某些副詞和副詞短語，主要是一些含有限定或否定意義的副詞和副詞短語，為了表示強調可放在句首，這時后面應跟動詞的倒裝（即疑問）形式。這類副詞或副詞短語中最重要的有：
hardly ever
on no account
hardly…when
only by
in no circumstances
only in this way
neither/nor
only then/when
never
scarcely ever
no sooner…than
scarcely…when
not only
seldom
not till
so
nowhere
例句如：
—I haven’t got a ticket．
—Neither/Nor have I．
—我沒有票。
—我也沒有。
I had never before been asked to accept a bribe．相當于：
Never before had I been asked to accept a bribe．
以前從來沒有人試圖向我行賄。
They not only rob you，they smash everything too．相當于：
Not only do they rob you，they smash everything too．
他們不僅搶劫你，而且砸爛所有的東西。
He didn’t realize that he had lost it till he got home．相當于：
Not till he got home did he realize that he had lost it．
一直到了家，他才發覺那東西丟了。
This switch must not be touched on any account．相當于：
On no account must this switch be touched．
這個開關嚴禁觸摸。
He was able to make himself heard only by shouting．相當于：
Only by shouting was he able to make himself heard．
他只有叫喊才能讓別人聽到他。
He became so suspicious that…相當于：
So suspicious did he become that…
他變得這樣疑心，以致……
注意：在一個句子中，第二個否定動詞有時可以用nor來表達，并跟倒裝語序：
He had no money and didn’t know anyone he could borrow from．
He had no money，nor did he know anyone he could borrow from．
他身無分文，也不認識任何可以借錢的人。（neither在這兒不太常用。）（關于副詞和副詞短語后跟動詞的倒裝語序和作主語的名詞的情況，如Up went the rocket<火箭直升飛起>， By the door stoodan armed guard<門口站著一名手持武器的士兵>
