倒装有两种情况:语法倒装和修辞倒装。因为语法结构而须倒装的,叫语法倒装;为达到某种修辞目的而倒装的,叫修辞倒装。下面我们重点讲解修辞倒装的五类用法。
1、在以never, hardly, scarcely, rarely, barely, seldom, not only, not until, nor, little, nowhere, hardly….when, no sooner….than, by no means, under no circumstances 等开头的句子中,主谓要倒装。这些都是表示否定或半否定意义的词或词组。
例如:
seldom do i read such magazines. 我很少读这种杂志。
no sooner had they left than the bus arrived.
他们刚走,公共汽车就来了。
never before have i met him. 我以前从未见过他。
not until midnight did it stop raining. 直到半夜雨才停。
(正常语序是:it did not stop raining until midnight. 注意not位置的变化)
2、在以“only+状语”开头的句子中,主谓要倒装。这里only后面须跟有它修饰的状语或状语从句,这是关键。否则就不倒装。
例如:
only then did i realize the importance of english.
只在那时我才意识到英语的重要性。
only in this way can we improve ourselves.
只有用这种方法我们才能不断提高自己。
注意:only 如不在句首,或only 修饰的不是状语,则不倒装。
如:
only the senior staff are allowed to use this room.
只许资 深的职员使用这个房间。
only five passengers survived the accident.
事故中只有五位旅客生存了下来。
3、用于以表示处所、声音等意义的副词开头的句子。用表示运动的不及物动词(如go, come, rush, fly 等)作谓语时,为了表示生动,可将某些副词放在句首,谓语动词放在主语之前,形成倒装结构。
例如:
down came the rain. 下起大雨来了。
bang went the firecracker. 爆竹砰的一声响了。
4、用倒装来避免头重脚轻,使句子显得平衡。这主要是因为主语过长或强调表语或状语。
例如:
at the center of the big room over there is a table that is made of wood which is imported from brazil of south america.
在那边那个大房子的中央有一张用从南美洲的巴西进口的木头做成的桌子。
(正常语序:a table that is made of wood which is imported from brazil of south america is at the center of the big room over there. 这句话主语和谓语间隔太长,不平衡。)
5、其他用法
倒装还可用在强调表语和宾语的句子中。把表语和宾语提到主语前。
如:
such was albert einstein, a simple man of great achievements.
爱因斯坦就是这样一个取得了伟大成就的单纯的人。