What makes a sentence inverted

One type of inversion common both in academic writing and on the TOEFL is starting a statement with the past participle.

Listen to the following reading about television viewership in the United States. Then try to find the inversion. Gone are the days when American families would gather around a television program at its scheduled time. And, they often binge - watch whole series, whether on cable TV or the Internet. Did you find the inversion? Notice that the relative clause does not use inversion. That is important. Often, statements that use inversion contain more than one clause and only one of the clauses contains inversion.

You will also notice that there was only one inversion in the example. Inversion is something that you should avoid overusing. For these, the negative word or term almost always begins the statement. Punishment is rarely severe for attackers who are found guilty. It is a well-written statement that does not use inversion. Rarely is punishment severe for attackers who are found guilty. In addition to negative adverbs, there are also many negative phrases that use inversion.

In academic writing, this phrase can be effective for making an argument. There are a number of advantages to owning a hybrid car. In some languages, the word order of a question might not be inverted, and voice intonation could indicate the interrogative. A question in English, however, often is constructed with a verb first.

For example, one could ask the question, "Are you going to school? Sentences that begin with time-constraining words or phrases, such as "rarely," "hardly ever" and "never," normally are inverted. A sentence that is constructed this way puts emphasis on the rarity or impossibility of the action, such as "Rarely do I get my wife's approval.

A conditional sentence with the "if" omitted can best be expressed in an inverted form. Many sentences can be inverted if they begin with a subordinate clause. Seldom do they go to a tour.

Rarely do we see gypsies. Hardly ever do they talk to each other. Example: Only if they come would I go Only by researching can you solve this problem. Only after lunch can you play. Not only did they kill the adults, but they killed also the children. Adverbials at the beginning of a sentence. Example: Hardly had I reached there, he left. Seldom does the teacher finishes his class early. Rarely does Alex forget to do his 5.

Example: There is a lady standing in front of the club. Here comes the king. Here is your home-made cola. There are so many people in that field. Example: Into the room came she when I was sleeping. Behind me cries a child.