學生有個常見的誤解，以為使用艱澀詞彙和複雜句子結構，便能在DSE寫作取得好成績。這個想法雖不全然是錯，但更重要是同學能以自然文筆表達個人想法。今天，我想討論倒裝句（Inversion）。
什麼是倒裝句？
意指句子結構的正常詞序倒轉。最常見是主詞（Subject）與謂詞（Predicate）的次序倒轉。例如，一個陳述句（Statement）在動詞（Verb）前置主語（Subject）；但倘若我們要將statement變成問句（Question），主語前可用question words, auxiliary verbs或modal words，再對調主語和動詞的位置。例如：
Statement Mary can sing.
A question begins with a modal word Can Mary sing？
A question begins with an auxiliary verb Is Mary singing？
A question begins with a question word What is Mary's plan？
適度使用倒裝句
Questions只是其中一種倒裝句式；其他倒裝句如下：
"Here and there"：Here comes the late student!
"Not+a prepositional phrase or a clause in initial position"：Not till I got home did I realize my door key was still in my office!
"Never,seldom,rarely,scarcely,hardly"+V+Subject：Never have I faced such rudeness in my life!（I have never witnessed such rudeness in my life.）
雖然倒裝句可以強調某些想法，但過度使用倒裝句，容易導致句子不自然。正因為如此，我建議你在寫作時，盡量少使用倒裝句。自然流暢的文章優勝過那些因過度使用困難的措辭和句子結構的作品。
Exercise：
Which of the following is correct?（Choose the most appropriate answer to complete the sentences.）
A.Hardly she went out when John arrived.
B.Hardly she had gone out than John arrived.
C.Hardly went she and John arrived
D.Hardly had she gone out when John arrived.
■Dr. A. Chan，哲學博士，哲學碩士，英語講師。熟悉公開考試之出題模式與評分準則，任教英語。
隔星期三見報