Learn English – Inverse word order

sentenceword-order

Is the following sentence correct?

Within the class NP dwells the elite
group of problems labeled NP-complete.

What rule allows to flip "group" and "dwells" in this case? I thought one should write something like

The elite group of problems labeled NP-complete dwells within the class NP.

Best Answer

Yes, the first sentence is as correct as the second. In fact, although such inversions are sometimes awkward, I can't think of a case in which a comparable inversion would be incorrect. In this case, I'd prefer the first version, because it moves the verb forward, and shifts a very long noun phrase to the end.

It's not at all uncommon; here's a line from a translation of Pippi Longstocking (quoted here) that does it:

Way out at the end of a tiny little town was an old overgrown garden, and in the garden was an old house, and in the house lived Pippi Longstocking.

Related Topic