Start here · the first lesson of Word order (inversion, question tags, indirect questions)
Word order (inversion, question tags, indirect questions)
Grammar: Voice, Narration, Tenses + Rule Bank · for IPMAT Indore, IPMAT Rohtak and JIPMAT
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The idea
English normally puts the subject before the verb. Three structures change or test that order: inversion after a fronted negative adverb (the auxiliary jumps before the subject), question tags (a short question that reverses the polarity of the statement), and indirect questions (a question inside a statement goes back to statement order). Indore 2019 Q30, 2022 Q28 (inversion) and 2023 Q28 (question tag) test this.
Textbook vs exam method
Textbook method
Inversion (inversion-negative-adverbial)
| Right | Wrong |
|---|---|
| Not once did he apologise. | Not once he apologised. |
| Never have I waited so long. | Never I have waited so long. |
| Seldom do we find such people. | Seldom we find such people. |
| Not only was it bright, but it also had a long tail. | Not only it was bright, but… |
Use the auxiliary of the sentence (have, was, can); if there is none, add do / does / did and the base verb. Inversion happens only when the adverb comes first: He never complained has normal order.
Question tags (question-tag)
| Statement | Tag |
|---|---|
| She can swim very well, | can't she? |
| Nothing has changed, | has it? |
| He hardly ever visits his parents, | does he? |
| Nobody saw it, | did they? |
| I am your friend, | aren't I? |
| Let's go to the beach, | shall we? |
Indirect questions (indirect-question-order)
| Right | Wrong |
|---|---|
| She asked where I was going. | She asked where was I going. |
| The officer asked him what his name was. | …what was his name. |
| Could you tell me what time the bank opens? | …what time does the bank open? |
Exam method
- Sentence starts with a negative or limiting word?. Look for auxiliary + subject.
- Tag at the end?. Decide the polarity of the statement (watch never / nothing / hardly), then flip it; keep the same auxiliary and a pronoun.
- Question word after asked / wondered / tell me / know?. Subject before verb; drop do / does / did.