The phrase “No sooner…than” is a correlative conjunction used to show that one action happens immediately after another.

Structure:
👉 No sooner + auxiliary + subject + verb + … + than + clause

It is normally used in past or perfect tenses, but I’ll prepare 10 examples for each tense so you can clearly see its application and limits.

1. Present Indefinite (Simple Present)

No sooner do/does + subject + verb than + clause

1. No sooner does the bell ring than the students rush out.
2. No sooner do I sit to study than someone knocks on the door.
3. No sooner does she open her mouth than the children laugh.
4. No sooner does the baby cry than the mother picks him up.
5. No sooner do the clouds gather than it starts raining.
6. No sooner does the dog see a stranger than it barks.
7. No sooner do we finish eating than we feel sleepy.
8. No sooner does he reach home than the phone rings.
9. No sooner do they meet than they start quarrelling.
10. No sooner does the sun set than the lights come on.

2. Present Continuous

No sooner am/is/are + subject + verb+ing than + clause

1. No sooner am I starting my homework than the power goes out.
2. No sooner is she cooking than guests arrive.
3. No sooner are they playing than it begins to rain.
4. No sooner is he speaking than everyone interrupts.
5. No sooner are we eating dinner than the bell rings.
6. No sooner is she reading a book than the baby cries.
7. No sooner are the children playing outside than it gets dark.
8. No sooner am I explaining the lesson than the bell rings.
9. No sooner are they arguing than the teacher comes.
10. No sooner is he leaving than someone calls him back.

3. Present Perfect

No sooner have/has + subject + V3 than + clause

1. No sooner have I finished my work than my boss gives me more.
2. No sooner has she reached the station than the train leaves.
3. No sooner have we entered the hall than the lights go off.
4. No sooner has he completed his studies than he gets a job.
5. No sooner has the teacher asked a question than the students answer.
6. No sooner have they opened the gate than the dog runs out.
7. No sooner has he woken up than he checks his phone.
8. No sooner have we sat down than food is served.
9. No sooner has the meeting started than a dispute arises.
10. No sooner have I logged in than the system crashes.

4. Present Perfect Continuous

No sooner have/has + subject + been + verb+ing than + clause

1. No sooner have I been working than my phone rings.
2. No sooner has she been cooking than guests arrive.
3. No sooner have they been studying than their friends call them.
4. No sooner has he been speaking than people interrupt him.
5. No sooner have we been walking than it starts raining.
6. No sooner has she been teaching than the bell rings.
7. No sooner have they been playing than darkness falls.
8. No sooner has he been driving than the car breaks down.
9. No sooner have I been writing than my pen stops working.
10. No sooner has the baby been sleeping than noise wakes him up.

5. Past Indefinite (Simple Past)

No sooner did + subject + verb than + clause

1. No sooner did I reach the station than the train left.
2. No sooner did she see me than she smiled.
3. No sooner did we enter the room than the lights went off.
4. No sooner did he sit down than the phone rang.
5. No sooner did the teacher arrive than the students stood up.
6. No sooner did the rain stop than the children went out.
7. No sooner did the show begin than the power failed.
8. No sooner did he open the letter than he tore it.
9. No sooner did the exam end than the students shouted with joy.
10. No sooner did I switch on the TV than the electricity went off.

6. Past Continuous

No sooner was/were + subject + verb+ing than + clause

1. No sooner was I reading than the phone rang.
2. No sooner was she cooking than the guests came.
3. No sooner were they playing than it started raining.
4. No sooner was he speaking than the teacher interrupted.
5. No sooner were we eating than the bell rang.
6. No sooner was I walking than I stumbled.
7. No sooner was the child sleeping than the dog barked.
8. No sooner were they laughing than the principal entered.
9. No sooner was he leaving than someone stopped him.
10. No sooner were we discussing than the lights went out.

7. Past Perfect

No sooner had + subject + V3 than + clause

1. No sooner had I reached home than it started raining.
2. No sooner had she finished cooking than guests arrived.
3. No sooner had we sat down than the bell rang.
4. No sooner had he completed his studies than he got a job.
5. No sooner had the teacher asked a question than the student replied.
6. No sooner had the meeting begun than the phone rang.
7. No sooner had the baby slept than he woke up again.
8. No sooner had I written the letter than I tore it.
9. No sooner had the match started than it rained.
10. No sooner had we finished eating than we felt sleepy.

8. Past Perfect Continuous

No sooner had + subject + been + verb+ing than + clause

1. No sooner had I been working than the lights went out.
2. No sooner had she been cooking than guests arrived.
3. No sooner had they been studying than the teacher entered.
4. No sooner had he been driving than the car broke down.
5. No sooner had we been talking than someone interrupted.
6. No sooner had I been reading than the bell rang.
7. No sooner had she been crying than her friend hugged her.
8. No sooner had the children been playing than it grew dark.
9. No sooner had he been singing than the lights went off.
10. No sooner had they been waiting than the train arrived.

9. Future Indefinite (Simple Future)

No sooner will + subject + verb than + clause

1. No sooner will I reach home than I will call you.
2. No sooner will she finish her work than she will go out.
3. No sooner will they arrive than the meeting will start.
4. No sooner will he open the box than he will shout.
5. No sooner will we sit down than the food will be served.
6. No sooner will the bell ring than the students will rush out.
7. No sooner will I tell the truth than he will get angry.
8. No sooner will she see me than she will smile.
9. No sooner will they hear the news than they will celebrate.
10. No sooner will the rain stop than children will play outside.

10. Future Continuous

No sooner will + subject + be + verb+ing than + clause

1. No sooner will I be reading than someone will disturb me.
2. No sooner will she be cooking than guests will arrive.
3. No sooner will they be playing than it will start raining.
4. No sooner will he be speaking than the phone will ring.
5. No sooner will we be walking than the storm will begin.
6. No sooner will the teacher be teaching than the bell will ring.
7. No sooner will I be sleeping than the alarm will go off.
8. No sooner will she be singing than everyone will clap.
9. No sooner will they be laughing than the principal will arrive.
10. No sooner will he be leaving than someone will call him back.

11. Future Perfect

No sooner will + subject + have + V3 than + clause

1. No sooner will I have reached home than the rain will start.
2. No sooner will she have cooked than guests will arrive.
3. No sooner will they have completed the project than they will get another.
4. No sooner will he have read the letter than he will tear it.
5. No sooner will we have sat down than the food will be served.
6. No sooner will the teacher have asked than students will reply.
7. No sooner will the bell have rung than students will rush out.
8. No sooner will I have logged in than the system will crash.
9. No sooner will they have heard the news than they will celebrate.
10. No sooner will the meeting have started than the manager will leave.

12. Future Perfect Continuous

No sooner will + subject + have been + verb+ing than + clause

(Very rare but grammatically possible)

1. No sooner will I have been working than the power will go out.
2. No sooner will she have been cooking than guests will arrive.
3. No sooner will they have been studying than the bell will ring.
4. No sooner will he have been speaking than someone will interrupt.
5. No sooner will we have been waiting than the train will come.
6. No sooner will she have been singing than everyone will clap.
7. No sooner will the baby have been sleeping than he will wake up.
8. No sooner will I have been walking than the rain will start.
9. No sooner will they have been laughing than the teacher will enter.
10. No sooner will he have been driving than the car will stop.

Summary Table- No Sooner…Than in All Tenses

Notice:

• Past Perfect and Past Indefinite are the most natural/common forms.
• Other tenses are grammatically possible but less used in real life.