Identify the part of the sentence that contains an error.
Hardly / did she finish the report / when / the manager called her.
आपने शायद यह सोचाWhat you probably thought'Hardly' में 'Hard' सही लगा होगा। पर 'hard' का अर्थ मेहनत से है; इस संरचना की शुरुआत 'लगभग नहीं' वाला 'hardly' ही करता है।'Hardly' seemed to need 'Hard'. But 'hard' means with effort; 'hardly' is the word that means 'almost not' and starts this pattern.
आपने शायद यह सोचाWhat you probably thought'when' में 'than' सही लगा होगा। पर 'than' केवल 'no sooner' के साथ आता है; 'hardly' के साथ 'when' आता है।'when' seemed to need 'than'. But 'than' belongs only to 'no sooner'; 'hardly' goes with 'when'.
आपने शायद यह सोचाWhat you probably thought'the manager called her' में 'had called' सही लगा होगा। पर 'when' के बाद का clause past indefinite में रहता है, इसलिए यह सही है।'the manager called her' seemed to need 'had called'. But the clause after 'when' stays in the past indefinite, so it is correct.
Answer और ExplanationAnswer and explanation
Answer: (B) did she finish the report
Hardly … when में पहला clause past perfect लेता है, इसलिए आरंभिक शब्द Hardly के बाद had + subject + V3 आना चाहिए। Did she finish past indefinite है, जो no sooner did की संरचना है, hardly की नहीं।
Hardly + had + S + V3 + when + V2
✓
Hardly had she finished the report when the manager called her.
सरल अर्थ: रिपोर्ट पूरी करते ही उसे मैनेजर ने बुला लिया।
With hardly … when, the first clause takes the past perfect, so the opener Hardly must be followed by had + subject + V3. Did she finish uses the past indefinite, which is the pattern of no sooner did, not of hardly.
Hardly + had + S + V3 + when + V2
✓
Hardly had she finished the report when the manager called her.
बाकी Options उत्तर क्यों नहीं हैंWhy the other options are not the answer
A'Hardly' में 'Hard' सही लगा होगा। पर 'hard' का अर्थ मेहनत से है; इस संरचना की शुरुआत 'लगभग नहीं' वाला 'hardly' ही करता है।'Hardly' seemed to need 'Hard'. But 'hard' means with effort; 'hardly' is the word that means 'almost not' and starts this pattern.
C'when' में 'than' सही लगा होगा। पर 'than' केवल 'no sooner' के साथ आता है; 'hardly' के साथ 'when' आता है।'when' seemed to need 'than'. But 'than' belongs only to 'no sooner'; 'hardly' goes with 'when'.
D'the manager called her' में 'had called' सही लगा होगा। पर 'when' के बाद का clause past indefinite में रहता है, इसलिए यह सही है।'the manager called her' seemed to need 'had called'. But the clause after 'when' stays in the past indefinite, so it is correct.
Source: SSC Selection Post Phase 14 (Matric Level) · 16 Sep 2026 · Shift 3। Solution: Prashant Sir, Ramban।Source: SSC Selection Post Phase 14 (Matric Level) · 16 Sep 2026 · Shift 3. Solution by Prashant Sir, from Ramban.