No sooner … than…

 No sooner … than…

Why is it used?

"No sooner" is used to express that one action or event happens immediately after another. It indicates a very short or almost simultaneous time lapse between two actions. When we use "no sooner," it often implies that the second action happens almost immediately after the first, emphasizing the quick sequence of events.

For example:

• No sooner had I closed the door than it started to rain. (The rain started immediately after I closed the door.)

• No sooner did the bell ring than the students rushed out of the classroom. (The students rushed out right after the bell rang.)

It's a way of showing a tight connection in time between two events.

How to do it in examinations?

In the examination question paper there will be two sentences under lined and numbered. Below the passage against the number asks you to rewrite using ‘No sooner … than …’

Pick the two sentences from the question for example here are two sentences.

The alarm clock rang. She got out of bed.

Just think a little to find out the sequence of the actions from the two which action was earlier and which one was later.

Now begin with “No sooner had + sub + past participle of the first action + other details + than + sentence of the later action in simple past”

Remove the full stop of the sentence and add the sentence of the later action in simple present (usually in simple past in the question itself too) and end with full stop.

Answer: No sooner had the alarm clock rung than she got out of bed.

Exercise 1: Combine the sentences using 'No sooner... than.'

1. The rain stopped. The children ran outside to play.
2. Raj finished his dinner. He felt sleepy.
3. The movie started. I bought some popcorn.
4. Tina opened the door. The guests arrived.
5. The teacher entered the class. The students greeted her.
6. The bell rang. The students hurried to their classrooms.
7. The sun set. The moon appeared in the sky.
8. She finished her exam. She checked her answers.
9. The dog heard a noise. It barked loudly.
10. The race began. The runners sprinted forward.
11. The doorbell rang. I opened the door to find a package.
12. The train arrived at the station. Passengers hurried to board.
13. He found his lost keys. He had been searching for them all morning.
14. The baby woke up. The mother prepared a bottle.
15. The music started. Everyone began to dance.
16. The chef cooked a delicious meal. The customers praised him.
17. The car stopped. The driver realized it was out of gas.
18. She finished reading the book. She shared her thoughts with her friend.
19. The sun rose. The birds started singing.
20. The phone rang. I picked it up to hear a friend's voice.