主语和谓语是句子的核心，它们之间有两种语序：一是主语在谓语之前称为自然语序(Natural Order);二是主语在谓语之后则称为倒装语序(Inverted Order)。而倒装语序中又有全部倒装(Full Inversion)和部分倒装(Partial Inversion)两种情况。
首先，在全部倒装的句子中，要把整个谓语放在主语的前面去而构成倒装语序。
例如：
There are large numbers of students in the lecture hall.
(在There be…的句式中，There只是个引导词而不是主语，真正的主语是后面作表语的名词或者名词短语。因此，There be…的句式都是全部倒装的句子。)演讲厅里有大量的学生。
When he ran to the door, there stood a mid-aged man with a lantern in his hand .
(此句是为了"描述情节的需要"，把倒装当着修辞的手段而写成了全部倒装句。句子的主语是a mid-aged man，谓语是stood 。)当他向房门跑去时，那儿正立着一位手里拿着一盏灯笼的中年男人。
另外，在部分倒装的句子中，只把谓语的一部分(如情态动词、助动词、或是系动词be)放到主语的前面去，构成倒装语序。例如：
Are you going to take part in the football match against Accounting Department on Friday afternoon? (句子的谓语是are going to take part，are是句子的谓语的一部分;句子的主语是you 。所以，此句是部分倒装的句子。疑问句都是部分倒装句。)你打算去参加星期五与会计系进行的足球赛吗?
Hardly could he finish his test paper when the school bell rang .(由于语法要求的原因，本句写成了部分倒装的句子。它的自然语序应该是：When the bell rang, he could hardly finish his test paper.)他还未做完试卷，下课铃就响了。
了解了倒装语序的构成情况后，我们再来看看倒装语序在各种不同类句子中的使用情况：
A. 在疑问句中
各种疑问句一般地说都是倒装语序。例如：
Will they come to see us this weekend ? 这个周末他们将来看我们吗?
Are you talking about the film you saw last Monday ?
你们是在谈论你们上周一看的那部电影吗?
Can you speak another foreign language except English?
除开英语，你还能说另一种外语吗?
Where did you buy the dictionary, in the book store nearby or in Xinhua bookstore?
你在哪儿买的这本词典，是在附近的书店还是在新华书店?
She is not a student, isn‘t she ? 她不是个学生，对吗?
B. 在感叹句中
某些感叹句也用倒装语序。例如：
Isn‘t it a beautiful garden ! 多么美丽的花园啊!
What a beautiful garden it is ! 多么美丽的花园啊!(在这种句式中，主语在谓语之前，属于自然语序。对于主语和谓语而言，语序没有倒装。)
Have you ever seen such a naughty kid like him !
你见过那个孩子像他这么调皮!
C. 在陈述句中
陈述句在一般情况下用自然语序;但由于英语语法的某些原因，陈述句也要使用倒装语序。这些原因大致可以归纳
1) 为了避免句子部分内容不必要的重复，常用"so + be动词(助动词、情态动词)+主语"或"neither / nor + be动词(助动词、情态动词)+主语"的倒装句式。其中第一个句式表示"与前面所述的肯定情况相同"， 第二个句式表示"与前面所述的否定情况相同"。例如：
His brother is a college student; so is mine.
他弟弟是大学生，我弟弟也是。
His brother is not a college student; nor is min .
他弟弟不是大学生，我弟弟也不是。
He used to have his further study abroad; so did I.
他曾去国外深造过，我也去过。
He didn‘t use to have his further study abroad; neither did I.
他没去国外深造过，我也没有。
One of my friends can speak three foreign languages; so can his wife.
我的一个朋友会说三门外国语，他的妻子也会。
One of my friends cannot speak three foreign languages; neither can his wife .我的一个朋友不会说三门外国语，他的妻子也不会。
They are now preparing for their final examinations; so are we .
他们正在为期末考试作准备，我们也一样。
They are not now preparing for their final examinations; nor are we .
他们没在为期末考试作准备，我们也没有。
2)具有否定意义的词或短语置于句首时(除否定词修饰主语外)，句子一般要写成部分倒装句。这类词或短语常见的有：not, never, seldom, hardly, rarely, scarcely, by no means, under no circumstances, in no way, at no time, no sooner … (than), hardly … (when), not only … (but also), not until… ,等。例如：
Hardly had she sat down when she heard someone knocking at the door .
她还没来得及坐下来，就听见有人敲门。
Not until twelve o‘clock did he go to bed last night .
他昨晚直到十二点钟才睡觉。
Never have my sisters been to Hong Kong before .
我的妹妹们以前从未去过香港。
No sooner had I returned home from New Zealand than I bought a house and went to live there.我从新西兰一回国，就买了一栋房子并在那儿住下了。
So far as I know, seldom does Mary come back to see her mother.
就我所知，玛利几乎很难回来看她妈妈。
Scarcely a drop of rain fell here last fall . (否定词修饰主语时，句子不用倒装。) 去年秋天，这儿几乎没下一滴雨。
3)当so, often, only等表示程度、频率的副词放在句首时，句子一般要倒装。例如：
Only in this way can you come up with a solution to the problem.
只有这样，你才有可能想出解决这个问题的办法。
So serious was the situation that everybody faced a test.
形势如此地严峻，每个人都面临着一场考验。
So hard did he overwork that he fell ill at last. 他太操劳过度以致最后病倒了。
4)当there, here, then, now等副词在句首，且谓语是come, go, be等动词时，句子一般要全部倒装。其意义在于引起他人的注意。如果这类句子的主语是代词，则不用写成倒装句。例如：
Now, here goes the story.这个故事是这样的。
Look, there comes the taxi.瞧，出租车过来了。
Then came another question.然后又一个问题提出来了。
Then followed the four-year War of Liberation.接下来是四年的解放战争。
5) 当out, in, away, up, bang等表示方位或拟声词放在句首时，句子一般要全部倒装。这类子比自然语序的句子更为生动、形象。但如果这类句子的主语是代词，则不用写成倒装句。例如：
Bang goes my ace.我砰地一下打出了"爱司"。
Away flew the bird.那鸟飞走了。
Suddenly, in came a man with a mask on his face.
突然进来一个蒙着面具的人。
6) 其他情况还有：省略了if的虚拟条件句、某些表示祝愿的句子、以及某些让步状语从句，等等也要用倒装句式。例如：(省略了if的虚拟条件句)
Had they not helped us, we could not have done it so successfully.
如果没有他们的帮助，我们不可能把那件事办的如此成功。
Should he come, say "Nobody in" to him.
万一他来了,对他说："公司没人。"(某些表示祝愿的句子)
May our friendship last forever.愿我们的友谊常存!
May your company become prosperous.祝贵公司生意兴隆!(某些让步状语从句)
Try as I might, I couldn‘t lift the stone.无论我使多大的劲，我也无法搬起那块石头。
They said they would follow the Party‘s lead come what might.
他们说无论发生什么情况，他们都会跟党走的。
7) 由于修辞或是平衡句子的原因也可以用倒装句;也可以不用。这不是一条必须的规定。
Next to this one is another grand hotel which is beautifully decorated .
这家饭店隔壁还有一家装修华丽的大饭店。
On either side of the great avenue stood many block buildings.
这条大街的两侧都耸立着许多综合楼。(这类句子也可以不用倒装句。)
"I‘m leaving for Beijing tomorrow," said Tom to his mother (OR: Tom said to his mother) .汤姆对他妈妈说："我明天动身去北京。"
Many block buildings stood on either side of the great avenue.
许多综合楼耸立在这条大街的两侧。
Another grand hotel, which is beautifully decorated, is next to this one .