英語中有時為了語法結構的需要或是為了強調，將謂語全部或一部分放在主語前，主謂倒置，這種語序叫倒裝。

倒裝句包括全部倒裝和部分倒裝。

★ 全部倒裝 ★

全部倒裝：就是將句子中的謂語動詞全部放在主語之前。

表示時間的副詞

如now, then等位于句首，句子的謂語動詞是come或go，主語是名詞。

例如：

Then came the news that the missing plane had been found.

表示方位的副詞

如up, down, in, out, away, here, there等位于句首，句子的謂語動詞是表示運動的不及物動詞，如come, go, run, rush, fly等，主語是名詞。

例如：

Up flew the plane.

Here comes the bus!

Out rushed the dog as soon as the door was open.

表示地點的介詞短語

如in front of, at the foot of, at the back of, between the two buildings, on the table等位于句首，句子的謂語動詞是不及物動詞，如lie, stand, sit, exist, stretch, come等或系動詞be，主語是名詞。

例如：

In front of the old house stood an old lady.

On the table lies a new book.

★ 部分倒裝 ★

部分倒裝：就是把部分成分提到主語前。

1. only位于句首，后接副詞、介詞短語或狀語從句時。

例如：

Only then did I realize how much my father loved me.

Only in this way can you get along well with your roommates.

2.含有否定意義的副詞

如never, seldom, little, nowhere, hardly, rarely, scarcely, barely, neither, nor等位于句首時。

例如：

Never have I seen such beautiful flowers.

Neither will Steven accept the job offer.

3. 表示否定意義的介詞短語

如at no time, by no means, in no case, under no circumstances等位于句首時。

例如：

Under no circumstances should we give up protecting the environment.

4. not only … but also …

not only … but also … 連接兩個分句，且not only位于句首時，not only后面的分句倒裝，but also后面的分句不倒裝。

例如：

Not only can Jasmine speak French, but she can also speak Spanish and Chinese.

Not only is he a teacher , but he is also a poet.

5. not until

not until位于句首時，主句用部分倒裝。

例如：

Not until he failed a third time did he admit that his spoken English was not good.

6. hardly … when … / no sooner … than …

hardly … when … / no sooner … than … 句型中，若hardly, no sooner位于句首時，主句倒裝，從句不倒裝。

例如：

Hardly had Tom begun to speak when his father stopped him.

7. so + 助動詞 / 情態(tài)動詞 / be動詞 + 主語。

so + 助動詞 / 情態(tài)動詞 / be動詞 + 主語。此句型表示前面所說的內容也適用于另一個人或物，用于肯定句中。

例如：

Jim has seen the film, and so have his parents.

8. neither / nor + 助動詞 / 情態(tài)動詞 / be動詞 + 主語

neither / nor + 助動詞 / 情態(tài)動詞 / be動詞 + 主語。此句型表示前面所說的內容也適用于另一個人或物，用于否定句中。

例如：

I didn’t go to London, and neither did my sister.

9.so … that … 和such … that …

在so … that … 和such … that … 結構中的so和such 位于句首時。

例如：

So loudly did Alex speak that even the people in the next room could hear him.

Such complex problems were they that we couldn’t solve them.

10. if引導的虛擬條件句

在if引導的虛擬條件句中含有had, were或should時，如將if省略，則將had, were或should等移到主語前構成部分倒裝。

例如：

Were my brother here, he would help us with the problem.

11. 讓步狀語從句

讓步狀語從句中，狀語、表語等成分位于連詞as或though之前時。若位于as或though之前的表語是名詞，則名詞前不加冠詞。

例如：

Difficult as / though the work was, we finished it on time.

Child as / though Tony is, he has to make a living by himself.