soon(er)
1.soon是“不久以后”，不是“立刻”，如不该说When she heard the knock, she opened the door soon。该把soon改作immediately，instantly或at once。
2.下面每组里的两句意思相同：
- She opened the door as soon as she heard the knock.
She had no sooner heard the knock than she opened the door. - She opened the door as soon as I knocked.
No sooner had I knocked than she opened the door.
注意：（1）as soon as比no sooner...than普通。（2）as soon as引导的是从属分句，no sooner却用在主句里。（3）用了no sooner通常用过去完成时态。（4）第二组第二句里No sooner用在句首，所以用had I而不用I had。
3.as soon as所引导的从句里不可用进行时态，如不可说She opened the door as soon as I was knocking或I shall let you know as soon as he is arriving，该把was knocking改作knocked，把is arriving改作arrives。
4.no sooner...than几乎不用在现在时态或将来时态，如最好不说：
- As a rule, she no sooner hears a knock than she opens the door.
- She will no sooner hear a knock than she opens the door.
可以改作：
- As a rule, she opens the door as soon as she hears a knock.
- She will open the door as soon as she hears a knock.
我见过下面两句，都是含有“偏偏这样”的意思的：
- No sooner do I get a good charwoman than she falls ill.
- It's a most extraordinary thing, but no sooner do I begin to do well in anything, than something happens to throw me down and I have to start all over again.
5.下面两句里的am和are不可改作shall be和will be：
- I will write again as soon as I am free.
- Come and see us as soon as you are in this neighbourhood.
6.so soon as比as soon as语气重些，但很不普通。
7.注意下面各句的意思：
- He would as soon kill himself as betray his country. （直译：1.他愿自杀，跟愿卖国一样。2.他不愿卖国，正如他的不愿自杀，他极不愿卖国。）
- She could as soon fly through a mountain as drive a car. （直译：1.她能够穿山而飞，如能够驾驶汽车一样。2.她不会驾驶汽车，正如她不能穿山而飞。3.她决不会驾驶汽车。）
- You might as soon expect help from a stone as from him. （直译：1.你可以希望一块石头帮助你，跟你可以希望他帮助你一样。2.你不可以希望他帮助你，正如你不可希望一块石头帮助你。3.你决不可希望他帮助你，他决不会帮助你。）
