Introduction / Context:
This item targets the correlative pair used with “scarcely” or “hardly”. The idiomatic construction is “Scarcely/Hardly … when …”, not “than”. Parallel correlative accuracy is a common test point in competitive exams.
Given Data / Assumptions:
- Inverted past perfect clause: “Scarcely had I finished …”.
- Consequence clause incorrectly introduced by “than”.
- Meaning: one action immediately followed another.
Concept / Approach:
- Correct pairs: “No sooner … than …” and “Scarcely/Hardly … when …”.
- Mixing the pairs (e.g., “Scarcely … than …”) is incorrect.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Identify the trigger adverb: “Scarcely”.Choose the correct connector: “when”.Correct sentence: “Scarcely had I finished washing the car when the master came and asked me to clean the floor of the house.”
Verification / Alternative check:
Using the other pair: “No sooner had I finished … than the master came …” also works but requires “no sooner … than …”.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
A and B are correct components of the inverted clause.D is fine.E is wrong because an error exists in C.
Common Pitfalls:
Confusing “scarcely … when” with “no sooner … than”; forgetting inversion with past perfect after these negative adverbs.
Final Answer:
than the master came
Discussion & Comments