英语基本语序为主语在前,谓语在后。有时为了某种需要,如保持句子平衡、强调或固定的句型结构,而把谓语放在主语之前,这种语序叫倒装语序。

倒装有两种:全部倒装和部分倒装。

一、全部倒装

把谓语全部放在主语之前,叫全部倒装。

1.There be句型中,用全部倒装。例如:

There was nobody in this school.

There is something wrong with the machine.

There are different opinions on it.

There is a temple on the top of the mountain.

2.here, there, now, then, thus, in, up, away等副词位于句首,谓语动词常用come, go, lie, run等,要用全部倒装.例如:

Here comes the bus!

There goes the bell.

Then followed three days of heavy rain!

注意:如主语是人称代词,则只把副词提前位于句首,主语和谓语的位置不倒装。例如:

Here they come!

Away they went.

3.如果句子把地点状语提前,谓语动词为be, sit, come, go, lie, stand等,需要全部倒装。例如:

On the hill stands a temple.

Around the corner exist two banks.

On every piece of paper was a picture of a horse.

4.为了句子平衡或强调,将表语置于句首,也用全部倒装。例如:

Gone are the days when we lived in the countryside.

Present at the meeting are my friends from South America.

5.直接引语的一部分或全部放在句首,需全部倒装。例如:

"What are you doing?" asked the teacher.

但如果主语为代词或谓语还有其他词修饰,则不倒装。例如:

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"How do you feel these days?" The teacher asked me like my mother.

二、部分倒装

只把助动词、情态动词或系动词放在主语之前,叫部分倒装。

1.一般疑问句和特殊疑问句用部分倒装。例如:

Do you have any ink?

What do you usually do on Sundays?

2.否定副词位于句首,如no, not, never, seldom, little, hardly, rarely, nowhere等,或否定副词短语位于句首,如in no way, on no account, at no time, in no case, by no means等,句子用部分倒装。例如:

Never in my life have I heard such a thing.

Seldom does he come recently.

Hardly could she believe her own eyes.

At no time and under no circumstances will China be the first to use nuclear weapons.

3.以否定词not only...but also, no sooner...than, hardly/scarcely...when等开头的关联结构,句子进行部分倒装。例如:

Hardly/Scarcely had he got on the bus when he heard a shout.

No sooner had I gone to sleep than the telephone rang.

Not only did he buy a bike for me but he also sent it to my house.

4.在so...that, such...that句型中,如so, such位于句首,前半句倒装。例如:

So busy is he that he has no time to play with his daughter.

Such a good person was my teacher that we all admired her.

5.only位于句首修饰状语,则进行部分倒装。例如:

Only then did I realize that I was wrong.

Only when he is seriously ill does he go to hospital.

但当only修饰其状语不位于句首,或位于句首的only用来修饰的不是状语,而是主语,则不倒装。例如:

Only a doctor can do it.

6.so, neither, nor, no more位于句首,表示"也是","也不是",进行部分倒装。例如:

Tom is very kind, so am I.

He doesn't care much for sweets, nor do I.

但当so, nor, neither, no more引导的句子主谓不倒装时,则表示后者对前者说话的肯定和确认。例如:

Tom is not good at English, neither he is.

7.as引导让步状语从句时,从句用部分倒装。结构为:

名词(不加冠词)/形容词/副词/动词+as+主语+谓语。例如:

Child as he was, he could speak two languages.

Tired as she was, she went on cooking.

8.在含有were, should, had的虚拟条件句中,可以省略if,而把这三个词提前。例如:

Had you told me earlier, I could have done better.

Should anyone call, tell me in time.

Were I you, I would try it again.

9.such作表语置于句首时,则部分倒装。例如:

Such is my teacher.

Such are the words.

10.在某些表示祝愿的句子里。例如:

May you be happy!