Home GRAMMAR ‘As soon as’ ‘No sooner…than’ ‘Hardly…when’

‘As soon as’ ‘No sooner…than’ ‘Hardly…when’

'As soon as' 'No sooner...than' 'Hardly...when'

 

AS SOON AS
  • An Adverbial Subordinating Conjunction of Time
  • Used to introduce depending clause in sentence
  • Used to indicate an action which immediately happens after the completion of first one
  • Used earlier or before noun or pronoun in the sentence
  • We find minimum time gap between two different actions
  • Used with Simple Present to declare future action


As soon as I reached the station, the train arrived.
The train arrived as soon as I reached the station.
I will call you as soon as I finish my work.
William started to walk as soon as he declared fit.
We will surely meet as soon as the lock-down finishes.
As soon as I reach the college, I will tell your result.
The passengers rushed to board as soon as the train arrived.
As soon as mother scolded her, she admitted her mistake.
Nancy stopped her car as soon as she saw me.
As soon as I finish this topic, I will take a test.
As soon as the thief ran away, the policeman fired at him.
He replied me as soon as he got my email.
As soon as we had reached there, it started to snow.
Lisa went away as soon as Nancy came there.

NO SOONER…THAN
  • Used to indicate that one thing happens immediately after another
  • Generally used to indicate past actions
  • Rarely used with present tense
  • No sooner indicates first occurred things
  • than indicates second occurred things
  • than is used to connect two sentences
  • No sooner is always used at the beginning of sentence


No sooner did the students see the the teacher than they ran away.
No sooner did I go to bed than I fell asleep.

No sooner had I arrived at the station than the train came.
No sooner had we reached there than the rain started.
No sooner does the bell ring than the students start to come out.
No sooner did I see my father than I ran away.
No sooner had he graduated than he decided to settle in USA.
No sooner did I read the book than I became rather inspired.

HARDLY / SCARCELY / BARELY…WHEN
  • Frequently used in daily activities
  • Hardly, barely and scarcely all have a negative meanings
  • They mean ‘almost not’ ‘certainly not’ or ‘only just’
  • Always used with ‘Past Perfect Tense’ format
  • Used to indicate two things happened after one another
  • when is used to connect two sentences
  • Hardly/Barely/Scarcely are always used at the beginning of sentence


Hardly had I entered the garden when I saw a snake.
Hardly had John arrived school when his phone rang.
Barely had he passed the exam when his father had an heart attack.
Scarcely had Sarah finished reading when she fell asleep.
Hardly had the teacher noticed him when he lost his temper.
Hardly had I reached there when I told Daniel everything.
Hardly had Nancy reached the station when the train arrived.
Scarcely had I thought to eat pizza when Laura brought it for me.


Exercise 1:

As soon as No sooner … than
As soon as I reached home, they welcomed me. No sooner did I reach home than they welcomed me.
The baby started crying, as soon as the mother finished cooking. No sooner did the mother finish cooking than the baby started crying.
As soon as she took the exam, she felt relieved. No sooner did she take the exam than she felt relieved.
As soon as I got up in the morning, I started dizzying. No sooner did I get up in the morning than I started dizzying.
As soon as I stepped out, it started raining cats and dogs. No sooner did I step out than it started raining cats and dogs.
She burst into tears as soon as she met her mother. No sooner did she meet her mother than she burst into tears.
The rose was plucked, as soon as it blossomed. No sooner did it blossom than the rose was plucked.
I had had dinner, as soon as I reached the hotel. No sooner did I reach the hotel than I had had dinner.
The lights went off, as soon as I started reading a novel. No sooner did I start reading a novel than the lights went off.
He expressed his gratitude, as soon as he received the birthday gift. No sooner did he receive the birthday gift than he expressed his gratitude.
Children stopped playing, as soon as it got dark. No sooner did it get dark than children stopped playing.
The sun set, as soon as we climbed up the peak of the mountain. No sooner did we climb up the peak of the mountain than the sun set.
As soon as I finish my lunch, I will resume my work. No sooner do I finish my lunch than I will resume my work.
He will enjoy to his heart’s content, as soon as the summer vacation begins. No sooner does the summer vacation begin than he will enjoy to his heart’s content.
As soon as I spot him, I will kill him at any cost. No sooner do I spot him than I will kill him at any cost.
I will go to sleep, as soon as this movie ends. No sooner does this movie end than I will go to sleep.
Everything will fall into place, as soon as the pandemic disappears. No sooner does the pandemic disappear than everything will fall into place.
They will drive you out, as soon as you enter their house. No sooner do you enter their house than they will drive you out.
As soon as you become rich, people will stop humiliating you. No sooner do you become rich than people will stop humiliating you.
We shall go to market, as soon as the rain stops. No sooner does the rain stops than we shall go to market.
Jack burst into laughter, as soon as Peter cracked a joke. No sooner did Peter cracked a joke than Jack burst into laughter.
He went mad, as soon as he learned the news of his being bankrupt. No sooner did he learn the news of his being bankrupt than he went mad.
As soon as they opened the door, they saw police at the doorstep. No sooner did they open the door than they saw police at the doorstep.
I wake up, as soon as the alarm starts ringing at 6:00am. No sooner does the alarm start ringing at 6:00am than I wake up.
As soon as I reached the college, I started working on my laptop. No sooner did I reach the college than I started working on my laptop.
I will clean the entire house, as soon as I get some days off from my job. No sooner do I get some days off from my job, I will clean the entire house.
He startled, as soon as the doorbell rang at midnight. No sooner did the doorbell ring at midnight than he startled.
As soon as I receive your mail, I will reply to you. No sooner do I receive your mail than I reply to you.
Everybody had already left, as soon as I entered the office. No sooner did I enter the office than everybody had already left.
As soon as she spoke to him, he went away. No sooner did she speak to him than he went away.
People will go back to their normal routine, as soon as the pandemic ends. No sooner does the pandemic end than people will go back to their normal routine.
As soon as he rose as the star, people showered laurels upon him. No sooner did he rise as the star than people showered laurels upon him.
She got down from the train, as soon as it reached the destination. No sooner did it reach the destination than she got down from the train.
As soon as I turn the fan on, I start sneezing. No sooner do I turn the fan on than I start sneezing.
It causes me headache, as soon as the volume of the TV goes louder. No sooner does the volume of the TV go louder than it causes me headache.
As soon as he appeared on the stage, people started whistling. No sooner did he appear on the stage than people started whistling.
Get done with this work, as soon as you will be able to do it. No sooner will you be able to do it than get done with this work.
Make sure that you have submitted your form, as soon as you get time. No sooner do you get time than make sure that you have submitted your form.
Come to my cabin, as soon as you reach the office. No sooner do you reach the office than come to my cabin.
You will get ready for the function, as soon as you come back home. No sooner do you come back home than you will get ready for the function.
As soon as I went downstairs, I saw a crowd of students in front of the principal’s office. No sooner did I go downstairs than I saw a crowd of students in front of the principal’s office.
My eyes filled with tears, as soon as I met my childhood friend after ages. No sooner did I meet my childhood friend after ages than my eyes filled with tears.
As soon as she broke the pencil, her father scolded her. No sooner did she break the pencil than her father scolded her.
He got over-excited, as soon as he received the call-letter for interview. No sooner did he receive the call-letter for interview than he got over-excited.
As soon as I gave a wrong answer, students laughed at me. No sooner did I give a wrong answer than students laughed at me.
They had thrown a party, as soon as their son succeeded in the competitive exam. No sooner did their son succeeded in the competitive exam than they had thrown a party.
She demands chocolates, as soon as she completes her work. No sooner does she complete her work than she demands chocolates.
He was felicitated, as soon as he became a high-rank officer. No sooner did he become a high-rank officer than he was felicitated.
I felt ashamed of myself, as soon as I realised my mistake. No sooner did I realise my mistake than I felt ashamed of myself.
He had stopped playing tennis, as soon as he entered 40s. No sooner did he enter 40s than he stopped playing tennis.

 


Exercise 2

No sooner …. than As soon as
No sooner did she sing a song than everybody applauded. As soon as she sang a song, everybody applauded.
No sooner did I see him than I handed over his envelope to him. As soon as I saw him, I handed over his envelope to him.
No sooner was he stung by the scorpion than he started moaning with pain. He started moaning with pain, as soon as he was stung by the scorpion.
No sooner did Mary shout at the highest of her voice than everybody looked at her with surprise. As soon as Mary shouted at the highest of her voice, everybody looked at her with surprise.
No sooner did we take the ice-cream out of the fridge than it started melting. It started melting, as soon as we took the ice-cream out of the fridge.
No sooner did I open the newspaper than I read a very shocking news. As soon as I opened the newspaper, I read a very shocking news.
No sooner did he deliver the speech than he was criticized by people strongly. He was criticized by people strongly, as soon as he delivered the speech.
No sooner did we go to the park than children felt so amused. Children felt so amused, as soon as we went to the park.
No sooner did she go to the salon than she had got her hair cut. She had got her hair cut, as soon as she went to the salon.
No sooner did the quarrel spark between then than those girls started beating each other madly. Those girls started beating each other madly, as soon as the quarrel sparked between them.
No sooner did they lose their jobs during Corona pandemic than many people committed suicide. Many people committed suicide, as soon as they lost their jobs during Corona pandemic.
No sooner did David propose a marriage to her in public than Clara had felt embarrassed. Clara had felt embarrassed, as soon as David proposed a marriage to her in public.
No sooner was the vacation declared than we planned for a picnic. As soon as the vacation was declared, we planned for a picnic.
No sooner had they realised their incompatibility with each other as a partner than they got legally separated. They got legally separated, as soon as they had realised their incompatibility with each other as a partner.
No sooner had I had that sandwich than I started feeling sick. As soon as I had had that sandwich, I started feeling sick.
No sooner did the fight take off to London than she had started chanting the names of God desperately with her eyes closed. She had started chanting the names of God desperately with her eyes closed, as soon as the flight took off to London.
No sooner did he feel utterly hungry than he finished all the fruits. He finished all the fruits, as soon as he felt utterly hungry.
No sooner did the boss enter the office than everyone stood up to greet him. As soon as the boss entered the office, everyone stood up to greet him.
No sooner did she read a letter than she had crumpled and thrown it into the trash can. She had crumpled and thrown it into the trash can, as soon as she read the letter.
No sooner did she lose in the dance competition than Jane had started crying. Jane had started crying, as soon as she lost in the dance competition.
No sooner did I finish my project than I sighed with relief. As soon as I finished my project, I sighed with relief.
No sooner were their classes finished than the boys left for home. The boys left for home, as soon as their classes were finished.
No sooner did they see a dead body in the street than they informed the police. As soon as they saw a dead body in the street, they informed the police.
No sooner did Flora notice her ex-boyfriend at the party than she lost her temper and got away. As soon as Flora noticed her ex-boyfriend at the party, she lost her temper and got away.
No sooner does this pandemic come to an end than people will feel relieved and at ease. People will feel relieved and at ease, as soon as this pandemic comes to an end.
No sooner do I get into the mall than I will buy many things. I will buy many things, as soon as I get into the mall.
No sooner do you pluck it from the tree than this flower will wither. This flower will wither, as soon as you pluck it from the tree.
No sooner did I get there than I was surrounded by my old friends. As soon as I got there, I was surrounded by my old friends.
No sooner did Lucy look at her than Jane winked at her. Jane winked at her, as soon as Lucy looked at her.
No sooner did I receive the phone than the call had got disconnected. As soon as I received the phone, the call had got disconnected.
No sooner did she recover from Covid-19 than she started going to office. As soon as she recovered from Covid-19, she started going to office.
No sooner did the wind start blowing than the door banged. As soon as the wind started blowing, the door banged.
No sooner did the mother caress it, the baby calmed down. The baby calmed down, as soon as the mother caressed it.
No sooner did he start playing flute than everybody was spellbound. As soon as he started playing flute, everybody was spellbound.
No sooner did she see an accident than it gave her goosebumps. It gave her goosebumps, as soon as she saw an accident.
No sooner did they encounter a hissing snake than children got frightened. Children got frightened, as soon as they encountered a hissing snake.
No sooner did the police catch his sight than the man was arrested. As soon as the police caught his sight, the man was arrested.
No sooner did the rain stop than the lights went on again. The lights went on again, as soon as the rain stopped.
No sooner was the construction completed than we got the possession of new our house. We got the possession of new our house, as soon as the construction was completed.
No sooner did he find her all alone in the street than he had started eave teasing her. He had started eave teasing her, as soon as he found her all alone in the street.
No sooner did she hear the weird sounds in the forest than she screamed with fear. She screamed with fear, as soon as she heard the weird sounds in the forest.
No sooner did he exercise hard than he started sweating all over. As soon as he exercised hard, he started sweating all over.
No sooner did he finish his performance than audience kept clapping for a while. Audience kept clapping for a while, as soon as he finished his performance.
No sooner do I get home back than I will have forty-winks. I will have forty-winks, as soon as I get home back.
No sooner did he get into the train than she saw him off tearfully. She saw him off tearfully, as soon as he got into the train.
No sooner was the class over than the students made noise. The students made noise, as soon as the class was over.
No sooner did he catch the sight of numerous daffodils beside the lake than Wordsworth composed a beautiful poem. Wordsworth composed a beautiful poem, as soon as he caught a sight of numerous daffodils beside the lake.
No sooner did she realise that she was her frenemy than she had started staying aloof from her. She had started staying aloof from her, as soon as she realised that she was her frenemy.
No sooner did they learn about the noble cause he had been fighting for than they had supported him. They had supported him, as soon as they learned about the noble cause he had been fighting for.

ENGLISH GRAMMAR


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