a represents a number of Old English clauses with object following a non-finite verb form, with the superficial structure verb-subject-verb object. A more substantial number of clauses contain a single finite verb form followed by an object, superficially verb-subject-object. Again, a generalisation is captured by describing these as subject–verb–object (SVO) modified by V2. Thus Old English can be described as intermediate between SOV languages (like German and Dutch) and SVO languages (like Swedish and Icelandic). Effect of subject pronouns When the subject of a clause was a personal pronoun, V2 did not always operate. However, V2 verb-subject inversion occurred without exception after a question word or the negative ne, and with few exceptions after þa even with pronominal subjects. Inversion of a subject pronoun also occurred regularly after a direct quotation. Embedded clauses Embedded clauses with pronoun subjects were not subject to V2. Even with noun subjects, V2 inversion did not occur. Yes-no questions In a similar clause pattern, the finite verb form of a yes-no question occupied the first position Middle English Continuity Early Middle English generally preserved V2 structure in clauses with nominal subjects. As in Old English, V2 inversion did not apply to clauses with pronoun subjects. Change Late Middle English texts of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries show increasing incidence of clauses without the inversion associated with V2. Negative clauses were no longer formed with ne (or na) as the first element. Inversion in negative clauses was attributable to other causes. Vestiges in Modern English As in earlier periods, Modern English normally has subject-verb order in declarative clauses and inverted verb-subject order in interrogative clauses. However these norms are observed irrespective of the number of clause elements preceding the verb. Classes of verbs in Modern English: auxiliary and lexical Inversion in Old English sentences with a combination of two verbs could be described in terms of their finite and non-finite forms. The word which participated in inversion was the finite verb; the verb which retained its position relative to the object was the non-finite verb. In most types of Modern English clause, there are two verb forms, but the verbs are considered to belong to different syntactic classes. The verbs which participated in inversion have evolved to form a class of auxiliary verbs which may mark tense, aspect and mood; the remaining majority of verbs with full semantic value are said to constitute the class of