Rewrite the following sentences after making necessary corrections. Do not make unnecessary changes in the original sentence : (x) No sooner the bell rang than the children rushed out of their classrooms.

Correct sentence construction is fundamental to effective communication. Grammatical accuracy is particularly important in formal writing, such as that required for the UPSC Civil Services Examination. The 'no sooner...than' construction is a correlative conjunction used to indicate that one event happened immediately after another. It requires specific grammatical rules to be followed for clarity and correctness. This question assesses the candidate’s ability to apply these rules in a practical context. The original sentence is: "No sooner the bell rang than the children rushed out of their classrooms." Identifying the Error The error lies in the verb tense following 'no sooner'. The correct structure requires the past perfect tense after 'no sooner' and the simple past tense after 'than'. The original sentence uses the simple past tense ("rang") after 'no sooner', which is incorrect. Corrected Sentence The corrected sentence is: "No sooner had the bell rung than the children rushed out of their classrooms." Explanation of Correction 'No sooner...than' Structure: This construction emphasizes the immediacy of one event following another. Past Perfect Tense: The past perfect tense ('had rung') indicates that the bell ringing was completed before the children rushed out. Simple Past Tense: The simple past tense ('rushed') indicates the action that immediately followed the first event. Why other changes are unnecessary The rest of the sentence – "than the children rushed out of their classrooms" – is grammatically correct and conveys the intended meaning. Therefore, no other alterations are needed. The focus is solely on correcting the tense after 'no sooner'. Illustrative Examples No sooner had I arrived than the phone rang. No sooner did she finish her work than she left the office. These examples demonstrate the correct application of the 'no sooner...than' structure with appropriate verb tenses. In conclusion, the key to answering this question lies in recognizing the specific grammatical rule governing the 'no sooner...than' construction. By correctly applying the past perfect tense after 'no sooner' and maintaining the simple past tense after 'than', the sentence is rendered grammatically accurate while preserving its original meaning. This demonstrates a fundamental understanding of English grammar essential for effective written communication.

What is the difference between 'no sooner...than' and 'scarcely...when'?

Both constructions convey the same meaning – that one event happened immediately after another. They are largely interchangeable, though 'no sooner...than' is generally considered more formal.

Question 18 | UPSC Mains ENGLISH-COMPULSORY 2017

Model Answer

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Introduction

Correct sentence construction is fundamental to effective communication. Grammatical accuracy is particularly important in formal writing, such as that required for the UPSC Civil Services Examination. The 'no sooner...than' construction is a correlative conjunction used to indicate that one event happened immediately after another. It requires specific grammatical rules to be followed for clarity and correctness. This question assesses the candidate’s ability to apply these rules in a practical context.

The original sentence is: "No sooner the bell rang than the children rushed out of their classrooms."

Identifying the Error

The error lies in the verb tense following 'no sooner'. The correct structure requires the past perfect tense after 'no sooner' and the simple past tense after 'than'. The original sentence uses the simple past tense ("rang") after 'no sooner', which is incorrect.

Corrected Sentence

The corrected sentence is: "No sooner had the bell rung than the children rushed out of their classrooms."

Explanation of Correction

'No sooner...than' Structure: This construction emphasizes the immediacy of one event following another.
Past Perfect Tense: The past perfect tense ('had rung') indicates that the bell ringing was completed before the children rushed out.
Simple Past Tense: The simple past tense ('rushed') indicates the action that immediately followed the first event.

Why other changes are unnecessary

The rest of the sentence – "than the children rushed out of their classrooms" – is grammatically correct and conveys the intended meaning. Therefore, no other alterations are needed. The focus is solely on correcting the tense after 'no sooner'.

Illustrative Examples

No sooner had I arrived than the phone rang.
No sooner did she finish her work than she left the office.

These examples demonstrate the correct application of the 'no sooner...than' structure with appropriate verb tenses.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the key to answering this question lies in recognizing the specific grammatical rule governing the 'no sooner...than' construction. By correctly applying the past perfect tense after 'no sooner' and maintaining the simple past tense after 'than', the sentence is rendered grammatically accurate while preserving its original meaning. This demonstrates a fundamental understanding of English grammar essential for effective written communication.

Answer Length

This is a comprehensive model answer for learning purposes and may exceed the word limit. In the exam, always adhere to the prescribed word count.

Rewrite the following sentences after making necessary corrections. Do not make unnecessary changes in the original sentence : (x) No sooner the bell rang than the children rushed out of their classrooms.

Model Answer

Introduction

Identifying the Error

Corrected Sentence

Explanation of Correction

Why other changes are unnecessary

Illustrative Examples

Conclusion

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Examples

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