No sooner ...than

[nq:1]I have forgotten the proper use of this phrase. Can someone show me an example?[/nq]
No sooner had you posted your inquiry than I posted a reply.

(In actuality, of course, there's a small gap between inquiry and reply. Rhetorical license.)

[nq:2]I have forgotten the proper use of this phrase. Can someone show me an example?[/nq]
[nq:1]No sooner had you posted your inquiry than I posted a reply. (In actuality, of course, there's a small gap between inquiry and reply. Rhetorical license.)[/nq]
Thank you for the quick reply.
What does this phrase literally mean?

[nq:2]No sooner had you posted your inquiry than I posted ... there's a small gap between inquiry and reply. Rhetorical license.)[/nq]
[nq:1]Thank you for the quick reply. What does this phrase literally mean?[/nq]
I'm not sure what you mean by "literally." If you try to analyze it word-by-word, it makes very little sense. It's a classic example of an English idiom.
What the idiom mean

[nq:1]I have forgotten the proper use of this phrase. Can someone show me an example?[/nq]
I'm not sure what "proper" use is, but this is the common use:

No sooner than I had thrown out all of my old dress shirts, my wife decided the living room needed painting and I had to buy a work shirt to paint in.
It's used to indicate that something has happened or was needed shortly after

[nq:2]I have forgotten the proper use of this phrase. Can someone show me an example?[/nq]
[nq:1]No sooner had you posted your inquiry than I posted a reply. (In actuality, of course, there's a small gap between inquiry and reply. Rhetorical license.)[/nq]
That, to me, isn't a good example. There is usually an element of (American) irony involved when the phrase is used. For example,

[nq:2]No sooner had you posted your inquiry than I posted ... there's a small gap between inquiry and reply. Rhetorical license.)[/nq]
[nq:1]That, to me, isn't a good example. There is usually an element of (American) irony involved when the phrase is used. For example, No sooner than I had posted the question, I came across an article explaining how the phrase is used.[/nq]
As in "No soon

[nq:2]That, to me, isn't a good example. There is usually ... came across an article explaining how the phrase is used.[/nq]
[nq:1]As in "No sooner said than done"?[/nq]
That's a different saying. It has a wholly different application.
[nq:1]And by the way, it's a complete sentence, not a phrase.[/nq]
He asked about a phrase. The phrase is in the subject line, and it's not a senten

[nq:2]I have forgotten the proper use of this phrase. Can someone show me an example?[/nq]
[nq:1]I'm not sure what "proper" use is, but this is the common use: No sooner than I had thrown out ... indicate that something has happened or was needed shortly after an action was taken that turned out to be premature.[/nq]
Tony, please allow me the pleasure of venturing into re-phrasing your sen

[nq:1]I have forgotten the proper use of this phrase. Can someone show me an example? Thanks[/nq]
No sooner had I made the last payment on the house than the garage collaped, the septic tank exploded, and an electric fire started in the basement. I agree that there is usually a small time delay, but I think Bob's example relies both on the time delay and on exaggeration, since posting must be

[nq:2]I'm not sure what "proper" use is, but this is ... an action was taken that turned out to be premature.[/nq]
[nq:1]Tony, please allow me the pleasure of venturing into re-phrasing your sentence above from the point of view of a ... or was needed shortly after an action that had been taken turned out to be premature." What do you think?[/nq]
In Tony's last example, his actions were pr