"scarcely had" vs "scarcely did"

Question

"scarcely had" vs "scarcely did"

Both "scarcely did" and "scarcely had" are correct constructions, but they are used in different contexts. "Scarcely did" is used to emphasize the action that follows, while "scarcely had" is used to emphasize the timing of the action in relation to another event.

Last Updated: March 21, 2024

Use "scarcely had" to emphasize the timing of the action in relation to another event. It is often used in past perfect constructions.

Examples:

Scarcely had she finished her meal when the phone rang.
Scarcely had he arrived when the meeting started.
Scarcely had I begun my work when the power went out.

Alternatives:

hardly had
barely had
rarely had
seldom had
almost never had

Use "scarcely did" to emphasize the action that follows. It is often used in literary or formal writing.

Examples:

Scarcely did she finish her meal when the phone rang.
Scarccey did he arrive when the meeting started.
Scarcely did I begin my work when the power went out.

Alternatives:

hardly did
barely did
rarely did
seldom did
almost never did

Answer 1

scarcely had

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to emphasize the timing of the action in relation to another event.

Answer 2

scarcely did

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to emphasize the action that follows.

"scarcely had" vs "scarcely did"

scarcely had

scarcely did

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