Strange word order

English grammar questions, answered by Alan

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Galiley
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Strange word order

Post by Galiley »

Hi all!
I've read such a phrase: "It seems that gone are the days when travelling meant finding new and different places".
Is this sentence grammarly correct?
If yes please describe me the rule. I will be pleased if you share some useful links with me explaining the rule in question. Many thanks :)
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Alan
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Re: Strange word order

Post by Alan »

Yes, it is grammatICALLY correct, although a little unusual.
'Gone' here is a fronted complement (normal word order: "the days are GONE"), a slightly archaic construction sometimes employed for effect.
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