英語句子的自然語序是主語在前，謂語動詞在后。把謂語動詞放在主語之前，就叫做倒裝結構。全部謂語放在主語之前，叫全部倒裝；只把部分謂語動詞即助動詞或情態動詞放在主語之前，叫部分倒裝。倒裝結構常用于下列結構。
一、 全部倒裝
1. 直接引語的全部或部分放在句首且主語是名詞。
“ He is a clever.” said the teacher.
“ Go, Dick, go!” cried Tom, “ Go home and get help!”
2. 用于there be/ live/stand/lie/appear/seem/remain等表存在“有”的句型中。
There once lived a hunter in the house.
There seems to be many listeners.
There used to be a big tree in front of our classroom.
3. 用于“here/there/now/then/out/in/up/down/away等副詞+不及物動詞+主語”的句型中，以表強調。
Now comes your turn.
Then came the war ages.然后是戰爭年代。
Here are some advertisements about English language training.
Out rushed the boy.
注意：此情況只限于不及物動詞或be 動詞。若主語為代詞時不倒裝，只把該副詞提前，不用進行時態。
Here she comes.
Out he rushed.
4. 地點狀語置于句首（尤為介詞短語并且主語為名詞，謂語為不及物動詞）
North of the city lies a big factory.
From the valley came a frightening sound.
5．以such開頭的句子中
Such will be our family in the future.
Such are the facts. / Such is the fact.
6. 表語位于句首時，構成“表語形容詞/過去分詞/介詞短語+連系動詞+主語”這一倒裝結構。
Present at the meeting are some famous scientists.
Gone are the days when they could do what they like to the Chinese people.
Among the goods are Christmas trees, flowers, candles and toys.
7. 用于so, nor, neither開頭的句子，表示上文所表示的含義也適用于另一人或物。謂語動詞應于前句謂語時態保持一致。
He has been to Beijing. So have I.
He went abroad last year. So did I.
He is a student. So am I.
If you don’t go to the cinema, nor will I.
注意：若后面的句子只是重復前面的句子意思，前后主語是同一人或物，盡管以so開頭，語序不倒裝。
----- John won the first prize in the contest.
----- So he did. /So did Jack.
----- David has made great progress in English recently.
----- So he has. And so have you.
若是下種情況，須用句型so it is with… /It’s the same with…
----- I seldom go to the cinema, but I enjoy films on TV.（既有肯定又有否定）
----- So it is with Tom. / It’s the same with Tom.
----- I love playing football, and I’m fond of music, too. （謂語動詞類型不同）
----- So it is with Tom. / It’s the same with Tom.
8. 為了保持句子平衡，或為了強調表語或狀語，或使上下文緊密銜接時。
There arrived at a farm house, in front of which sat a small boy.
In the east of Asia lies China, with Beijing as its capital.
9. 表祝愿。
Long live Chairman Mao.
May you succeed! / May he succeed! 祝你（他）成功。
二、 部分倒裝
1.用于疑問句：Do you speak English? / Have you ever been to Beijing?
2.直接引語的一部分或全部放在句首時，主語是名詞，倒裝；是代詞，不倒裝。“Let’s go”. said the man. / He said.
3.用于never, hardly, scarcely, nor, seldom, little, barely, nowhere, at no time(決不), by no means(決不), not for a moment(從未，一刻也沒有,) not in the least(一點也不), in no way(決不), not (not once, not a single mistake)等否定副詞或短語開頭的句子中。
I have never read such a book.
Never have I read such a book.
He can hardly speak.
Hardly can he speak.
By no means will we give up.
Nowhere have I found my pen.
I don’t want to go, nor will I.
4.用于no sooner…than… , hardly/rarely/scarcely…when…句型中，表示“剛…就…”。
no sooner, hardly, rarely, scarcely置于句首，所在主句用過去完成時，從句一般為過去時。
Hardly had I reached the bus stop when the bus started.
No sooner had he heard the news than he rushed out into the street.
5. not until置于句首，主句多用倒裝。（not until本身引導的句子不倒裝）
I didn’t know what had happened until he told me.
Not until he told me did I know what had happened.
Not until the teacher came did he finish his homework.
附：強調句型 It was not until the teacher came that he finished his homework.
6. not only…but also…not only but also連接兩個并列句子時，not only所在句子多用倒裝，but also所在句子則不用倒裝。neither…nor…連接兩個句子時，兩個句子都倒裝。
Not only is he clever but also he works hard.
He was not quite himself. Neither did he eat anything nor could he fall asleep.
7. only修飾狀語（副詞，介詞短語，狀語從句）位于句首時。
Only this afternoon did I finish the novel.
Only in this way can you master English.
Only when you come will he be happy.
注意：only修飾主語時，不用倒裝。
Only Tom knows this.
8.表示時間頻率的狀語副詞位于句首，且表示強調時，用倒裝語序。常用的頻率狀語副詞有often, usually, always, now and then, once, many a time, every other day等。
Often did we warn them not to do so.
Every other day does he go to see her mother.
Many a time has he given me good advice.
9. 用語as引導的讓步狀語從句。可以把從句中的表語，狀語或動詞原形提前，被倒裝的動詞原形常于 may, might, will, would等連用，而這些詞仍保留在原位置上。如表語是不帶定語的單數可數名詞，則前面的不定冠詞 a(n)要省去。(嚴格說來，此種結構不算倒裝)
Difficult as the work was, it was finished ahead of time.(Though the work was difficult, it was….)
Child as he is, he can speak good English. (Though he is a child, he can…..)
Much as I like it, I will not buy it. (Though I like it very much, I ….)
Hard as he tries, he can’t make great progress.(Though he tries hard, he ….)
Try as he might, Tom couldn’t find a job. (Though he tried, Tom…..)
注：以上句型中的as可改成though 引導的陳述句式。
10.用于省略if的虛擬條件狀語從句中。將助動詞 were, had 或should置于從句的主語之前。
Were I you, I would accept the invitation.
Had you been here earlier, you would have seen him.
Should it rain tomorrow, the crops would be saved.
Were it to rain tomorrow, the crops would be saved.
11.用于so…that… , such… that引導的結果狀語從句中。當將 so+形容詞/副詞或 such置于句首時，需倒裝。
So badly was he injured in the accident that he was sent to hospital for treatment.
Such was her cruelty that we all hated her.
特別注意：No matter how, however引導的狀語從句中，不用倒裝。
However difficult the problem is, I will try my best to work it out.
No matter how difficult the problem is, I will try my best to work it out.