English Grammar – Spot the error (choose the erroneous segment or ‘‘No error’’). Sentence: Hardly had I entered the compartment than I met my friend Vishwas.

Introduction / Context:
This checks the fixed correlative structure “Hardly/Scarcely … when …” and the required inversion in the first clause. The most common slip is pairing “hardly” with “than.”

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Opening structure: “Hardly had I …” (correct inversion).
• Connector used: “than” (incorrect with “hardly”).
• Intended meaning: The second action happened immediately after the first.

Concept / Approach:
Use these pairs: “No sooner … than …” and “Hardly/Scarcely … when …”. Since the sentence starts with “Hardly had I …”, the correct connector is “when,” not “than”.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Switch to the sibling correlative: “No sooner had I entered … than …”. That shows why “than” belongs with “no sooner,” not “hardly”.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• A: Proper inversion already used.
• B and D: Grammatically fine.
• E: Not valid because an error exists in C.

Common Pitfalls:
Mixing the correlative partners; forgetting the inversion after negative/limiting adverbs.

Final Answer:
than I met