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Question

Difficulty: EasyConjunctions and Clause Structure

In the sentence, 'No sooner had the guest speaker arrived at the auditorium ______ the applause erupted,' which conjunction properly completes the correlative clause structure?

  1. thanAnswer
  2. B
    when
  3. C
    then
  4. D
    before

Answer

The conjunction 'than' is the grammatically correct completion for the correlative structure introduced by 'No sooner'.
In standard English grammar, negative correlative expressions following comparative forms ('No sooner') must be completed by the subordinating conjunction 'than' to join the main clause and dependent clause correctly.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the introductory correlative structure in the main clause.
The sentence begins with the inverted negative adverbial phrase 'No sooner had'.
Recognizing the head of a correlative pair determines the required matching conjunction.
2
Apply the standard rule for correlative conjunction pairings in English grammar.
'No sooner' requires 'than' to introduce the secondary clause.
Expressions starting with comparative forms like 'sooner' logically take 'than', whereas expressions like 'hardly' or 'scarcely' pair with 'when'.

Key Concept

Correlative Conjunctions and Negative Inversion
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Conjunctions and Clause Structure

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