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his eyes brightly proud. (Douglas)
(c) The Prepositional Absolute Participial Construction.
He looked at Mr. Micawber attentively, with his whole face breathing short
and quick in every feature. (Dickens)
(d) The Prepositional Absolute construction.
He rushed forward, with fury in his looks, and fire in his eye.
7. A prepositional phrase or construction with a gerund.
His father looked up without speaking. (Lindsay)
Nellman was arrested by the FBI... for “being a member of the Communist
Party”. (Daily Worker)
On her going to his house to thank him, he happened to see her through a
window. (Dickens)
I left the room without anybody noticing it.
8. An infinitive, an infinitive phrase, or an infinitive construction.
They rose to go into the drawing-room. (Galsworthy)
So, on the following evening, we again assembled, to discuss and arrange
our plans. (Jerome)
He put the picture on the table for George to get a better view of it.
(Maugham)
ADDITIONAL REMARKS
It is not always easy to discriminate between different parts of the sentence expressed by prepositional phrases.
The following parts of the sentence are apt to be confused: (1) a prepositional indirect object and an adverbial modifier; (2) an attribute and an adverbial modifier.
1. A prepositional indirect object and an adverbial modifier of place and manner.
Kate removed her eyes from the window and gazed directly at Papa. (Cronin)
Decimus had been born in Rome. (Douglas)
In the first example the prepositional phrase at Papa is a pre; positional indirect object as the noun denotes a living being.
In the second example the prepositional phrase in Rome is an adverbial modifier as the noun denotes an inanimate object and the question is: Where had he been born?
When the noun in the prepositional phrase denotes an inanimate object, very often two ways of analysis are possible.
His wife was sitting before a very little fire. (Galsworthy)
The prepositional phrase before a very little fire can be treated either as an adverbial modifier or an object.
2. An attribute and an adverbial modifier of place.
I thought you were going to a party at the club. (Douglas)
The party will take place at the club.
In the first example at the club is an attribute as it modifies a noun. It answers the question: What party?
In the second sentence the same prepositional phrase modifies a verbal group, consequently it is an adverbial modifier of place.
These examples do not cover all the dubious cases in analysis, they only serve to show that there are many border-line cases.
DETACHED (LOOSE) PARTS OF THE. SENTENCE
§ 36. Detached parts of the sentence are those secondary parts which assume a certain grammatical and semantic independence. This phenomenon is due to their loose connection with the words they modify.
Loose connection may be due to the position of these words, the way they are expressed, their meaning, or the speaker’s desire to make them prominent. In spoken language detached parts of the sentence are marked by intonation, pauses, and special stress; in written language they are generally separated by commas or dashes. Adverbial modifiers, attributes, and prepositional indirect objects may stand in loose connection to the word they modify, i. e. they may be detached (loose) parts of the sentence. The adverbial modifier is more apt to stand in loose connection than any other part of the sentence.
§ 37. The detached adverbial modifier.
Any part of speech used in the function of an adverbial modifier may be detached, which accounts for the comma that separates it from the rest of the sentence.
The Corporal lit a pipe, carefully, because the enemy was close. (Heym)
In her excitement, Maria jammed the bedroom-door together. (London)
One summer, during a brief vacation at Knocke, his visit had come to the
notice of Harrington Brande... (Cronin)
An adverbial modifier expressed by the Nominative Absolute Participial Construction or any other absolute construction is generally detached.
The train coming in a minute later, the two brothers parted and entered their
respective compartments. (Galsworthy)
With his face buried in his hands, he did not see her enter. the room.
(Keating)
Of all the kinds of adverbial modifiers that of attendant circumstances is most apt to become detached.
They drove on, without speaking again, to Stanhope Gate. (Galsworthy)
He came in, with a large parcel under his arm
. (Collins)
She had moved through its gaudiness and pettiness and glamour, her head
high and her lashes low, clothed in an immaculate dignity. (Sanborn)
Nicholas lay there, his brow still contracted, filled with perplexity and
confusion. (Cronin)
The kitchen became the sitting room, she and Robert eating their meals
before the warm stove. (Lawrence)
§ 38. The detached attribute.
A detached attribute can modify not only a common noun as an ordinary attribute does but also a proper noun and a pronoun.
The crowd was now in constant uproar, yelling, gesticulating, beseeching
and reviling with Latin intensity. (Cronin)
There was a star-like quality about Judice, radiant and unreachable.
(Sanborn)
It was a wide white building, one storey high. (Sanborn)
Dumb with amazement, Mr. Gradgrind crossed to the spot where his family
was thus disgraced. (Dickens)
Stout, middle-aged, full of energy, she bustled backwards and forwards from
the kitchen to the dining-room. (Prichard)
§ 39. The detached object.
The prepositional indirect object is often detached.
She does not change — except her hair. (Galsworthy)
A silver tray was brought, with German plums. (Galsworthy)
Huckleberry Finn was there, with his dead cat. (Twain)
THE INDEPENDENT ELEMENTS OFTHE SENTENCE
§ 40. The independent elements of the sentence are words arid word-groups which are not grammatically dependent on any part of the sentence.
They are:
1. Interjections, such as ah, oh, hurrah, eh, hallo, goodness gracious, good heavens, etc.
Oh, if I only knew what a dreadful thing it is to be clean, I’d never come. (
Shaw)
“Oh gracious me! that innocent Toots,” returned Susan hysterically. (Dickens)
2. Direct address.
Good morning, sweet child! (Douglas)
Don’t be tiresome, Marcellus! (Douglas)
3. Parenthesis.
A parenthesis either shows the speaker’s attitude towards the thought expressed in the sentence or connects a given sentence with another one, or summarizes that which is said in the sentence. A parenthesis is connected with the rest of the sentence rather semantically than grammatically. No question can be put to it. Very often it is detached from the rest of the sentence and consequently it is often separated from it by commas or dashes.
He had probably never occupied a chair with a fuller sense of embarrassment.
(Galsworthy)
To be sure, Morris had treated her badly of late. (Prichard)
Unfortunately, it will be you who will have to explain that to him. (Heym)
But you shouldn’t pay him to-night, anyway, you’re his guest. (Galsworthy)
Besides, you know, I’m a pensioner, anyway. That makes me 65, to begin
with. (Maltz)
Speaking seriously though, Kit... it’s very good and thoughtful, and like you,
to do this. (Dickens)
§ 41. A parenthesis can be expressed by:
1. Modal words, such as indeed, certainly, assuredly, decidedly, in fact, truly,, naturally, surely, actually, possibly, perhaps, evidently, obviously, maybe.
Evidently, he was not a man, he must be some other kind of animal. (Shaw)
Luckily, poor dear Roger had been spared this dreadful anxiety. (Galsworthy)
2. Adverbs which to a certain extent serve as connectives, such as firstly, secondly, finally, thus, consequently, then, anyway, moreover, besides, still, yet, nevertheless, otherwise, notwithstanding, therefore, etc.
He mightn’t like it. Besides, uncle Soames wants to get back, I suppose.
(Galsworthy)
He was losing money. Furthermore, he had sweated to make the truck
comfortable for them. (Maltz)
3. Prepositional phrases, such as in aword, in truth, in my opinion, in short, by the by, on the one hand, on the contrary, at least, etc.
Everybody has his own problem. Mine is practically worthless,
for instance.
(Maltz)
By the way, Harry, I have often meant to ask you: is she your mother’s sister
or your father’s? (Shaw)
4. Infinitive and participial phrases, such as to be sure, to tell the truth, to begin with, generally speaking, strictly speaking, etc.
Sarah; my dear, comparatively speaking, you’re safe. (Dickens)
To tell you the truth, I don’t want to go there.
SENTENCES WITH HOMOGENEOUS PARTS
Two or more parts of the sentence having the same function and referring to the same part of the sentence are called homogeneous parts of the sentence. They are linked either by means of coordinating conjunctions or asyndetically.
There can be:
1. Two or more homogeneous subjects to one predicate.
From the edge of the bed came a ripple and whisper. (Wells)
To her extreme relief, her father and sisters appeared. (Dashwood)
2. Two or more homogeneous predicates to one subject.
(a) Simple predicates.
That gentleman started, stared, retreated, rubbed his eyes, stared again and finally shouted: “Stop, stop!” (Dickens)
(b) A compound verbal modal predicate with homogeneous parts within it.
Thousands of sheets must be printed, dried, cut. (Heym)
(c) A compound verbal aspect predicate with homogeneous parts within it.
First he began to understand and then to speak English.
(d) A compound nominal predicate with several predicatives within it.
The sky was clear, remote, and empty. (Wells)
The above mentioned cases do not cover all possible cases of homogeneous predicates.
3. Two or more attributes, objects, or adverbial modifiers to one part of the sentence.
The unlighted, unused room behind the sitting-room seemed to absorb and
even intensify the changing moods of the house. (Bennett) (ATTRIBUTES)
He could imitate other people’s speech, their accent, their mannerisms,
their tone. (Heym) (DIRECT OBJECTS)
He talked of Spain, his sunstroke, Val’s horses, their father’s health.
(Galsworthy) (PREPOSITIONAL INDIRECT OBJECTS)
She extended a slender hand and smiled pleasantly and naturally. (Wells)
(ADVERBIAL MODIFIERS OF MANNER)
But I saw nothing moving, in earth or sky. (Wells) (ADVERBIAL
MODIFIERS OF PLACE)
Chapter XVI
WORD ORDER
§ 1. Word order in English is of much greater importance than in Russian. Due to the wealth of inflexions word order in Russian is rather free as the inflexions show the function of each Word in a sentence. As English words have hardly any inflexions and their relation to each other is shown by their place in the sentence and not by their form, word order in English is fixed. We cannot change the position of different parts of the sentence at will, especially that of the subject and the object.
To illustrate this we Shall try to change the order of words in the following sentence.
Mrs. Winter sent the little boy with a message to the next village one
December day. (Hardy)
If we put the direct object in the first place and the subject in the third, the meaning of the sentence will change altogether because the object, being placed at the head of the sentence, becomes the subject and the subject, being placed after the predicate, becomes the object.
The little boy sent Mrs. Winter with a message to the next village one
December day.
In Russian such changes of word order are in most cases possible.
Моя сестра видела замечательный фильм в Москве.
Замечательный фильм видела моя сестра в Москве.
So due to the absence of case distinctions word order is practically the only means of distinguishing between the subject and the direct object.
The above sentence may serve as an example of direct word order in an English declarative sentence:
(1) the subject;
(2) the predicate;
(3) objects;
(4) adverbial modifiers.
§ 2. Inverted order of words.
The order of words in which the subject is placed after the predicate is called inverted order or inversion.
Haven’t you any family? (Du Maurier)
§ 3. Certain types of sentences require the inverted order of words. These are:
1. Interrogative sentences. In most of them the inversion is partial as only part of the predicate is placed before the subject, viz. the auxiliary or modal verb.
Where did they find her? (Du Maurier)
Can I show you my library? (Greene)
The whole predicate is placed before the subject when it is expressed by the verb to be or to have.
Is he at home?
Have you many friends?
N o t e. — No inversion is used when the interrogative word is the subject of
the sentence or an attribute to the subject: Who is in the room? Who speaks
English here? What photos are lying on the table?
2. Sentences introduced by there.
There is nothing marvellous in what Jam is going to relate. (Dickens)
Into the lane where he sat there opened three or four garden gates.
(Dickens)
3. Compound sentences, their second part beginning with so or neither.
“Most of these military men are good shots,” observed Mr. Snod-grass,
calmly; “but so are you, ain’t you?” (Dickens)
Their parents, Mr. and Mrs. R., escaped unhurt, so did three of their sons.
(Daily Worker)
4. Simple exclamatory sentences expressing wish.
Be it so!
Gentle reader, may you never feel what I then felt. May your eyes never shed
such stormy, heart-wrung tears as poured from mine. (Ch. Bronte)
§ 4. The inverted order of words is widely used when a word or a group of words is put in a prominent position, i. e. when it either opens the sentence or is withdrawn to the end of the sentence so as to produce a greater effect. So word order often becomes a means of emphasis, thus acquiring a stylistic function.
In this case inversion is not due to the structure of the sentence but to the author’s wish to produce a certain stylistic effect.
1. Inversion occurs when an adverbial modifier opens the sentence.
Here we must distinguish the following cases:
(a) Adverbial modifiers expressed by a phrase or phrases open the sentence, and the subject often has a lengthy modifier.
In an open barouche, the horses of which had been taken out, stood a stout
old gentleman in a blue coat and bright buttons. (Dickens)
On a chair — a shiny leather chair displaying its horsehair through a hole in
the top left hand corner — stood a black despatch case. (Galsworthy)
(b) An adverbial modifier with a negative meaning opens the sentence. Here belong such adverbial modifiers as: in vain, never, little, etc. In this case the auxiliary do must be used if the predicate does not contain either an auxiliary or a modal verb.
In vain did the eager Luffey and the enthusiastic strugglers do all that skill
and experience could suggest. (Dickens)
Little had I dreamed,when I pressed my face longingly against Miss Minns’s
low greenish window-panes, that I would so soon have the honour to be her
guest. (Cronin)
Never before and never since, have I known such peace, such a sense of
tranquil happiness. (Cronin)
(c) Adverbial modifiers expressed by such adverbs as so, thus, now, then, etc. placed at the head of the sentence, if the subject is expressed by a noun.
So wore the day away.(London)
Thus spoke Mr. Pickwick edging himself as Hear as possible to the
portmanteau. (Dickens)
Now was the moment to act.
Then across the evening stillness, broke a blood-curdling yelp
(c) The Prepositional Absolute Participial Construction.
He looked at Mr. Micawber attentively, with his whole face breathing short
and quick in every feature. (Dickens)
(d) The Prepositional Absolute construction.
He rushed forward, with fury in his looks, and fire in his eye.
7. A prepositional phrase or construction with a gerund.
His father looked up without speaking. (Lindsay)
Nellman was arrested by the FBI... for “being a member of the Communist
Party”. (Daily Worker)
On her going to his house to thank him, he happened to see her through a
window. (Dickens)
I left the room without anybody noticing it.
8. An infinitive, an infinitive phrase, or an infinitive construction.
They rose to go into the drawing-room. (Galsworthy)
So, on the following evening, we again assembled, to discuss and arrange
our plans. (Jerome)
He put the picture on the table for George to get a better view of it.
(Maugham)
ADDITIONAL REMARKS
It is not always easy to discriminate between different parts of the sentence expressed by prepositional phrases.
The following parts of the sentence are apt to be confused: (1) a prepositional indirect object and an adverbial modifier; (2) an attribute and an adverbial modifier.
1. A prepositional indirect object and an adverbial modifier of place and manner.
Kate removed her eyes from the window and gazed directly at Papa. (Cronin)
Decimus had been born in Rome. (Douglas)
In the first example the prepositional phrase at Papa is a pre; positional indirect object as the noun denotes a living being.
In the second example the prepositional phrase in Rome is an adverbial modifier as the noun denotes an inanimate object and the question is: Where had he been born?
When the noun in the prepositional phrase denotes an inanimate object, very often two ways of analysis are possible.
His wife was sitting before a very little fire. (Galsworthy)
The prepositional phrase before a very little fire can be treated either as an adverbial modifier or an object.
2. An attribute and an adverbial modifier of place.
I thought you were going to a party at the club. (Douglas)
The party will take place at the club.
In the first example at the club is an attribute as it modifies a noun. It answers the question: What party?
In the second sentence the same prepositional phrase modifies a verbal group, consequently it is an adverbial modifier of place.
These examples do not cover all the dubious cases in analysis, they only serve to show that there are many border-line cases.
DETACHED (LOOSE) PARTS OF THE. SENTENCE
§ 36. Detached parts of the sentence are those secondary parts which assume a certain grammatical and semantic independence. This phenomenon is due to their loose connection with the words they modify.
Loose connection may be due to the position of these words, the way they are expressed, their meaning, or the speaker’s desire to make them prominent. In spoken language detached parts of the sentence are marked by intonation, pauses, and special stress; in written language they are generally separated by commas or dashes. Adverbial modifiers, attributes, and prepositional indirect objects may stand in loose connection to the word they modify, i. e. they may be detached (loose) parts of the sentence. The adverbial modifier is more apt to stand in loose connection than any other part of the sentence.
§ 37. The detached adverbial modifier.
Any part of speech used in the function of an adverbial modifier may be detached, which accounts for the comma that separates it from the rest of the sentence.
The Corporal lit a pipe, carefully, because the enemy was close. (Heym)
In her excitement, Maria jammed the bedroom-door together. (London)
One summer, during a brief vacation at Knocke, his visit had come to the
notice of Harrington Brande... (Cronin)
An adverbial modifier expressed by the Nominative Absolute Participial Construction or any other absolute construction is generally detached.
The train coming in a minute later, the two brothers parted and entered their
respective compartments. (Galsworthy)
With his face buried in his hands, he did not see her enter. the room.
(Keating)
Of all the kinds of adverbial modifiers that of attendant circumstances is most apt to become detached.
They drove on, without speaking again, to Stanhope Gate. (Galsworthy)
He came in, with a large parcel under his arm
. (Collins)
She had moved through its gaudiness and pettiness and glamour, her head
high and her lashes low, clothed in an immaculate dignity. (Sanborn)
Nicholas lay there, his brow still contracted, filled with perplexity and
confusion. (Cronin)
The kitchen became the sitting room, she and Robert eating their meals
before the warm stove. (Lawrence)
§ 38. The detached attribute.
A detached attribute can modify not only a common noun as an ordinary attribute does but also a proper noun and a pronoun.
The crowd was now in constant uproar, yelling, gesticulating, beseeching
and reviling with Latin intensity. (Cronin)
There was a star-like quality about Judice, radiant and unreachable.
(Sanborn)
It was a wide white building, one storey high. (Sanborn)
Dumb with amazement, Mr. Gradgrind crossed to the spot where his family
was thus disgraced. (Dickens)
Stout, middle-aged, full of energy, she bustled backwards and forwards from
the kitchen to the dining-room. (Prichard)
§ 39. The detached object.
The prepositional indirect object is often detached.
She does not change — except her hair. (Galsworthy)
A silver tray was brought, with German plums. (Galsworthy)
Huckleberry Finn was there, with his dead cat. (Twain)
THE INDEPENDENT ELEMENTS OFTHE SENTENCE
§ 40. The independent elements of the sentence are words arid word-groups which are not grammatically dependent on any part of the sentence.
They are:
1. Interjections, such as ah, oh, hurrah, eh, hallo, goodness gracious, good heavens, etc.
Oh, if I only knew what a dreadful thing it is to be clean, I’d never come. (
Shaw)
“Oh gracious me! that innocent Toots,” returned Susan hysterically. (Dickens)
2. Direct address.
Good morning, sweet child! (Douglas)
Don’t be tiresome, Marcellus! (Douglas)
3. Parenthesis.
A parenthesis either shows the speaker’s attitude towards the thought expressed in the sentence or connects a given sentence with another one, or summarizes that which is said in the sentence. A parenthesis is connected with the rest of the sentence rather semantically than grammatically. No question can be put to it. Very often it is detached from the rest of the sentence and consequently it is often separated from it by commas or dashes.
He had probably never occupied a chair with a fuller sense of embarrassment.
(Galsworthy)
To be sure, Morris had treated her badly of late. (Prichard)
Unfortunately, it will be you who will have to explain that to him. (Heym)
But you shouldn’t pay him to-night, anyway, you’re his guest. (Galsworthy)
Besides, you know, I’m a pensioner, anyway. That makes me 65, to begin
with. (Maltz)
Speaking seriously though, Kit... it’s very good and thoughtful, and like you,
to do this. (Dickens)
§ 41. A parenthesis can be expressed by:
1. Modal words, such as indeed, certainly, assuredly, decidedly, in fact, truly,, naturally, surely, actually, possibly, perhaps, evidently, obviously, maybe.
Evidently, he was not a man, he must be some other kind of animal. (Shaw)
Luckily, poor dear Roger had been spared this dreadful anxiety. (Galsworthy)
2. Adverbs which to a certain extent serve as connectives, such as firstly, secondly, finally, thus, consequently, then, anyway, moreover, besides, still, yet, nevertheless, otherwise, notwithstanding, therefore, etc.
He mightn’t like it. Besides, uncle Soames wants to get back, I suppose.
(Galsworthy)
He was losing money. Furthermore, he had sweated to make the truck
comfortable for them. (Maltz)
3. Prepositional phrases, such as in aword, in truth, in my opinion, in short, by the by, on the one hand, on the contrary, at least, etc.
Everybody has his own problem. Mine is practically worthless,
for instance.
(Maltz)
By the way, Harry, I have often meant to ask you: is she your mother’s sister
or your father’s? (Shaw)
4. Infinitive and participial phrases, such as to be sure, to tell the truth, to begin with, generally speaking, strictly speaking, etc.
Sarah; my dear, comparatively speaking, you’re safe. (Dickens)
To tell you the truth, I don’t want to go there.
SENTENCES WITH HOMOGENEOUS PARTS
Two or more parts of the sentence having the same function and referring to the same part of the sentence are called homogeneous parts of the sentence. They are linked either by means of coordinating conjunctions or asyndetically.
There can be:
1. Two or more homogeneous subjects to one predicate.
From the edge of the bed came a ripple and whisper. (Wells)
To her extreme relief, her father and sisters appeared. (Dashwood)
2. Two or more homogeneous predicates to one subject.
(a) Simple predicates.
That gentleman started, stared, retreated, rubbed his eyes, stared again and finally shouted: “Stop, stop!” (Dickens)
(b) A compound verbal modal predicate with homogeneous parts within it.
Thousands of sheets must be printed, dried, cut. (Heym)
(c) A compound verbal aspect predicate with homogeneous parts within it.
First he began to understand and then to speak English.
(d) A compound nominal predicate with several predicatives within it.
The sky was clear, remote, and empty. (Wells)
The above mentioned cases do not cover all possible cases of homogeneous predicates.
3. Two or more attributes, objects, or adverbial modifiers to one part of the sentence.
The unlighted, unused room behind the sitting-room seemed to absorb and
even intensify the changing moods of the house. (Bennett) (ATTRIBUTES)
He could imitate other people’s speech, their accent, their mannerisms,
their tone. (Heym) (DIRECT OBJECTS)
He talked of Spain, his sunstroke, Val’s horses, their father’s health.
(Galsworthy) (PREPOSITIONAL INDIRECT OBJECTS)
She extended a slender hand and smiled pleasantly and naturally. (Wells)
(ADVERBIAL MODIFIERS OF MANNER)
But I saw nothing moving, in earth or sky. (Wells) (ADVERBIAL
MODIFIERS OF PLACE)
Chapter XVI
WORD ORDER
§ 1. Word order in English is of much greater importance than in Russian. Due to the wealth of inflexions word order in Russian is rather free as the inflexions show the function of each Word in a sentence. As English words have hardly any inflexions and their relation to each other is shown by their place in the sentence and not by their form, word order in English is fixed. We cannot change the position of different parts of the sentence at will, especially that of the subject and the object.
To illustrate this we Shall try to change the order of words in the following sentence.
Mrs. Winter sent the little boy with a message to the next village one
December day. (Hardy)
If we put the direct object in the first place and the subject in the third, the meaning of the sentence will change altogether because the object, being placed at the head of the sentence, becomes the subject and the subject, being placed after the predicate, becomes the object.
The little boy sent Mrs. Winter with a message to the next village one
December day.
In Russian such changes of word order are in most cases possible.
Моя сестра видела замечательный фильм в Москве.
Замечательный фильм видела моя сестра в Москве.
So due to the absence of case distinctions word order is practically the only means of distinguishing between the subject and the direct object.
The above sentence may serve as an example of direct word order in an English declarative sentence:
(1) the subject;
(2) the predicate;
(3) objects;
(4) adverbial modifiers.
§ 2. Inverted order of words.
The order of words in which the subject is placed after the predicate is called inverted order or inversion.
Haven’t you any family? (Du Maurier)
§ 3. Certain types of sentences require the inverted order of words. These are:
1. Interrogative sentences. In most of them the inversion is partial as only part of the predicate is placed before the subject, viz. the auxiliary or modal verb.
Where did they find her? (Du Maurier)
Can I show you my library? (Greene)
The whole predicate is placed before the subject when it is expressed by the verb to be or to have.
Is he at home?
Have you many friends?
N o t e. — No inversion is used when the interrogative word is the subject of
the sentence or an attribute to the subject: Who is in the room? Who speaks
English here? What photos are lying on the table?
2. Sentences introduced by there.
There is nothing marvellous in what Jam is going to relate. (Dickens)
Into the lane where he sat there opened three or four garden gates.
(Dickens)
3. Compound sentences, their second part beginning with so or neither.
“Most of these military men are good shots,” observed Mr. Snod-grass,
calmly; “but so are you, ain’t you?” (Dickens)
Their parents, Mr. and Mrs. R., escaped unhurt, so did three of their sons.
(Daily Worker)
4. Simple exclamatory sentences expressing wish.
Be it so!
Gentle reader, may you never feel what I then felt. May your eyes never shed
such stormy, heart-wrung tears as poured from mine. (Ch. Bronte)
§ 4. The inverted order of words is widely used when a word or a group of words is put in a prominent position, i. e. when it either opens the sentence or is withdrawn to the end of the sentence so as to produce a greater effect. So word order often becomes a means of emphasis, thus acquiring a stylistic function.
In this case inversion is not due to the structure of the sentence but to the author’s wish to produce a certain stylistic effect.
1. Inversion occurs when an adverbial modifier opens the sentence.
Here we must distinguish the following cases:
(a) Adverbial modifiers expressed by a phrase or phrases open the sentence, and the subject often has a lengthy modifier.
In an open barouche, the horses of which had been taken out, stood a stout
old gentleman in a blue coat and bright buttons. (Dickens)
On a chair — a shiny leather chair displaying its horsehair through a hole in
the top left hand corner — stood a black despatch case. (Galsworthy)
(b) An adverbial modifier with a negative meaning opens the sentence. Here belong such adverbial modifiers as: in vain, never, little, etc. In this case the auxiliary do must be used if the predicate does not contain either an auxiliary or a modal verb.
In vain did the eager Luffey and the enthusiastic strugglers do all that skill
and experience could suggest. (Dickens)
Little had I dreamed,when I pressed my face longingly against Miss Minns’s
low greenish window-panes, that I would so soon have the honour to be her
guest. (Cronin)
Never before and never since, have I known such peace, such a sense of
tranquil happiness. (Cronin)
(c) Adverbial modifiers expressed by such adverbs as so, thus, now, then, etc. placed at the head of the sentence, if the subject is expressed by a noun.
So wore the day away.(London)
Thus spoke Mr. Pickwick edging himself as Hear as possible to the
portmanteau. (Dickens)
Now was the moment to act.
Then across the evening stillness, broke a blood-curdling yelp