Dear alicevideira:
�Can we use "no sooner" without "than"? Is it grammatically correct? �
I cannot think of a suitable example where �than � is NOT used.
Randolph Quirk, in "A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language", page 999.
"Correlative Subordinators = [ �pairs of linking words �]"
�no sooner ... than ... �
�no sooner ... when ... � (informal)
So, according to Quirk, �No sooner ... when ... � can be used INFORMALLY.
But, I don �t ever recall hearing it used like this!
Page 1001
�no sooner ... than �
�barely/hardly/scarcely ... when/before �
"There is a traditional objection to the use of when as correlative with no sooner and to the use of than as correlative with the three negative adverbs."
In other words:
�No sooner ... than ... � = OK
�No sooner ... when ... � NOT OK.
�Barely ... when ... � = OK.
�Hardly ... when ... � = OK.
�Scarcely ... when ... � = OK.
�Barely ... before ... � = OK.
�Hardly ... before ... � = OK.
�Scarcely ... before ... � = OK.
�Barely ... than ... � = NOT OK.
�Hardly ... than ... � = NOT OK.
�Scarcely ... than ... � = NOT OK.
Page 1005:
"There is a stereotyped construction:"
"No sooner said than done!" OK
"It was no sooner said than done!" OK
I hope that I have helped you.
Les Douglas
