English for Today by Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose (Dr GAB)
COLLOCATIONS
~No sooner had I left the party when~ my friends arrived (nonstandard).
*No sooner had I left the party than* my friends arrived (standard).
If you say that no sooner has one thing happened than another thing happens, you mean that the second thing happens immediately after the first thing.
~He is not only a lecturer, he is a content creator~ (nonstandard).
*He is not only a lecturer but also a content creator* (standard).
“Not only” collocates with “but also”.
~Scarcely had the fight started before~ my boyfriend ran away (nonstandard).
*Scarcely had the fight started when* my boyfriend ran away (standard).
“Scarcely” collocates with “when”. “Hardly” also collocates with “when”.
GAB
No comment