( 'Hardly-when' / 'Hardly-before' )

[Barman]

Please advise me whether I can write the following sentences in either way:

1 ) Hardly had he left the house when it began to rain.

2 ) Hardly had he left the house before it began to rain.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

I like #2. Let's see what others think.

 

[emsr2d2]

I'm with Charlie, though I find the construction at the beginning a little unnatural. It would sound more natural to me if it started with "No sooner".

No sooner had I left the house than it started to rain.

 

[Tdol]

I'd use than with hardly too.

 

[Barman]

I'm with Charlie, though I find the construction at the beginning a little unnatural. It would sound more natural to me if it started with "No sooner".

No sooner had I left the house than it started to rain.

If I want to rewrite the sentences in the following manner, whether it sounds natural or not:

1) No sooner did he left the house than it began to rain/ it started to rain.

2) Scarcely had he left the house when/ before it began to rain/ it started to rain.

 

[tzfujimino]

I'd use than with hardly too.

… than with no sooner?

 

[emsr2d2]

… than with no sooner?

That's what I said in post #3.

 

[emsr2d2]

If I want to rewrite the sentences in the following manner, can you tell me whether it sounds natural or not?

1) No sooner did he [STRIKE]left[/STRIKE] leave the house than it began to rain/it started to rain.

2) Scarcely had he left the house when/before it began to rain/it started to rain.

Note my corrections above. Don't put a space after a slash.

#1 is good.
With #2, I'd use "when".

 

[tzfujimino]

That's what I said in post #3.

I was merely trying to point out that there might have been something wrong with Tdol's comment in #4.

(I didn't miss your post #3.
I've been learning a lot from your helpful posts.)

 

[Barman]

I'd use than with hardly too.

Note my corrections above. Don't put a space after a slash.

#1 is good.
With #2, I'd use "when".

Can I use 'Scarcely.....than'?

1) Scarcely had he left the house than it started to rain.

 

[Barman]

I was merely trying to point out that there might have been something wrong with Tdol's comment in #4.

(I didn't miss your post #3.
I've been learning a lot from your helpful posts.)

Respected tzfujimino,

What was wrong with Tdol's comment? Could you please explain?

 

[tzfujimino]

Respected tzfujimino,

What was wrong with Tdol's comment? Could you please explain?

I'd like to express my sincere apology to all the members, especially to Tdol, for what I said in my earlier posts.

There's nothing wrong with Tdol's comment. I've found these:

https://fraze.it/n_search.jsp?q=had+scarcely+than&l=0&t=0&ffo=false&findid=-1&ff=

https://fraze.it/n_search.jsp?q=had+hardly+than&l=0&t=0&ffo=false&findid=-1&ff=

The word "than" is used with "hardly".

I should have done some more research before I made those posts.