Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[Valja]

Dear teachers:

Could you please tell me whether the following sentences are correct?
"The guide has only just waved goodbye to one tourist coach when another arrives."
"Hardly has the guide waved goodbye to one tourist coach than another one arrives."

Thank you very much for your help.

Best wishes,
Valja
_________________
Valja

[Meadowlark]

The first is correct. The second contains several errors.

[Jintii]

What errors? Both sentences seem fine to me.

For example, I'm watching a busy parking lot. There's one harried guide who is responsible for seeing that all the tourists get on the right bus, and that the buses all leave on schedule. Bus after bus pulls into the lot, and the guide can barely keep up. Hardly has she waved goodbye to one tourist coach than another pulls in.

[KazAV]

I don't see any errors either.

[Meadowlark]

Jintii and KazAV,

Although I welcome your comments, I don't agree. In my opinion there are clearly two errors:

Hardly belongs next to waved, the verb it modifies.

Another one is redundant.

I think it's important for students to know that although there are some who say it is acceptable to use than with hardly, it is widely agreed that the word when is a better choice. I would advise changing this as well.

After these changes the sentence will read:

The guide has hardly waved goodbye to one tourist coach when another arrives.

I'm open to further discussion.

[lotus]

Hi Valja,

Perhaps no errors, but it sounds a little awkward.

Try these:

Hardly had she waved goodbye to one tourist coach, when another one would pull in.

She had hardly waved goodbye to one tourist coach, when another one pulls in.

Not shortly after she waves goodbye to one tourist coach, another coach would pull in.

Just before/after she sends one tourist coach off, another coach would pull in.

She couldn't keep up with the wave of tourist coaches coming in.


--lotus