Especially + verb + Subject
I have just found the following sentence:
Especially is this true in the field of psychology.
I know the rule that says that whenever a sentence begins with an adverb that expresses negativity, it should come first the verb and then the subject. However, in this case, it does not seem to be the case for a subject-verb inversion.
Can anyone explain the grammatical reason why this sentence is correct? Does this inversion have to do with the adverb especially?
grammaticality adverbs inversion
edited Dec 20 at 7:47
Kris
32.5k541117
asked Dec 19 at 16:50
Lalo
1674
add a comment |
I have just found the following sentence:
Especially is this true in the field of psychology.
I know the rule that says that whenever a sentence begins with an adverb that expresses negativity, it should come first the verb and then the subject. However, in this case, it does not seem to be the case for a subject-verb inversion.
Can anyone explain the grammatical reason why this sentence is correct? Does this inversion have to do with the adverb especially?
grammaticality adverbs inversion
edited Dec 20 at 7:47
Kris
32.5k541117
asked Dec 19 at 16:50
Lalo
1674
You have tagged the question with "inversion" -- so what else is troubling you?
– Kris
Dec 20 at 7:47
@Kris, there is no doubt that it is an inversion case, but I would like to know what the explanation is. To say that it is a matter of "taste", i.e. idiomaticity, does not really help, because in many other cases it is certainly the case that it is not possible to do an inversion. I cannot, for instance, say "Yesterday was I tired". So I assume that there must be some grammatical explanation for the presented case.
– Lalo
Dec 20 at 22:15
add a comment |
I have just found the following sentence:
Especially is this true in the field of psychology.
I know the rule that says that whenever a sentence begins with an adverb that expresses negativity, it should come first the verb and then the subject. However, in this case, it does not seem to be the case for a subject-verb inversion.
Can anyone explain the grammatical reason why this sentence is correct? Does this inversion have to do with the adverb especially?
grammaticality adverbs inversion
edited Dec 20 at 7:47
Kris
32.5k541117
asked Dec 19 at 16:50
Lalo
1674
I have just found the following sentence:
Especially is this true in the field of psychology.
I know the rule that says that whenever a sentence begins with an adverb that expresses negativity, it should come first the verb and then the subject. However, in this case, it does not seem to be the case for a subject-verb inversion.
Can anyone explain the grammatical reason why this sentence is correct? Does this inversion have to do with the adverb especially?
grammaticality adverbs inversion
grammaticality adverbs inversion
edited Dec 20 at 7:47
Kris
32.5k541117
asked Dec 19 at 16:50
Lalo
1674
edited Dec 20 at 7:47
Kris
32.5k541117
asked Dec 19 at 16:50
Lalo
1674
edited Dec 20 at 7:47
Kris
32.5k541117
edited Dec 20 at 7:47
Kris
32.5k541117
edited Dec 20 at 7:47
Kris
32.5k541117
32.5k541117
asked Dec 19 at 16:50
Lalo
1674
asked Dec 19 at 16:50
Lalo
1674
asked Dec 19 at 16:50
Lalo
1674
1674
You have tagged the question with "inversion" -- so what else is troubling you?
– Kris
Dec 20 at 7:47
@Kris, there is no doubt that it is an inversion case, but I would like to know what the explanation is. To say that it is a matter of "taste", i.e. idiomaticity, does not really help, because in many other cases it is certainly the case that it is not possible to do an inversion. I cannot, for instance, say "Yesterday was I tired". So I assume that there must be some grammatical explanation for the presented case.
– Lalo
Dec 20 at 22:15
add a comment |
You have tagged the question with "inversion" -- so what else is troubling you?
– Kris
Dec 20 at 7:47
@Kris, there is no doubt that it is an inversion case, but I would like to know what the explanation is. To say that it is a matter of "taste", i.e. idiomaticity, does not really help, because in many other cases it is certainly the case that it is not possible to do an inversion. I cannot, for instance, say "Yesterday was I tired". So I assume that there must be some grammatical explanation for the presented case.
– Lalo
Dec 20 at 22:15
You have tagged the question with "inversion" -- so what else is troubling you?
– Kris
Dec 20 at 7:47
You have tagged the question with "inversion" -- so what else is troubling you?
– Kris
Dec 20 at 7:47
@Kris, there is no doubt that it is an inversion case, but I would like to know what the explanation is. To say that it is a matter of "taste", i.e. idiomaticity, does not really help, because in many other cases it is certainly the case that it is not possible to do an inversion. I cannot, for instance, say "Yesterday was I tired". So I assume that there must be some grammatical explanation for the presented case.
– Lalo
Dec 20 at 22:15
@Kris, there is no doubt that it is an inversion case, but I would like to know what the explanation is. To say that it is a matter of "taste", i.e. idiomaticity, does not really help, because in many other cases it is certainly the case that it is not possible to do an inversion. I cannot, for instance, say "Yesterday was I tired". So I assume that there must be some grammatical explanation for the presented case.
– Lalo
Dec 20 at 22:15
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
It's formally known as "Intro Adverbial" inversion. The "limiting" adverb goes to the front as an introductory to the sentence. Consider:
Never had I met someone so interesting.
Not often will he go to work
Look up the uses of inversion. One of them is emphasis.
Especially is this true in the field of psychology.
This is an example of inversion for emphasis. Especially is brought forward using inversion so as to highlight its significance in the context. Saying "This is true" is simple; "This is especially true" adds significance but still has the focus on true; "Especially is this true" shifts the emphasis to especially, which is an adverb limiting the scope of the verb.
answered Dec 21 at 6:58
Kris
32.5k541117
add a comment |
"Especially is this true in the field of psychology" is "correct" but painfully stilted. Much more idiomatic would be "This is especially true . . .". There's nothing special about "especially", viz. "particularly", "notably", "apparently", etc.
answered Dec 19 at 17:06
user328805
11
So, would you say "Especially this is true (...)" would also be a "correct" possibility? or maybe it would be "Especially, this is true (...)?
– Lalo
Dec 19 at 17:32
1
@Lalo The most natural expression is this is especially true. But that doesn't mean that the others are actually ungrammatical.
– Jason Bassford
Dec 20 at 17:13
"Especially this is true ..." would be incorrect; "Especially, this is true ..." is fine, but then especially modifies the whole sentence that follows, not the verb is.
– Kris
2 mins ago
add a comment |
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2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
It's formally known as "Intro Adverbial" inversion. The "limiting" adverb goes to the front as an introductory to the sentence. Consider:
Never had I met someone so interesting.
Not often will he go to work
Look up the uses of inversion. One of them is emphasis.
Especially is this true in the field of psychology.
This is an example of inversion for emphasis. Especially is brought forward using inversion so as to highlight its significance in the context. Saying "This is true" is simple; "This is especially true" adds significance but still has the focus on true; "Especially is this true" shifts the emphasis to especially, which is an adverb limiting the scope of the verb.
answered Dec 21 at 6:58
Kris
32.5k541117
add a comment |
It's formally known as "Intro Adverbial" inversion. The "limiting" adverb goes to the front as an introductory to the sentence. Consider:
Never had I met someone so interesting.
Not often will he go to work
Look up the uses of inversion. One of them is emphasis.
Especially is this true in the field of psychology.
This is an example of inversion for emphasis. Especially is brought forward using inversion so as to highlight its significance in the context. Saying "This is true" is simple; "This is especially true" adds significance but still has the focus on true; "Especially is this true" shifts the emphasis to especially, which is an adverb limiting the scope of the verb.
answered Dec 21 at 6:58
Kris
32.5k541117
add a comment |
It's formally known as "Intro Adverbial" inversion. The "limiting" adverb goes to the front as an introductory to the sentence. Consider:
Never had I met someone so interesting.
Not often will he go to work
Look up the uses of inversion. One of them is emphasis.
Especially is this true in the field of psychology.
This is an example of inversion for emphasis. Especially is brought forward using inversion so as to highlight its significance in the context. Saying "This is true" is simple; "This is especially true" adds significance but still has the focus on true; "Especially is this true" shifts the emphasis to especially, which is an adverb limiting the scope of the verb.
answered Dec 21 at 6:58
Kris
32.5k541117
It's formally known as "Intro Adverbial" inversion. The "limiting" adverb goes to the front as an introductory to the sentence. Consider:
Never had I met someone so interesting.
Not often will he go to work
Look up the uses of inversion. One of them is emphasis.
Especially is this true in the field of psychology.
This is an example of inversion for emphasis. Especially is brought forward using inversion so as to highlight its significance in the context. Saying "This is true" is simple; "This is especially true" adds significance but still has the focus on true; "Especially is this true" shifts the emphasis to especially, which is an adverb limiting the scope of the verb.
answered Dec 21 at 6:58
Kris
32.5k541117
edited 4 mins ago
answered Dec 21 at 6:58
Kris
32.5k541117
answered Dec 21 at 6:58
Kris
32.5k541117
answered Dec 21 at 6:58
Kris
32.5k541117
32.5k541117
add a comment |
add a comment |
"Especially is this true in the field of psychology" is "correct" but painfully stilted. Much more idiomatic would be "This is especially true . . .". There's nothing special about "especially", viz. "particularly", "notably", "apparently", etc.
answered Dec 19 at 17:06
user328805
11
So, would you say "Especially this is true (...)" would also be a "correct" possibility? or maybe it would be "Especially, this is true (...)?
– Lalo
Dec 19 at 17:32
1
@Lalo The most natural expression is this is especially true. But that doesn't mean that the others are actually ungrammatical.
– Jason Bassford
Dec 20 at 17:13
"Especially this is true ..." would be incorrect; "Especially, this is true ..." is fine, but then especially modifies the whole sentence that follows, not the verb is.
– Kris
2 mins ago
add a comment |
"Especially is this true in the field of psychology" is "correct" but painfully stilted. Much more idiomatic would be "This is especially true . . .". There's nothing special about "especially", viz. "particularly", "notably", "apparently", etc.
answered Dec 19 at 17:06
user328805
11
So, would you say "Especially this is true (...)" would also be a "correct" possibility? or maybe it would be "Especially, this is true (...)?
– Lalo
Dec 19 at 17:32
1
@Lalo The most natural expression is this is especially true. But that doesn't mean that the others are actually ungrammatical.
– Jason Bassford
Dec 20 at 17:13
"Especially this is true ..." would be incorrect; "Especially, this is true ..." is fine, but then especially modifies the whole sentence that follows, not the verb is.
– Kris
2 mins ago
add a comment |
"Especially is this true in the field of psychology" is "correct" but painfully stilted. Much more idiomatic would be "This is especially true . . .". There's nothing special about "especially", viz. "particularly", "notably", "apparently", etc.
answered Dec 19 at 17:06
user328805
11
"Especially is this true in the field of psychology" is "correct" but painfully stilted. Much more idiomatic would be "This is especially true . . .". There's nothing special about "especially", viz. "particularly", "notably", "apparently", etc.
answered Dec 19 at 17:06
user328805
11
answered Dec 19 at 17:06
user328805
11
answered Dec 19 at 17:06
user328805
11
answered Dec 19 at 17:06
user328805
11
11
So, would you say "Especially this is true (...)" would also be a "correct" possibility? or maybe it would be "Especially, this is true (...)?
– Lalo
Dec 19 at 17:32
1
@Lalo The most natural expression is this is especially true. But that doesn't mean that the others are actually ungrammatical.
– Jason Bassford
Dec 20 at 17:13
"Especially this is true ..." would be incorrect; "Especially, this is true ..." is fine, but then especially modifies the whole sentence that follows, not the verb is.
– Kris
2 mins ago
add a comment |
So, would you say "Especially this is true (...)" would also be a "correct" possibility? or maybe it would be "Especially, this is true (...)?
– Lalo
Dec 19 at 17:32
1
@Lalo The most natural expression is this is especially true. But that doesn't mean that the others are actually ungrammatical.
– Jason Bassford
Dec 20 at 17:13
"Especially this is true ..." would be incorrect; "Especially, this is true ..." is fine, but then especially modifies the whole sentence that follows, not the verb is.
– Kris
2 mins ago
So, would you say "Especially this is true (...)" would also be a "correct" possibility? or maybe it would be "Especially, this is true (...)?
– Lalo
Dec 19 at 17:32
So, would you say "Especially this is true (...)" would also be a "correct" possibility? or maybe it would be "Especially, this is true (...)?
– Lalo
Dec 19 at 17:32
1
1
@Lalo The most natural expression is this is especially true. But that doesn't mean that the others are actually ungrammatical.
– Jason Bassford
Dec 20 at 17:13
@Lalo The most natural expression is this is especially true. But that doesn't mean that the others are actually ungrammatical.
– Jason Bassford
Dec 20 at 17:13
"Especially this is true ..." would be incorrect; "Especially, this is true ..." is fine, but then especially modifies the whole sentence that follows, not the verb is.
– Kris
2 mins ago
"Especially this is true ..." would be incorrect; "Especially, this is true ..." is fine, but then especially modifies the whole sentence that follows, not the verb is.
– Kris
2 mins ago
add a comment |
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You have tagged the question with "inversion" -- so what else is troubling you?
– Kris
Dec 20 at 7:47
@Kris, there is no doubt that it is an inversion case, but I would like to know what the explanation is. To say that it is a matter of "taste", i.e. idiomaticity, does not really help, because in many other cases it is certainly the case that it is not possible to do an inversion. I cannot, for instance, say "Yesterday was I tired". So I assume that there must be some grammatical explanation for the presented case.
– Lalo
Dec 20 at 22:15