Chinese inverted sentences
An inversion or inverted sentence (倒装句) is a change in the basic word order of a sentence.
It stylistically and emotionally colors the sentence. We should emphasize these sentences using intonation.
Subject inversion
Subject inversion is when the subject comes after the predicate. We use it when it is necessary to report about the existence of an object or some changes to an object.
In these kinds of sentences, there are usually time words or locatives that come before the predicate.
Pay attention
The subject can only be inverted if it is expressed with a noun.
Scheme
(adverbial modifier)
where?/when?
predicate
subject
Examples
下雨了
It rained
xià yǔ le
墙上挂着照片
There are pictures hanging on the wall
qiáng shàng guàzhe zhàopiàn
Object inversion
Object inversion is when the object comes not after but before the predicate. It is mostly used in colloquial speech.
It can be constructed with or without the 把 
particle.
particle."把” sentences
We use the 把 particle when we want to emphasize what happened to an object with more details or we want to focus on the result of an action.
Scheme
subject
把
object
predicate
Examples
我把暖气关掉了
I turned off the heater
wǒ bǎ nuǎnqì guāndiào le
他把信撕碎了
He tore up the letter
tā bǎ xìn sīsuì le
Sentence without the particle “把”
Sometimes we may omit the 把 particle. If the object has an attribute in the sentence, we put it at the beginning of the sentence before the subject and without the 把 particle.
In writing it may be separated by a comma, but orally it should be separated by a pause after the object.
Scheme
object
with an attribute
subject
predicate
Examples
这部电影我没看过了
I haven't seen this movie
zhè bù diànyǐng wǒ méi kànguò le
那个人我是见过的
I've seen this man before
nà ge rén wǒ shì jiànguò de
Pay attention
While translating these types of sentences, we must emphasize the object.