STRUCTURE AND
WRITTEN
EXPRESSION
Chapter 3
Problems with Inverted Subjects and Verbs
Subjects and verbs are inverted in a variety of situations in English. The most
common time to invert the subject and verb is when forming a question. To form
a question with a helping verb (be, have, can, could, would, will, etc.), the
subject and helping verb are inverted.
He can go to the movies. You would tell me the truth.
Can he go to the movies? Would you tell me the truth?
To form a question when there is no helping verb in the sentence, the helping
verb do is used.
He goes to the movies. You told me the truth.
Does he go to the movies? Did you tell me the truth?
There are many other situations in English when subjects and verbs are
inverted, but if you remember this method of inverting subjects and verbs, you
will be able to handle the other situations. The most common problems with
inverted subjects and verbs occur in the following situations: (1) with question
words such as when, where, why, what, and how, (2) after place expressions,
and (3) after negatives.
3.1 – Invert the subject and the verb with question words
There is sometimes confusion about when to invert the subject and verb after
question words such as when, where, why, what, and how. These words can
have two different functions in a sentence. First, they can be at the beginning of
a question, and in this case the subject and verb that follows are inverted.
What is the homework?
When can I leave?
Where are you going?
Also, these words can join together two clauses, and in this case the subject and
the verb that follow are not inverted.
I do not know what the homework is.
When I can leave, I will take the first train.
Do you know where you are going?
In each of these examples there are two clauses joined by a question word. The
subjects and verbs that follow the question words what, when, and where are
not inverted.
3.2 – Invert the Subject and the Verb after Place Expressions
After ideas expressing place, the subject and the verb sometimes invert in
English. This can happen with single words expressing place, such as here,
there, or nowhere.
Here is the book that you lent me.
There are the keys that I thought I lost.
Nowhere have I seen such beautiful weather.
The subject and the verb can also be inverted after prepositional phrases
expressing place.
In the closet are the clothes that you want.
Around the corner is Sam’s house.
Beyond the mountains lies the town where you will live.
3.3- Invert the subject and verb after negatives
The subject and verb can also be inverted after certain negatives and related
expressions. When negative expressions such as no, not, or never come at the
beginning of a sentence, the subject and verb are inverted.
Not once did I miss a question.
Never has Mr. Jones taken a holiday.
At no time can the woman talk on the telephone.
Certain words in English, such as hardly, barely, scarcely, little, and only act
like negatives when they refer to time. If one of these words comes at the
beginning of a sentence, the subject and verb are also inverted.
Hardly ever does he take time off.
Only once did the manager issue overtime paycheques.
The other negative words that cause the subject and verb to invert are neither
and nor. When these words are in the middle of a sentence, the subject and verb
that follow them are inverted.
I do not want to go, neither does Tom.
The secretary is not attending the meeting, nor is her boss.
