V2 Word Order - V2 in English

V2 in English

While modern English is broadly SV (not V2), an earlier stage of English was V2, and some vestiges of the former V2 structure surface in a number of varying constructions. Many instances of subject-auxiliary inversion, for instance, can be analyzed as V2 structures. Some examples of V2 constructions in English are given next:

a. Sam is watching the cup games.

b. Which games is Sam watching?

a. He will drink schnapps at no point.

b. At no point will he drink schnapps.

a. Many photographers sat behind the goal.

b. Behind the goal sat many photographers.

a. No aspect of the game was unexpected.

b. Unexpected was no aspect of the game.

Since the finite verb is preceded by a single non-subject major constituent in each of these sentences, these constructions can be interpreted as obeying the V2 principle.