Type Examples Notes

1. neg intro Never do I sleep. Question form is obligatory.

Only at night can I study. Used with all verbs.
In no way could I help you with your Japanese grammar This one is very common on the
question. TOEFL and somewhat common on
I believe that only rarely will I need your help. the GMAT and GRE.
We need to learn the various types of
Not until I got home did I realize that my shoes were
words and phrases that require this
untied. type of inversion.
Notice that sometimes the inversion
occurs right after the neg intro form
and sometimes it occurs in the next
subject and verb.
See Neg Intro for more info.

2. intro Into the room ran the lady. Inversion is optional.

adverbial First comes love, then comes marriage. Used with be-verbs, linking verbs,
After A comes B, then comes C, next comes D. and verbs of direction.
Down came the rain and washed the spider out. This one is less common on the
TOEFL, but more common on the
GMAT and GRE.
Notice that sometimes we have an
adverb, like first and down and
sometimes we have an adverb phrase
like into the room or after A. These
adverbs and adverb phrases usually
show location or direction.
This type of inversion usually only
occurs with be-verbs, linking verbs
and verbs that show direction or
movement, like come, go, run, etc.

3. intro –ed Found in San Francisco is Lombard Street, the so-called Inversion is obligatory.
crookedest street in the world. Used with be-verbs.
Lost among the old tables and chairs was the priceless This one is very common on the
Victorian desk. TOEFL, GMAT, and GRE.
Located between San Francisco and Marin County is the This type of inversion usually occurs
with be-verbs, but sometimes with
Golden Gate Bridge.
linking verbs.
Notice that the phrase is the
complement of the be-verb.

4. comparatives Cheetahs run faster than do antelopes. Inversion is optional.

You speak Chinese better than do I. Used with all verbs.
Jessica is more interested in Computer Science This form of inversion is common on
than is Benjamin. the TOEFL, GMAT, and GRE.
We normally only have inversion here
if we are comparing subjects of the
verb, not objects. For example, in the
following two sentences, we are
comparing objects, carrots and
potatoes, not the subject I.:
J I like carrots more than I do
potatoes. J
L I like carrots more than do I like
potatoes. L
Now, in this sentence, we are
comparing subjects, I and my friend
Carl:
J I like carrots more than does my
friend Carl.J

5. intro Bigger than an Apatosaurus is the blue whale. Inversion is obligatory.

comparative More important than your personal Used with be-verbs.
statement is your GPA. This form is more common on the
No less impressive than the invention of the GMAT and GRE than it is on the
 Type Examples Notes

laser was the development of the wheel. TOEFL.

Notice that we can only use this form
of inversion when the verb is a be-
verb since in every case, the
comparative is the complement of the
be-verb.
Remember that less than is also a
comparative.

6. as Megumi is from Japan, as is Sato. Inversion is obligatory.

So-eun wants to leave early today, as does Oi. Used with all verbs.
If thrown into the water, camels can swim, as can cats. We can only use inversion if we are
using as for comparisons.
as is one of the trickiest words in
English; it can have many different
meanings.

7. so… that… So happy was I that I bought flowers for everybody in Question form is obligatory.
class. Used with all verbs.
So quickly did she leave that we did not even realize This is not so common on the
was gone. TOEFL, but is fairly common on the
So rarely does a comet appear visible to the naked eye GMAT and GRE.
The so… that… clause must before
that when one does, it is considered a major event.
the verb in for this type of inversion.

8. had, should, Had I remembered Tomomi's birthday, she wouldn’t be Inversion is obligatory.
were for if- mad at me now. Used with all verbs.
clauses Note that the word if does NOT appear in the clause This is somewhat common on the
when inversion is used: TOEFL and more common on the
Had I remembered = If I had remembered GMAT and GRE.
This type of inversion is kind of
Should you need a hand, I will be more than happy to special. Notice that we can only use
help you. this type of inversion when we are
Should you need a hand = If you should need a hand using an if-clause. In other words, if is
Were I you, I think I would study more for your exam omitted: even though the word if does
tomorrow. not appear in the clause, we still have
Were I you = If I were you the meaning of an if-clause.
For more information, see had,
should, were.

9. there is, there There is a good restaurant nearby. Inversion is obligatory.

are, there exists, There comes a time in every person’s life when she Usually used only with these verbs.
there comes, etc. realizes that she is responsible for her own happiness, This form of inversion is common on
not other people. the TOEFL, GMAT, and GRE, as
Scientists hypothesize that there exists a certain type of well as in spoken and written English.
Most people remember there is and
particle that can travel faster than the speed of light.
there are. BUT we must also
remember that there are other verbs
that we can use instead of is and are.
The most common ones are exist,
come, and go.

10. here is, here Here is some good food for you to try. Inversion is obligatory.
are, here comes, Here are the books that I don’t need anymore. Usually used only with these verbs.
here come Here comes the bus! You will probably not see this on the
grammar section of the TOEFL or on
the GMAT or GRE. It could,
however, appear on the Listening
Comprehension Section of the
TOEFL. We use this form mostly in
spoken English.
 Type Examples Notes

11. intro -ing Burning out of control was the forestlocated in the Inversion is obligatory.
foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Used only with be-verbs.
Coming in last in the race was Joe "Elephant Legs" This form is not common on the
Blow. TOEFL, but might show up on the
Not helping the situation was little Susie, who was GMAT or GRE.
Notice the intro –ing phrase is the
throwing newspaper on the spreading fire.
complement of the be-verb.

12. emphasis Boy am I hungry. Inversion is optional.

Is it ever hot in here! Used with all verbs.
Do you know how to cook! You will probably not see this on the
grammar section of the TOEFL or on
the GMAT or GRE. It could,
however, appear on the Listening
Comprehension Section of the
TOEFL. We use this form mostly in
spoken English.

13. the bigger, The closer an object is to another object, the greater is Question form is optional.
the better the gravity between the two objects. Used with all verbs.

14. questions Is this the last example? Inversion is obligatory.

Do you enjoy reading these lists? Used with all verbs.
Are we finished yet? You will probably not see this on the
grammar section of the TOEFL
(TOEFL doesn't test questions
anymore) or on the GMAT or GRE. It
would, however, appear on the
Listening Comprehension Section of
the TOEFL.

15. "story “I think it’s time to go,” said Susan. Inversion is optional.
speech" “It’s time for you, but not for me,” replied Gary. Used with verbs that report speech.
“Maybe we should collect our thoughts for a You will probably not see this on the
moment,” commented Lany. grammar section of the TOEFL or on
the GMAT or GRE.

16. nor No one has volunteered for the job, nor do Inversion is obligatory.
we expect anyone to volunteer in the future. Used with all verbs.
Hok-ming cannot speak Portuguese, nor You might see this on the adaptive
can José speak Cantonese. TOEFL if you are scoring high and it
The zoo regulations will not permit you to touch the could appear on the GMAT or GRE.
Remember that nor is considered a
animals, nor would most people advise you to do so.
conjunction, but we use it between
two sentences (not between any two
elements like the other conjunctions).

17. "so do I"/ “So do I.” Inversion is obligatory.

"neither do I." “So can Terry.” Used with all verbs.
“Neither do most people I know.” You will probably not see this on the
grammar section of the TOEFL or on
the GMAT or GRE.

18. intro Beautiful beyond belief was my baby daughter. Inversion is obligatory in most cases.
adjective Happy about their acceptance into their dream Used with be-verbs.
schools were Lany and Tomo. This one is fairly rare and probably
Quick and painless will be your medical procedure. would not appear on the TOEFL, but
you might see it on the GMAT or
GRE.
Inversion is sometimes not used in
poetic language.