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We put an auxiliary verb (and non-auxiliary have and be) before the subject of a clause in several different structures.
Lernen beginnen
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1. questions
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Have your father and mother arrived?
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Note that spoken questions do not always have this word order (see 462).
Lernen beginnen
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You're coming tomorrow?
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Indirect questions do not usually have this order (see 481.6).
Lernen beginnen
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I wondered what time the film was starting.
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However, in formal writing inversion is sometimes used with be in indirect questions after how, especially when the subject is long.
Lernen beginnen
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I wondered how reliable was the information I had been given.
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2. exclamations
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Exclamations often have the same structure as negative questions (see 360).
Lernen beginnen
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Isn't it cold? Hasn't she got lovely eyes?
Lernen beginnen
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In spoken American English, exclamations often have the same form as ordinary (non-negative) questions.
Lernen beginnen
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Have you got a surprise coming! Am I mad!
Lernen beginnen
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In a rather old-fashioned literary style, inversion is sometimes found in exclamations after how and what.
Lernen beginnen
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How beautiful are the flowers! What a peaceful place is Skegness!
Lernen beginnen
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May can come before the subject in wishes.
Lernen beginnen
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May all your wishes come true!
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May he rot in hell!
Lernen beginnen
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4. after so, neither, nor
Lernen beginnen
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In 'short answers' and similar structures, these words are followed by auxiliary verb + subject.
Lernen beginnen
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'I'm hungry.' 'So am I.' 'I don't like opera."Neither/Nor do I.'
Lernen beginnen
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5. after negative and restrictive expressions
Lernen beginnen
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If a negative adverb or adverbial expression is put at the beginning of a clause for emphasis, it is usually followed by auxiliary verb + subject.
Lernen beginnen
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These structures are mostly rather formal.
Lernen beginnen
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Under no circumstances can we cash cheques.
Lernen beginnen
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At no time was the President aware of what was happening.
Lernen beginnen
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Not until much later did she learn who her real father was.
Lernen beginnen
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The same structure is possible after a complete clause beginning not until...
Lernen beginnen
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Not until he received her letter did he fully understand the depth of her feelings.
Lernen beginnen
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Inversion is also used after restrictive words like hardly, seldom, rarely, little
Lernen beginnen
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and never, and after expressions containing only.
Lernen beginnen
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These structures, too, are formal or literary.
Lernen beginnen
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Hardly had I arrived when trouble started.
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Seldom have I seen such a remarkable creature.
Lernen beginnen
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Little did he realise the danger he faced.
Lernen beginnen
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Never ... was so much owed by so many to so few. (Churchill)
Lernen beginnen
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Only then did I understand what she meant.
Lernen beginnen
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Only after her death was I able to appreciate her.
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Not only did we lose our money, but we were nearly killed.
Lernen beginnen
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Inversion is not used after non-emphatic adverbial expressions of place and time.
Lernen beginnen
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Not far from here you can see foxes.
Lernen beginnen
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Inversion is used when not + object is put at the beginning of a sentence for emphasis.
Lernen beginnen
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Not a single word did she say.
Lernen beginnen
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6. after as, than and so
Lernen beginnen
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Inversion sometimes happens after as, than and emphasising so in a literary style.
Lernen beginnen
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She was very religious, as were most of her friends.
Lernen beginnen
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City dwellers have a higher death rate than do country people.
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So ridiculous did she look that everybody burst out laughing.
Lernen beginnen
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7. conditional clauses
Lernen beginnen
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In formal and literary conditional clauses, an auxiliary verb can be put before the subject instead of using if.
Lernen beginnen
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Were she my daughter ... If she were my daughter ...)
Lernen beginnen
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Had I realised what you intended ... (= If I had realised ...)
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Negatives are not contracted in this case.
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Had we not spent all our money already,
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