What is an Inverted Sentence
A sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought, usually in the format of a subject before a verb. Inverted means upside down or in reverse order. So, what is an inverted sentence? An inverted sentence is a complete thought expressed in reverse order or the verb before the subject. In writing, inverted sentences may be used to alter sentence structure or to place emphasis. Sentence inversion is common in sentences that begin with an adverb or adverb phrase, in sentences that give a command, and in questions. Yoda, legendary Star Wars Jedi Master, is famous for speaking in inverted sentence structure. One example of an inverted sentence spoken by Yoda is, “When nine hundred years old you reach, look as good you will not.”
Questions
The structure of questions in many languages often requires inverting sentences. In English, a question mark at the end of the sentence is one signal that a question is being asked. Another signal is placing the verb first, before the subject. Similarly, Spanish questions begin with an upside-down question mark, then the inverted sentence structure is followed by another question mark at the end. Notice how the following sentences are inverted in order to form questions:
You have been to Niagara Falls. Have you been to Niagara Falls? (helping verb-subject-verb)
It is cold outside. Is it cold outside? (verb-subject)
Commands
A command is a sentence that gives a directive or tells the subject to do something. In order to show emphasis or strength, the verb is usually the first word in a command. Commands are a type of inverted sentence where the subject is often missing or is implied. The following are examples of commands with a missing/implied subject:
Write a five-paragraph essay. The implied subject may be “students” or “class”.
Bathe the dog before you play with your friends. The implied subject may be “you”.
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Inverted Sentences
Inverted sentences add variety to writing. If all sentences had the same pattern, the writing would be boring and dry. Novelists, journalists, and poets vary the structure of their sentences to keep the interest of the reader. Rearranging sentence structure so that the verb comes before the subject enhances the originality of the writing. Additionally, inverted sentences in poetry may be necessary for keeping with a particular rhyme scheme or meter.
Inverted Sentence Examples
The following are examples of sentences in normal form and inverted form:
Two large potted plants were on the front porch. On the front porch were two large potted plants. (object – verb – subject)
She had never heard such a sad story. Never had she heard such a sad story. (negative adverb – verb – subject-object)
You did bake these cookies. Did you bake these cookies? (helping verb – subject – verb – object)
The statue of George Washington stands there. There stands the statue of George Washington. (adverb – verb-subject)
A herd of buffalo lives in the field. In the field lives a herd of buffalo. (adverb – verb-subject)
She was so thoughtful to have brought me flowers. So thoughtful was she to have brought me flowers. (adverb – verb-subject)
Inverted Word Order
Any sentence that does not comply with normal word order (subject then verb) is said to have inverted word order. Certain sentence types require inverted word order. Inverted word order may be verb-subject, verb-subject-verb, or missing subject-verb. These types include questions, commands, conditional statements not using if, and declarative sentences beginning with a negative. Here is an example of each type of sentence with inverted word order:
- Question – Were you involved in the car accident last night?
- Command – Take off your shoes when you enter the house.
- Conditional statement – Had I been able to sleep last night, I would be more focused in class today.
- Declarative beginning with negative – Never had he driven so far in a single day.
Inverted Word Order Examples
Example 1: William Shakespeare often used inversion in his writing. Notice how the sentence inversion in this excerpt from Sonnet 18 leads to the rhyme pattern:
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimmed,
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance, or nature’s changing course untrimmed:
Example 2: Shel Silverstein uses inverted word order in the last line of his poem My Beard for the purpose of rhyming and meter:
My beard grows to my toes,
I never wears no clothes,
I wraps my hair
Around my bare,
And down the road I goes.
Example 3: One of George Lucas’ most famous Star Wars characters, Yoda, spoke almost entirely in inverted word order. Perhaps Lucas did this primarily for emphasis:
The greatest teacher, failure is.
Always in motion is the future.
Truly wonderful, the mind of a child is.
Named must your fear be before banish it you can.
Example 4: The opening sentence in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit is an inverted sentence. Beginning the story this way captures the reader’s interest:
In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.
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Lesson Summary
Inverted sentences are sentences in which the normal word order (subject then verb) is altered, or reversed. Common inverted order sentence patterns include verb-subject, missing subject-verb, and verb-subject-verb. Some types of sentences such as questions, commands, sentences beginning with conditional phrases, and sentences beginning with a negative, require inverted word order. Sentences that begin with adverbs or adverb phrases often consist of inverted word order. Inverted order sentences and word order inversion are used to vary sentence structure, place emphasis or stress, fit a rhyme or meter pattern, and/or to hold the reader’s interest. As Yoda might say: Interesting and fresh, inverted sentences are.