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Gulliano Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
Why is using "had" incorrect?
No sooner had I said the words, I knew that my tongue had betrayed me. ---- book says this is incorrect
The revised sentence
No sooner than I said the words, I knew that my tongue had betrayed me.
The revised sentence
No sooner than I said the words, I knew that my tongue had betrayed me.
Top answer
Hi, This is a common and rather idiomatic structure. ''Than ' is needed to show there is a kind of 'temporal comparison' between the two events in the sentence. No sooner had I said the words, I knew that my tongue had betrayed me.
- Hi, This is a common and rather idiomatic structure.
- ''Than ' is needed to show there is a kind of 'temporal comparison' between the two events in the sentence.
- No sooner had I said the words, I knew that my tongue had betrayed me.
- ---- book says this is incorrect Yes, it's incorrect.
- The usual way to say this is No sooner had I said the words, than I knew that my tongue had betrayed me.
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3 Answers
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Hi,
This is a common and rather idiomatic structure. ''Than ' is needed to show there is a kind of 'temporal comparison' between the two events in the sentence.
No sooner had I said the words, I knew that my tongue had betrayed me. ---- book says this is incorrect
Ye
This is a common and rather idiomatic structure. ''Than ' is needed to show there is a kind of 'temporal comparison' between the two events in the sentence.
No sooner had I said the words, I knew that my tongue had betrayed me. ---- book says this is incorrect
Ye
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I'm sorry.I didn't get your explanation. "Temporal comparison" - What does this mean?
And thanks a lot for your time.
And thanks a lot for your time.
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Hi,
I just meant that it's a way of comparing the times that two different events happened.
eg No sooner had Tom sat down than the phone rang.
This means Tom sat down and afterwards, but almost at the same time, the phone rang.
I just meant that it's a way of comparing the times that two different events happened.
eg No sooner had Tom sat down than the phone rang.
This means Tom sat down and afterwards, but almost at the same time, the phone rang.
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