【问】 《英语分类句型》(P.408)中有一个例句：

Hardly had he received the telegram than he started off at once.

他刚一接到电报便立即动身走了。

请问这里使用hardly...than是正确的吗?

【答】 我想用CGEL中的一段话来回答这个问题：

“There is traditional objection to the use of when as correlative with no sooner and to the useof than as correlative with the three negative adverbs. (CGEL)”

“在传统上，人们反对将when与no sooner连用，也反对将than同barely，hardly，scarcely这三个否定副词连用。”