① scarcely指数量,强调数量不足。rarely表示“很少”,相当于very seldom,是频率副词。hardly指程度,强调困难极大。另外,scarcely不是频率副词,与rarely性质不同,必须加ever才可作频率副词使用。scarcely ever意为“几乎从未”,相当于hardly ever。
She could hardly walk any farther. 她几乎走不动了。
He spoke scarcely a word of English. 他几乎一句英语都不会说。
He scarcely comes to see me.
He scarcely/hardly ever comes to see me.
他几乎不来看我。
He rarely/seldom comes to see me. 他很少来看我。
② scarcely和hardly与before或when连用,结构为:主语+had scarcely/hardly+过去分词+before/when从句,表示“一……就”。
我一完工他就来了。
I had scarcely/hardly finished my work when he came.
提示
scarcely,hardly,no sooner位于句首时,要用倒装结构。
Scarcely/Hardly had we arrived before we had to go back. 我们刚一到就又得赶回来。