英语句子的基本语序是“主语+谓语+其它成分”,即主语在前,谓语在后.但有时出于修辞上的需要,我们将句子的整个谓语或者谓语的一部分放在主语前面,这就构成了倒装.倒装通常分部分倒装和完全倒装两种.
一、部分倒装
将谓语中的助动词或情态动词置于主语之前,就是部分倒装.部分倒装通常出现在以下场合:
1.陈述句变为疑问句时,主语和谓语要部分倒装.例如:
They are talking about the new film.→ Are they talking about the new film?
They are talking about the new film.→ What are they doing?
2.“ only + 状语 / 状语从句”位于句首时,句子的主语或主句中的主语和谓语要部分倒装.例如:
Only yesterday afternoon did I finish my experiment.
Only in this way can you catch up with your classmates.
Only when you get to the top of the mountain can you see the tower.
3.表示否定意义的副词或连词放在句首时,主语和谓语要部分倒装.例如:
Never shall I do the same thing again.
Not until all the fish died in the river did the villagers realize how serious the pollution was.
Hardly had we finished our dinner when the electricity was cut off.
4.在含有 had ,were ,should 的虚拟条件句中,可以省略 if ,将 had ,were ,should 放在主语之前,构成部分倒装.例如:
Had you come here,you would have met the film star.
Were I you,I would take the money.
Should any one come to set me free,I would make him very rich.
5.在 so … that …句式中,如果 so 引导的部分前置,主句中的主语和谓语需用部分倒装.例如:
So carelessly did he drive that he almost killed himself.
6.当 so,neither,nor 位于句首时,可将其后与上面重复的谓语的一部分置于主语之前,构成部分倒装.例如:
— He has been to Beijing.
— So have I.
— Liu Jia can't answer the question.
— Neither/Nor can Lai Fan.
说明:
1 ) so 位于句首时,具备三个条件才可以将主语和谓语部分倒装:① so 表示“也”的意思;②上句是简单句的肯定句;③上句的主语和 so 引导的句子主语不同.如果 so 所在的分句的主语与上句的主语相同,这时 so 的意思是“的确”,so 分句中的主、谓语无须倒装.例如:
— Jenny has decided to turn in the wallet.
— So she has.
2 )上面的句子有两个或两个以上的分句,而且这些分句中的谓语动词又不属于同一类型,但它们所陈述的情况也适合另一个人或物时,常用的结构为:So it is/was with … 例如:
— Li Juan is a pretty girl and she studies in No.1 Middle School of Enshi.
— So it is with Meng Lu.
二、完全倒装
将整个谓语部分置于主语之前即为完全倒装.这种完全倒装的语序出现在下列场合:
1.away ,down ,up ,in ,out 等副词位于句首且主语为名词时,可将 come ,go 等表示位置转移的动词放在主语之前;但主语为代词时,主语和谓语不倒装.例如:
The door opened and in came the teacher.
Down he sat by the table.
2.here 和 there 位于句首,且主语为名词时,可将主语和谓语全部倒装.例如:
Here is your rice.
There goes the bell.
3.当句首的表语或状语是表示地点的介词短语时,句子中的主语和谓语要全部倒装.例如:
On the front wall is a blackboard.On the back wall hangs a map of China.
4.有时为了使上下文紧密衔接,也要用完全倒装.例如:
They arrived at a farmhouse,in front of which sat a small boy.
5.直接引语前置,引导语中的主语是名词时,主语、谓语通常要完全倒装.例如:
“ Something is wrong with the machine,” said Xiao Dan.