ADVERBS
For me, the most interesting section of this course has been the adverbs, specially the inverted word order. In this type of invertion the sentence has the structure of a question.
1) Here and There
The words here and there, indicating location, are often used at the beginning of a clause, followed by the verb to be. In this construction, if the subject of the verb is a noun, the subject follows the verb.
Here are the tickets.
There was our bus.
In these examples, the noun subjects tickets and bus follow the verbs are and was. However, if the subject of the verb is a personal pronoun, the subject precedes the verb.
Here they are.
There it was.
In these examples, the personal pronoun subjects they and it precede the verbs are and was.
When the subject follows the verb, care must be taken to make sure that the verb agrees with its subject.
Here is one of the examples.
There are his aunt and uncle.
In the first example, the verb is is singular to agree with the singular subject one. In the second example, the verb are is plural to agree with the plural subject his aunt and uncle.
2) Negative adverbs
Negative adverbs include adverbs with an explicit negative meaning, such as never, not and nowhere, as well as adverbs with an implied negative meaning, such as hardly, scarcely and seldom.
3) Inverted word order
If a clause begins with a negative adverb, inverted word order must usually be used, with the subject following the Simple Present or Simple Past of the verb to be, or the first auxiliary. In the case of the Simple Present or Simple Past of any verb other than the verb to be, the auxiliary to do must be used.
Following are examples of this type of construction:
- Seldom was he at a loss for words.
- Scarcely had we left the house, when it began to rain.
- Not for many years was the true story known.
- No sooner did the bell ring than the children ran out of the school.
In the first example, the subject he follows was, the Simple Past of the verb to be. In the succeeding examples, the subjects we, story and bell follow the auxiliaries had, was and did, respectively.
STUDENT NAME: JUAN CARLOS POZO QUINTANILLA
COURSE: AO6F
