Predicate before subject

You shouldn't normally. However, you can in:

Short structures after neither, nor, so: She likes opera, and so do I.

In formal conditional clauses: Were he here, ... . Had I known that ... .

After negative expressions: Never have I seen such a tragic scene.

In some exclamations: Have I got news for

Thank you for your attention, but I mean ordinary Present or Past Simple sentences where the verb goes before the noun.
What for is the verb placed before the noun?

Under the tree sat Jim.
Why can this inversion be used?

Ruslan L.Under the tree sat Jim. Why can this inversion be used?

Again, it is not an absolute must that you use this kind of inversion. It is typically used for poetic effect, which you normally don't need in most everyday contexts.

Thank you.

Ruslan L.Why should I place the predicate (verb) before the subject in an affirmative sentence?

See http://grammar.about.com/od/fh/g/frontingterm.htm.

Anonymous Ruslan L.Why should I place the predicate (verb) before the subject in an affirmative sentence?See fronting.

It seems that the "link" extension doesn't work properly; just in case - fronting: (http://grammar.about.com/od/fh/g/frontingterm.htm)

It works for me. (It takes a few minutes sometimes for the site to approve links.)

Ruslan L.Under the tree sat Jim. Why can this inversion be used?

See
See
See

CJ

Ruslan L.the predicate (verb)

Note: predicate is the function of a verb phrase; predicator is the function of a verb.

I woke up early this morning. [predicate]
I woke up early this morning. [predicator]