 #2 (permalink) Wed Mar 01, 2006 4:35 am Inversion? |
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| Guest wrote: |
Please help me with this sentence
Included in the list is one book
What kind of sentence it is?
Is there any rule for making this kind of sentence?
Does it mean In the list is included one book? |
Both of these sentences mean, "One book is included in the list."
This involves moving a phrase to the front of the sentence. In one we have moved the whole verb phrase (VP), and in the second we have moved only the prepositional phrase (PP). See if you can follow this:
Moving the verb phrase to the front:
One book is VP[included in the list].
VP[included in the list] is one book.
Moving the prepositional phrase to the front:
One book is included PP[in the list].
PP[in the list] is included one book.
When we move a full phrase to the front like this, we have the option of inverting the subject and the auxiliary, or sometimes even the subject and the main verb. Sometimes the inversion is obligatory.
The rules for when you can and can't invert are a bit complicated. However, in the case of this sentence, I think inversion is optional when the prepositional phrase is fronted:
In the list is included one book.
In the list, one book is included.
But it seems obligatory when you move the whole verb phrase:
Included in the list is one book.
But not: Included in the list one book is. (Very bad!)
It looks like it's ungrammatical to leave the helping verb hanging at the end after the main verb has been moved to the front.
Sorry I can't give you any absolutes, but you know how English is! Let's hope one of the others has something to add. |
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Jamie (K)
I'm a Communicator ;-)
Joined: 24 Feb 2006
Posts: 6552
Location: Detroit, Michigan, USA
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Jupiter