当主语在谓语前出现时叫顺序(the natural order)。在某些情况下，我们可以把谓语成分放在主语前面，这种词序叫做倒装( the inverted order)。

　　倒装分两种：配合语法条例的倒装，叫“grammatical inversion”;配合强调语势的叫“emphatic inversion”。

　　语法上的倒装句是强制性的，包括下列 7 种：

　　⒎“as, however”连接的让步副词分句，如：

　　● Small as the pen is, it is a powerful weapon.

　　● However busy you areyou should spend some time reading Zaobao weekly.

　　谈过了语法上的倒装句，现在谈强调的倒装句。

　　例如：-里把表示否定的副词或副词短语提到句前;-是把副词虚助词提前：

　　● Never have I seen such a wicked man.

　　● On no account must this employee be removed.

　　● Not until he told me had I heard anything of it.

　　● No sooner had I left than the rain came.

　　● Up jumped the puppy.

　　● In came John.

　　● Down fell the rotten branches from the tree.

　　● Out came a woman and her maid.