I. No sooner... than, at once, soon, scarcely, hardly...

when,

Exercise

1. As soon as my Friend explained the matter, i could understand everything.

Ans: No sooner did my friend explain the matter than I could understand everything.

2. Jacob finished his speech. At once the audience stood up and applauded.

No sooner did Jacob finish his speech than the audience stood up and applauded.

3. Scarcely has he started his exercise when he felt an illness.

No sooner did he start his exercise than he felt an illness.

( as per the rule the first part of the sentence in the past perfect tense is changed into simple
past tense.

4. Hardly had my wife come home when she presented me a birthday gift.

No sooner did my wife come home than she presented me a birthday gift.

5. She read the telegram. She fainted at once.

 No sooner did she read the telegram than she fainted.

6. The thieves saw the police. They ran away at once.

 No sooner did the thieves see the police than they ran away.

7. The child started crying. His mother lifted him up at once.

No sooner did the child start crying than his mother lifted him up.

8. I went to bed. Soon I fell asleep.

No sooner did I go to bed than I fell asleep.

9. I took a dose of the medicine. Soon I started feeling better.

No sooner did I take a dose of medicine than I started feeling better.

10. He reached the bus station. The bus came at once.

No sooner did he reach the bus station than the bus came.

11. The driver saw the signal. He applied the brake at once.

 No sooner did the driver see the signal than he applied the brake.
II. No sooner .. than … or hardly/scarcely/barely …when.. is used in the meaning of As
soon as…but when the sentence starts with them, that part is used in “invention“ like
the question form and in the past perfect tense.

Examples:

1.As soon as I entered the room, I noticed her.

No sooner had I entered the room  than I noticed her.

Hardly had I entered the room when I noticed her.

2.As soon as he approached the house, the policeman stopped him.

No sooner had he approached the house than the policeman stopped him .

Hardly had he approached the house when the policeman stopped him.

Rewrite using the words in brackets:

1.As soon as he went into the bank, one of the robbers attacked him.(No sooner…than..)
No sooner had he gone into the bank than one of teh robbers attacked him.

2.She fell asleep as soon as she lay down.(Hardly..when..)

Hardly had she lain down when she fell asleep.

3.As soon as he stepped into the bathroom, the cell phone rang.(No sooner …than..)
No sooner has she stepped into the bathroom than the cell phone rang.

4.He read the reading passage first. Immediately after that he answered the questions.
(Hardly…when…)
Hardly had he read the reading passage when he answered the questions.

5.As soon as he saw her , he recognised her.(No sooner… than…)

No sooner had he seen her than he recognised her.
III. NEVER, RARELY, LITTLE, IN / UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES, ON NO
CONDITION, IN NO WAY, NOT ONLY ... BUT ALSO etc.

When never, rarely, little etc. are placed at the beginning of the sentence for rhetorical effect,
the subject and auxiliary are inverted:

Never (before) have we faced such a challenge! (We have never faced such a challenge!)

Rarely  has there been  so much speculation about the future of the company. (There has
rarely been so much speculation about the future of the company.)

Little did she understand what the conversation was about. (She didn't really understand
what the conversation was about.)

Under no circumstances are you allowed to disturb the pilots. (You are not allowed to
disturb the pilots under any circumstances.)

On no condition  will the company bear responsibility for lost property. (The company will
not bear responsibility for lost property on any condition.)

In no way am I related to the suspect. (I am in no way related to the suspect.)

Not only  did he exceed the speed limit, but he had also consumed alcohol. (He not only
exceeded the speed limit, but he had also consumed alcohol.)

Not only  were you late, but you didn't even have a good excuse. (You were not only late, but
you didn't have a good excuse either.)

'unless' in place of 'If.....not'

1. If the cart is not ready, we will go on foot.

     Unless the cart is ready, we will go on foot.
2. We will miss the train if we do not start now.
     We will miss the train unless we start now.
3. If Seema does not submit the assignment today, she will loose her marks.
     Unless Seema submits the assignment today, she will loose her marks.
4. If marketing is not in the hands of farmers' organizations, they will not get a good
realization of their efforts.
    Unless marketing is in the hands of farmers' organizations, they will not get a good
realization of their efforts.
5. If you do not water the plants, they will not grow.
      Unless you water the plants, they will not grow.
6. If you study, you will pass.
     Unless you study, you will not pass.
7. If you work hard, you will not fail.
     Unless you work hard, you will fail.

'If.....not' in place of 'unless'

1. I will join you, unless I am working on Sunday.

     I will join you if I am not working on Sunday. 
2. Rajesh normally comes on time, unless his train is late.
     Rajesh normally comes on time if his train is not late.
3. Unless we curb poverty, we will be a poor nation. 
     If we do not curb poverty, we will be a poor nation. 
4. Unless rural India becomes socially and economically free, there will be no true progress. 
      If rural India does not become socially and economically free, there will be no true
progress. 
5. Unless the plants get sunlight, they will not grow.
     If the plants do not get sunlight, they will not grow.