section 2 grammar part toefl course

TOEFL COURSE

BY TEACHER WENDY

section 2; grammar structure

INVERTED SUBJECT + VERB

EXAMPLE

Inversion is a grammatical structure where the normal word order of a sentence is reversed, most commonly the subject-verb word order For example, a statement has the subject (s) before the verb (v), but to make question word order, we invert the subject and the verb, with an auxiliary (aux) or modal verb (m) before the subject (s):

WHEN DOES AN INVERSION HAPPEN ?

The most common type of inversion is question word order . Inversion also happens in other situations. Negative adverbs In formal styles, when we use an adverb with negative meaning (e.g. never, seldom, rarely, scarcely, hardly) in front position for emphasis, we invert the subject (s) and auxiliary (aux)/modal verb:

• Expressions beginning with not

We also invert the subject and verb after not + a prepositional phrase or a clause in initial position:

PARALLEL STRUCTURE

Parallel structure (also known as parallelism) is an efficient way to organize a series (a list) in a sentence. Common patterns of parallel structure include listing adjectives with other adjectives, nouns with nouns, or verb phrases in a certain form with phrases in the same formParallel structure means using the same pattern of words to show that two or more ideas have the same level of importance.

• The speech was clear, funny, and it taught the audience a lot. [not parallel or concise]
• The speech was clear, funny, and educational. [parallel - series of adjectives]
• Exercising can give you more energy, improve your appearance, and people who exercise often live longer. [not parallel]
• Exercising can give you more energy, improve your appearance, and increase your lifespan. [parallel - series of verb phrases]

Parallel structure is especially important in academic writing. It makes sentences more concise, and thereby efficient.