Cathy Lin
Inversion question I'd like to ask about the inversion grammar. When we put the "place adverb" (such as here, there, in the room, etc.) at the begging of a sentence, we need to inverse the sentence--that is, we put the verb before the subject. For example, A girl sits on the chair. --> On the chair sits a girl. But I saw the following sentence and I felt a bit confused, From the top of the mountain I will have a clear view of the city. Is this a wrong sentence? Should I say "From the top of the mountain will I have a clear view of the city." because of the inversion rule? Thank you for answering my question.
2017년 4월 6일 오전 1:33
답변 · 4
3
The sentence is correct without inversion. Although English does use inversion after negative or limiting adverbs such "never," "not once," or "only then," there is no requirement to use inversion after an adverb of place – that would be German or Old English / Anglofrisian. You could say "Only from the top of the mountain will I have a clear view of the city."
2017년 4월 6일
2
'From the top of the mountain I will have a clear view of the city,' is perfectly fine. Another way of saying it would be 'I will have a clear view of the city from the top of the mountain.' "From the top of the mountain will I have a clear view of the city." Is actually a question as you are asking will you have a clear view of the city. I hope that helps
2017년 4월 6일
1
In this sentence, "from the top of the mountain" is a prepositional phrase indicating location: "From the top of the mountain, I will have a clear view of the city. " The sentence would still work as: "I will have a clear view of the city." Or even: "I will have a clear view." Inverted, this sentence would be: "A clear view I will have." or "A clear view of the city I will have." or "From the top of the mountain, a clear view of the city I will have." (While this inverted sentence is grammatically correct, it is not one a modern English speaker would be likely to use.)
2017년 4월 6일
Thank you guys for answering my questions in different ways. I understood it!
2017년 4월 7일
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