Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

CP · Joined: 12 Jun 2006 Posts: 2875 Location: California

1. "To this list must be added the following interesting examples" is correct inversion; your version will work to emphasize "examples" over "be added," but most people would probably use "must be added" as in the original sentence.

2. "A bargain it was, at that price" is correct. It is inversion of "It was a bargain at that price," which could also be written, "At that price, it was a bargain." So this is sort of a double inversion. But "A bargain was it, at that price" is not natural.

3. "Not a word did she say all day long" is also a correct inversion of "She did not say a word all day long." Sorry, but your sentence is not a natural inversion.

4. "In vain did he try to persuade her" is also a good inversion. A native speaker would not say "In vain try he to persuade her" because "he try to persuade her" is ungrammatical to begin with. "In vain tried he to persuade her" might be acceptable in a poem or in something aspiring to be poetic, but in everyday speech and writing, it would look strange.

Hope this helps.
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Chan-Seung Lee · Joined: 03 Dec 2005 Posts: 1032

Thanks CP!

A few months ago, you told me that 'So great have the complaints been that some companies have taken measures to improve the human links between machines and customers.' is right rather than 'So great have been the complaints that some companies have taken measures to improve the human links between machines and customers.'

According to your theory, 'To this list must the following interesting examples be added.' is right rather than #1.

I'm a little confused. Can you explain the difference between your earlier teaching and present teaching?

Thanks.

Chan-Seung Lee · Joined: 03 Dec 2005 Posts: 1032

CP!
I'm looking forward to your reply.

Thanks.

CP · Joined: 12 Jun 2006 Posts: 2875 Location: California

Chan-Seung Lee · Joined: 03 Dec 2005 Posts: 1032

Mary W. Ng · Joined: 26 Jun 2006 Posts: 261

The normal word order in declarative sentences is SV, SVO, or SVC. In inverted sentences the word order is changed. However, we cannot freely place the sentence elements in any order we like. It is simply not done.