as soon as/no sooner ... than

（1）as soon as 与 no sooner ... than 所表达的意思是相同的，都表示它所指的动作发生在另一分句所指的动作之前，并且都可译作“刚……就”。但是 no sooner ... than 常常含有惊奇的意思。

1. He had no sooner reached the door than he came back. (Dreiser) 他刚到门口就返回来了。

2. We had no sooner set out than a thunderstorm broke. (Wood) 我们刚出发,就发生了雷雨。

3. The plane had no sooner taken off than it returned. (NCE) 飞机刚起飞, 就返回来了。

(2)从结构上看, as soon as 引出的是(时间状语)从句, 而 no sooner ... 引出的则是主句, than 引出的是从句。另外, 当 no sooner 位于句首时, 其中的主语和谓语必须实行部分倒装:

1. No sooner had he gone to sleep than the telephone rang once more. (Millington) 他刚睡着,电话铃就又响了。

2. No sooner had the meeting started than there was an uproar. (CGEL) 会议刚一开始, 就发生了喧嚷。

3. “Did John see the accident?” “No, no sooner had he gone than the accident happened.” (Michigan) “约翰看到事故了吗?” “没有，他刚走，事故就发生了。”

as soon as 与 no sooner ... than 还有一个区别: as soon as 可以与动词的一般现在时, 一般过去时或过去完成时连用(主句可与动词现在时、过去时、将来时连用), 而 no sooner ... 则通常与过去完成时连用(than 从句通常与一般过去时连用):

1. “When can the doctor see me?” “As soon as ____.” A. he will be back from the hospital B. he can be back from the hospital C. he back from the hospital D. he gets back from the hospital (TOEFL)

2. As soon as I got home my brother went out. (JED) 我刚一到家,我哥哥就出去了。

3. As soon as he had got into the car, I said good morning to him in French and he replied in the same language. (NCE, Book 2, L. 14) 他一上了车，我就用法语向他道声早安，他也用法语作了回答。

4. As soon as he had done it, he knew it was a mistake. (Chambers) 他刚一做完这件事，就知道了这是错误的。

5. No sooner had he arrived than he began to complain. (MED) 他刚一到达就开始抱怨。

最后, as soon as 引出的从句可以放在主句之后, 而主句 no sooner 却不能放在 than 分句之后:

He started as soon as he received the news. (OSD) 他一得到消息就出发了。

1. ____ a baby turtle is hatched, it must be able to fend for itself. A. Not sooner than B. No sooner C. So soon that D. As soon as (TOEFL)

2. ____ to speak when the audience interrupted him. A. Hardly had he begun B. No sooner had he begun C. Not until he began D. Scarcely did he begin(全国研考,91-18)