Inversion
Teaching aims and requirements
1. Help students to learn the definition of inversion and when to use the inversion.
2. Students are expected to apply what they have learnt to practical use by finishing relevant exercises.
Teaching procedure
Step 1 General introduction
1. Give some examples of inversion to show what inversion is.
Did you go to visit the Louvre?
Seldom does he paint now.
He did not like the painting. Neither did I.
Note: Inversion is the changing of the order of the words in the sentence. We put the predicate or part of it before the subject, when we use inversion.
Step2 Explanation
倒装句（Inversion）
一、 定义
英语句子的自然语序是主语+谓语。为了强调句中的某一部分把原来的语序重新调整，通常将谓语或谓语的一部分置于主语前。
二、 倒装类型
1. Local negation
1) In a question
Did you go to visit the Louvre Museum?
What do you know about Van Gogh?
2) When the sentence begins with a negative word or phrase such as never, seldom, rarely, little, hardly, not, nowhere, scarcely, not until, by no means, in no time, under no circumstance, no sooner…than…, hardly… when…, not only…, neither
I can’t swim; neither can he.
Little does he care about others.
Never shall I forget the day when I met Mr. Wang in the countryside.
At no time is smoking permitted in the meeting room.
Hardly had he got into the room when the telephone rang.
Not a mistake did he make.
No sooner had I got home than it began to rain.
Not until then did he realize his own fault.
3) When only is used to modify an adverbial (clause) and put at the beginning of a sentence.
Only in this way can you solve the problem.
Only when he told me did I realize what trouble he was in.
Note: Inversion should not be used when only modifies the subject.
Only he can solve the problem.
4) When the sentence begins with so/such.( which introduces an adverbial clause of result)
So angry was he that he couldn’t speak.
Such a lovely girl is she that we all like her.
5) When the sentence begins with so, neither, nor.
He has been to Beijing. So have I.
If you don’t go there tomorrow, neither / nor will/shall I.
---He works hard.
---So he does and so do you.
Note: If a sentence has 2 or more predicates, we should use ‘It is/was the same with…’, or ‘So it is/was with…’
She is clever and always works hard. So it is with/It is the same with her brother.
6. When a sentence begins with ‘often, always, now and then, many a time’
Many a time has she helped me with my experiments.
Always does he ask me for money.
2. Complete inversion
1) When the sentence begins with a direct speech or part of it.
“I’ll come back in three days,” said Tom..
“What are you doing?” he asked (asked he).
“Why didn’t you join us?” Tom asked me.
2) When the subject is too long.
Present at the meeting were many important persons.
Gone are the days when women were looked down upon.
3) There be/ appear to be/ come/ happen to be/ lie/ live/ occur/ remain/ seem/ seem to be/ stand/ used to be…结构中
There appears to be no doubt about it.
There lies a lake near our city.
There seems little difference between the two words.
4) When the sentence begins with here, there, now, then, in, out, up, down,
away, off, thus, etc.
Here comes the bus.
There goes the bell.
Note:
1) If the subject is a pronoun, we can not use inversion.
Here he comes.
2) Simple present tense should be used with here, there, now
5) A sentence beginning with prepositional phrases.
On the top of the hill stands a temple.
At the end of the valley lies a small lake.
6) When such is used as predicative.
Such were the facts.
Such will be our future.
3 Inversion can also be used in formal language to talk about unreal conditionals.
Had it not been for the heavy rain, we would have finished the task.
Were I you (= If I were you), I would go abroad.
Should he come (=If he should come), please tell him to ring me up.
Were it to rain tomorrow, I would stay at home.
4. In the sentences containing the conjunctions like though, as, however.
Clever as he is, he doesn’t study well.
Child as he is, he knows a lot.
Try as she might, she failed.
However late he comes back home, his mother will wait for him.
5. When a sentence expresses good wishes.
May you succeed.
Long live the friendship.
Step 3 Translate the following sentences.
1. 虽然他是个孩子，但他懂得很多。
Child as he is, he knows a lot.
2. 只有用这种方式我们才能提高我们的英语水平。
Only in this way can we improve our English.
3. 如果明天下雨的话，我们将不开会了。
Were it to rain tomorrow, we wouldn’t have the meeting.
4. 我一回来就开始烧饭了。
Hardly had I got back when I started cooking.
5. 直到他失去健康，他才意识到好的身体意味着什么。
Not until he lost his health did he realize what good health meant.
Step4 Language points
1.twist one’s ankle 扭伤脚
2.make a reservation 预定
reservation n [C] 预定,预约;保留意见
We have reservations in the name of Smith.
They support the measures without reservation.
reserve v ~ sth (for sb/ sth) 预定;保留
I’d like to reserve a table for three.
These seats are reserved for special guests.这些座位是留给贵宾的。
book v 约定座位、房间、票等。 美国用reserve.
The performance is booked up.
The secretary has booked the manager in the Hilton Hotel.
Order 主要指订货或餐馆点菜、饮料等。
I ordered a beer and a sandwich.
I have ordered some new furniture from the shop.
3.fantastic adj.
1) excellent 极好的
She is a fantastic swimmer.
2) Very large巨大的；异乎寻常的
Their wedding cost a fantastic amount of money.
3)wild and strange荒诞的
They made up a fantastic story.
Step 5 Practice
1. Read part A on page41 and underline the inversions included in the text.
Keys:
1) Aunt really enjoyed France and so did I.
2) Hardly had we left the dormitory the next morning when we realized we had forgotten our map in the room.
3) Had you come with us, I think you would have enjoyed Europe too.
4) Is there anything special that I can bring you?
2. Read part B and invert the sentences using the structures with the negative words..
Keys:
1) Never have I seen such beautiful flowers in the city.
2) Neither do I have time to go to the museum today and nor do I want to.
3) Hardly had I started to look at the paintings when the teacher said it was time to leave the museum.
4) The artist is always drawing; seldom is he seen without a notebook in his hand.
Step 6 Consolidation
1. Finish workbook exercises,
2. Some extra exercises on reference books.
Homework
1. Finish relevant exercises
2. Finish C1 and C2 on page 118.