Inverted Word Order

Section 13.3.2

Inverted Word Order

Certain sentence types require inverted word order, in which a verbis placed before the subject. These types includeinterrogative sentences, conditional clauses withoutif, and declarative sentences that beginwith negative or restrictive words such as never, rarely, scarcely, hardlyever, and not only.

Do you understand Finnish? [interrogative]

Were she available, we would surely invite her. [conditional]

Not only is the standard American aluminum can light inweight and rugged but it is also about the same height and diameter as thetraditional drinking tumbler. [beginning with negative, notonly]

--William Hostold and John Duncan, "The Aluminum Beverage Can,"Scientific American

## Inverted Word Order ##

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