Barely ... than?

[tung quoc]

Dear teachers,
Please choose the correct answers:

1. I had barely started speaking when he interruped me.
2. I had barely started speaking, when he interruped me.
3. Barely had I started speaking when he interruped me.
4.Barely had I started speaking, when he interruped me.
5.Barely had I started speaking before he interruped me.
6.Barely had I started speaking, before he interruped me.

Thanks
Quoc

[Pamela]

I had barely started speaking when he interrupted me.(is correct)

[Yankee]

.
I agree with Pamela about the spelling of "interrupted" and the commas. Commas are completely unnecessary in your sentences.

Just out of curiosity, why did you write than in the title of your thread?
.
_________________
Amy
.
ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English

[Van Khanh]

Hi Tung Quoc,

I'm now in the Internet room to write to you. Are you the student of the Can tho University?And is it you that is the first author of these questions?

You know, I sometimes on Can tho University forum. I found your questions and brought them to this forum.

You can find your other questions with the best responses here. I don't sure if they're all yours but you know, I brought some of the questions on Can Tho University forum with no answers to this forum. (the reason that I have many time to write them, I brought them to here in the hope of I can learn sth).

So, you can contact me at 0903833456 if you'd like. Or you can chat with me on Can tho University forum only about 12 pm to 13 pm.

This forum (english-net) is very great. You can ask anything in English and you'll have the answers in every detail. In my opinion, if you have any questions in English, please post them here and not in Can Tho University forum, where you can only have the good questions but not the good answers.

These days, I'm a little busy. So, I'll return on this forum in some weeks and that is also the same with Cantho University forum. So, please contact me (if you'd like )by phone.

Van Khanh

P.S:
1/Sight and view can be used when you say whether you can see sth.

Ex: Nobody is in my sight/view.

Sight=scene=view:sth that you can see.

Ex: Sunset over the lake is a great sight/view/scene. (a)
This is a great rural view/scene/sight.(b)
The boats....... (your sentence) ......view/scene/sight. (c)

(I prefer sight in these (a), (c); scene in (b)(it's my habit, I can't explain) but 3 words are possible in my opinion).

View: the whole area you can see from sth.

Ex:I have a beautiful view of the city from this palace.

Always: A change of scene.

2/Barely,hardly, scarcely... +when/before =No sooner than = as soon as = immediately.

3/ "shave" is rarely used.
4/ Pay/Buy on/with/buy credit. (d)
Pay by/in/with cash or pay cash. (e)
The remainder of your phrases with "pay", I am not sure if it's correct but I am sure that (d), (e) are correct because I used them when working.
5/ You...replied...that.....were...(in my opinion).
...

I have to go.
Take it easy.
Bye
Khanh

[tung quoc]

Dear teachers,

These 2 sentences are correct?

1. I had barely started speaking than he interrupted me.
4.Barely had I started speaking than he interrupted me.

Best regards
Tung Quoc

PS:

Dear Van Khanh,

I called you this evening but your secretary told me you had 3 phone numbers and you had just gone to Canada.
I am student in the Can Tho University. I'm in the last year. I'm now doing the stages in HCM-city.

Tung Quoc

[tung quoc]

Dear Pamela,

I don't understand.
Barely had I started speaking before he interrupted me.

Is it correct if I use "before"?

Best regards
Tung Quoc

[Yankee]

Hi Tung Quoc

It is correct to use before.
It is not correct to use than in your sentence.

You can use barely and than in the same sentence this way, for example:
"This new medication is barely better than the old one."

Amy
_________________
Amy
.
ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English

[Pamela]

Hi,Tung Quoc,
Yes, you can use before but it sounds a bit odd to me that's why I wrote that I didn't like it at all

[Yankee]

Hi Pamela + Quoc

Using before really isn't unusual in sentences such as these.

But, now that I've thought about than a little longer, I should probably change my response about using than:

You could also use than, but this usage isn't accepted by everyone. So, using when or before is generally "safer".

Amy
_________________
Amy
.
ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English