word order (inversion): construction the ... the ...

[Lenka]

I read that there is an optional inversion in the second part of the construction of "the ... the ...". E.g.: The more he gets, the greedier is he / he is.

I wonder if the sentences The more he gets, the greedier is he. and The more he gets, the greedier he is.have the same meaning and can be used in the same context. The grammar book where I read it says the inversion is optional, so, I guess, there is no difference between the two sentences, is there?


Are the following sentences (that I've just thought out) correct too?

1) The taller he grew, the thinner he became.
The taller he grew, the thinner became he.
The taller he was growing, the thinner he was becoming.
The taller he was growing, the thinner was he becoming.

2) The sunnier the weather is, the more crops we have.
The sunnier the weather is, the more crops have we.

3) The more John plays with his daughter Jane, the happier is Jane.
The more John plays with his daughter Jane, the happier Jane is.

[RonBee]

Re:

The more he gets the greedier he is. - OK

"The more he gets the more he wants" is a common enough expression.


Re:

The taller he grew, the thinner he became. - OK

The taller he grew, the thinner became he. - no

I don't like the second one, but at the present time I have no explanation for that.


Re:

The taller he was growing, the thinner he was becoming. - no

The taller he was growing, the thinner was he becoming. - no

I would have to see them in some kind of context before I could change my mind and decide that they somehow make sense.


Re:

The sunnier the weather is, the more crops we have. - OK

Re:

The more John plays with his daughter Jane, the happier Jane is. - OK

~R