hardly + the past perfect ~, when + the past simple

[pseudo]

Dear teachers
​

I have learned that two sentences below have the same meaning and we should be careful when we use the past simple and the past perfect.

As soon as we sat down to have lunch, the phone rang.
= We had hardly sat down to have lunch, when the phone rang.

However I found a sentence like this.

"Ready, Bebe," said Calvin.
"Ready, Calvin," said Bebe.
"Okay," said Mrs. Jewls, "Time for art."
She had hardly finished her sentence when Bebe had already drawn a picture of a leaf.

<Sideways stories from Wayside School p.32>​

Grammatically, I think "She had hardly finished her sentence when Bebe already drew a picture of a leaf." is correct. Is there any different meaning or grammar? Is this because when-clause has 'already'?
​

 

[Raymott]

She had hardly finished her sentence when Bebe had already drawn a picture of a leaf.​

​

​

It's an awkward sentence, but it means what is says.
There was a certain time at which i) Bebe had already drawn a leaf, and ii) She had hardly finished her sentence.
You need the past perfect for the second clause, so your use of the simple past isn't right.

 

[pseudo]

Thank you for your reply :lol: