Select the most appropriate option to improve the bold part of the sentence.
Hardly he had reached the station when the train left.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
When a sentence begins with a negative or restrictive adverb like 'Hardly,' 'Scarcely,' or 'No sooner,' the sentence structure must follow the rule of inversion. This means the auxiliary verb (in this case, 'had') must come before the subject ('he').
Incorrect Structure: Hardly he had reached... (Subject before auxiliary)
Correct Structure: Hardly had he reached... (Auxiliary before subject)
The correct option to improve the bold part of the sentence is Hardly had he reached.