英语句子一般是主语在前,谓语在后,这种语序称为自然语序.然而,有时根据语法或修辞的需要,把整个谓语动词或谓语动词的一部分（助动词／情态动词）放在主语之前,这种语序叫做倒装语序.把整个谓语动词放在主语之前称为全部倒装；把谓语动词的一部分（助动词／情态动词）放在主语之前称为部分倒装.倒装语序常见于以下若干情况.
一、表示否定意义的词或词组位于句首时,句子通常为部分倒装.
常见的词或词组有 never,scarcely,not only．．．but（also）,hardly（．．．when）,no sooner．．．than,rarely,little,nowhere,in no way,on no account,under／in no circumstances等.例：
Scarcely did he speak about the difficulties in his work．
他几乎没有谈到他工作中的困难.
Under no circumstances can we accept cheques．
任何情况下我们都不接受支票.
Not only were the old cities improved,but new cities were built．
不仅旧城市改进了,而且还建起了新城市.
二、“only ＋状语”位于句首时,句子为部分倒装
例：
Only in this way can you hope to improve your English．
只有用这种方法,你才有希望提高你的英语.
Only then did he realize that he was wrong．只有那时他才认识到他错了.
三、关联从属连词so／such．．．that结构中,so／such位于句首时,句子为部分倒装或全部倒装.
例：
Such a noise did Jimmy make that his sister told him to be quiet．
吉米吵闹得很厉害,他姐姐让他安静点儿.
So hard was the work that all of us got tired out that evening．
那活儿很费力,以至于那天晚上我们都筋疲力尽了.
四、某些状语位于句首时,句子为全部或部分倒装.
1．表示地点或时间的状语位于句首时,句子为全部倒装.常见词一般有here,there,under,below,now,then等.例：
Here comes a bus．过来了一辆公共汽车.
Under a tree was sitting an old man．树底下坐着一位老人.
Then follows the fashion show．接下来是时装表演.
2．表示运动方向的副词位于句首时,句子为全部倒装.常见词有in,out,away,up,down等.例：
Away flew the birds．鸟飞走了.
In came a boy．进来了一个男孩儿.
在1和2情况中,若主语为人称代词时,句子要用自然语序.例：
Out they rushed．他们冲了出去.
3．在表示频度、次数或方式等的状语位于句首时,句子通常为部分倒装.常用词有 often,many a time,thus等.例：
Often do we travel to those places．我们经常到那些地方去旅游.
Thus was the question finally settled．问题就这样最后被解决了.
五、表示位置或事物性质的表语位于句首时,句子通常为全部倒装.例：
Among them were two girls．在他们中间有两个女孩儿.
Outstanding are their achievements．他们的成绩很突出.
六、作为谓语一部分的不定式、现在分词或过去分词位于句首时,句子通常为全部倒装.例：
To be particularly considered are the following questions．尤其值得考虑的是以下这些问题.
Gone are the days when we were young and happy．我们年轻、快乐的日子一去不复返了.
七、由so或neither ／nor引导,表示“……也是如此”或“……也不是如此”的句子中,句子为全部或部分倒装.例：
I'm quite willing to help and so are other students in my class．我很愿意帮忙,我班上其他同学也是这样.
He doesn't care for sweets．Nor／Neither do I．他不喜欢糖果.我也不喜欢.
当so不作“也”讲,而是表示对对方所述内容的肯定（相当于indeed,certainly等含义）时,句子不用倒装语序.例：
“He is a liar．”“So he is．”“他是个谎言家.”“他是的.”
八、在比较或方式状语从句中,从句可为全部倒装（从句主语是人称代词除外）.例：
He read more than did his friends．他读的书比他朋友读的书多.
George likes sports,as do many of his friends．就像他的很多朋友一样,乔治喜欢体育.
九、“the more．．．the more”句型中,后一部分可为部分倒装或全部倒装.例：
The more I thought,the more extraordinary did it appear．这件事我越想越不寻常.
The harder you study,the higher is your score．你学习越努力,你的得分就会越高.
十、表示让步意义的“动词＋though／as”结构为部分倒装.例：
Fail as／though he did,he was not disappointed．尽管他失败了,他也没有失望.
Try as you will,you can't succeed．尽管你努力,你也不会成功.
这一结构中的动词还可换成形容词、副词和名词等,但这时主、谓并没有倒装.例：
Hard as he tried,he was unable to make much progress．虽然他努力了,他也没有取得进步.
十一、非真实条件句中,从句省略if而以 had,should或were开头时,从句为部分倒装.例：
Had you come earlier,you would have seen the wonderful experim ent．你要是早来点儿,你就会见到那个精彩的实验了.
Were I asked,I should tell the truth．要是让我讲,我就讲实话.