English sentence order is noun then verb. Is that correct? Well no, not always if you’re a native speaker.
When we want to focus or emphasise a particular part of a sentence we change the order of the sentence and put the verb first then the noun. This uses two advanced grammar techniques called fronting and inversions.
USING FRONTING FOR EMPHASIS AND FOCUS
We focus attention to a specific part of a sentence by changing the normal sentence order and putting the second part, the part we wish to focus on, at the front. This is an advanced grammar structure known as fronting.
Examples:
- The food was excellent but even better than that was the wine. Emphasises that something was ‘even better’. Normal word order – The wine was even better than the food.
- She keeps causing me a lot of trouble. This type of problem I can’t ignore any longer. Focuses and links the problem to the first sentence. Normal word order – I can’t ignore this type of problem any longer.
- At the back of the garden stood an old shed. The focus is on the ‘back of the garden’. Normal word order – An old shed stood at the back of the garden.
- I have a guitar and a piano. The piano I play the most. The focus is put on ‘piano’. Normal word order – I play the piano the most.
- That she is very intelligent is obvious. Provides the emphasis on she and intelligent. Normal word order – It’s obvious that she is very intelligent. Here the emphasis is on the word obvious.
USING INVERSIONS FOR FOCUS AND EMPHASIS
Inversions are similar to fronting and we invert the normal sentence order. With inversions, however, we use a negative adverb or expression at the front of the sentence.
- not
- neither
- nor
- hardly
- only
- rarely
- scarcely
- no way
- never
- at no time
- seldom
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Examples:
I don’t really like golf. Neither does my son nor do any of my friends. (Auxiliary verb ‘do’ before the subjects ‘son’ and ‘friends’. Normal word order – My son, my friends and I don’t really like golf)
Never have I been so frightened. (Normal word order – I have never been so frightened.)
Only in Britain can you see police officers without guns – (Normal word order – You can only see police officers without guns in Britain.)
Not until we opened the box did we realise it was empty – (Normal word order – We realised the box was empty when we opened it.)
At no time did I know she was lying. (Normal word order – I didn’t know she was lying.)
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Emphasis using fronting and inversions
Fronting and inversions should never be used regularly. They are best for highlighting something very important.
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It’s a very effective grammar structure to use for essays, particularly in the IELTS exams. It demonstrates an advanced level of grammar and is useful for focussing on a particular point that you wish to make.
If you have any questions or comments on fronting and inversions why not leave me a comment?
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