What is inversion?

Inversion is the reversal of the normal word order in a sentence or phrase. There are two types of inversion:

  1. Subject-verb inversion, where the subject and the main verb switch positions and the word order becomes verb + subject:
  2. On the top of the hill stood an old oak tree.

  3. Subject-auxiliary inversion, where the subject and the auxiliary switch positions and the word order becomes auxiliary + subject (+ verb):
  4. Hardly had I arrived home when my phone rang.
    When does the bus leave?
    You're hungry, aren't you?

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