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Cho7712 Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
Inversion and the place of adverbs?
The rule for inversion operation that I've known is to switch the first auxiliary verb and the subject when the particular kinds of adverbs or the negation words appear as having their scope through the whole sentence.
i.e. Rarely does it happen that the harbour is frozen up in March.
All the sentences with inversion is not hard to interpret until I encounter this example below.
A - Only when I found these receipts did I realize he spent too much money.
Here I make my own assumption of this example's original versions.
1. I realized only when I found these receipts he spent too much money.
2. I realized only he spent too much money when I found these receipts.
3. I only realized he spent too much money when I found these receipts.
What I confuse now are as follows,
In three of them, what is the correct one for having the possible condition to inversion?
If the 1st one is right, is it possible for adverbs in that position to be able to cover the entire sentence?
It seems like 'only when I found these receipts' functions as one unit, which means 'only' does not influece the main sentence so that inversion cannot happen the way it can be in A.
I very much doubt that the scope of 'only' in sentence A and 1 is restricted to 'when-clause' so that the inversion can't happen.
And if I put the 2nd sentence in this way, 'Only did I realize he spent too much when I found these receipts.',it still keeps the same meaning as A?
Lastly, it seems the 3rd sentence is more general form, though I guess so. Then what is the difference between saying like 1,2 and 3?
i.e. Rarely does it happen that the harbour is frozen up in March.
All the sentences with inversion is not hard to interpret until I encounter this example below.
A - Only when I found these receipts did I realize he spent too much money.
Here I make my own assumption of this example's original versions.
1. I realized only when I found these receipts he spent too much money.
2. I realized only he spent too much money when I found these receipts.
3. I only realized he spent too much money when I found these receipts.
What I confuse now are as follows,
In three of them, what is the correct one for having the possible condition to inversion?
If the 1st one is right, is it possible for adverbs in that position to be able to cover the entire sentence?
It seems like 'only when I found these receipts' functions as one unit, which means 'only' does not influece the main sentence so that inversion cannot happen the way it can be in A.
I very much doubt that the scope of 'only' in sentence A and 1 is restricted to 'when-clause' so that the inversion can't happen.
And if I put the 2nd sentence in this way, 'Only did I realize he spent too much when I found these receipts.',it still keeps the same meaning as A?
Lastly, it seems the 3rd sentence is more general form, though I guess so. Then what is the difference between saying like 1,2 and 3?
Top answer
Many of your sentences are incorrect and you are on the wrong track anyway. The simple rule is that inversion occurs in the main clause . cho7712 Rarely does it happen that the harbour is frozen up in March.
- Many of your sentences are incorrect and you are on the wrong track anyway.
- The simple rule is that inversion occurs in the main clause .
- cho7712 Rarely does it happen that the harbour is frozen up in March.
- All clauses beginning with that as a conjunction, which is the case in your sentence, or as a relative pronoun are subordinate clauses.
- cho7712 Only when I found these receipts did I realize he spent too much money .
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14 Answers
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Many of your sentences are incorrect and you are on the wrong track anyway. The simple rule is that inversion occurs in the main clause.
cho7712 Rarely does it happen that the harbour is frozen up in March.All clauses beginning with that as a conjunction, which is the case in your se
00
First, thank you for your answer.
And it seems rather uncertain of me whether the inversion rule include the adverbial subordinate clauses. Could you let me know where you got it?
um, and the resource from which I quote this problematic example is the grammar textbook. So I still am quite sure that the adverb 'only' triggers the inversion process.
Even though it being a tricky one, the
And it seems rather uncertain of me whether the inversion rule include the adverbial subordinate clauses. Could you let me know where you got it?
um, and the resource from which I quote this problematic example is the grammar textbook. So I still am quite sure that the adverb 'only' triggers the inversion process.
Even though it being a tricky one, the
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Unfortunately I don't understand some of your problems and English. I learned inversion at school when I was 14 or 15 years old. You can find it in any good grammar book. I have nothing further to say about the subject. Good luck with your studies.
CB
CB
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Cho7712 - Would you still like your question answered competently? If you do, let me know and I'll try and help.
BillJ
BillJ
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Well, first, I made a tentative assumption that the inversion occurs when such phrases 'only when','only after' are preoposed in the sentence.
Other than that I could hardly solve this tricky problem.So I will undoubtedly appreciate your answer to solve this question.
Other than that I could hardly solve this tricky problem.So I will undoubtedly appreciate your answer to solve this question.
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Would I expect to be informed of your explanation to the topic soon, Mr.Bill?
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I think you're getting confused about the use of adverbs like "only".
"Only” is a ‘focusing modifier’. In your example A, it’s used to focus on the fact that it was your finding the receipts that led you to realise that he’d spent too much money. Likewise, in example 1. “only” focuses on your finding the receipts; but in example 3. it focuses on your realisation of his spending too much m
"Only” is a ‘focusing modifier’. In your example A, it’s used to focus on the fact that it was your finding the receipts that led you to realise that he’d spent too much money. Likewise, in example 1. “only” focuses on your finding the receipts; but in example 3. it focuses on your realisation of his spending too much m
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BillJ Example 2. Is ungrammatical."2. I realized only he spent too much money when I found these receipts."
In my opinion example 2 is perfectly grammatical and means that nobody except "he" spent too much money when "I" found the receipts.
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Thank you, Mr.Bill and Mr.CB.
First, according to Bill's explanation, 1 and 3 are the possible options.
Then what about each one's scope of 'only'?
Or else, as indicated in 'Only John liked it', 'only' is not the adverb type to trigger the inversion?
um,Get to the right point, I can say, why does the inversion take place in A sentence?
And what is the specific condit
First, according to Bill's explanation, 1 and 3 are the possible options.
Then what about each one's scope of 'only'?
Or else, as indicated in 'Only John liked it', 'only' is not the adverb type to trigger the inversion?
um,Get to the right point, I can say, why does the inversion take place in A sentence?
And what is the specific condit
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