No sooner than / No earlier than

[7M4SBQ]

Hello, everyone. When two actions are held in almost the same time, we usually use the phrase "as soon as", like #1. We can also use "no sooner~than" in such a case, like #2. Can we use "earlier" instead of "sooner"?

#1 The phone rang as soon as I sat down on the sofa.
#2 No sooner had I sat down on the sofa than the phone rang.
#3 No earlier had I sat down on the sofa than the phone rang.

Thank you.

 

[PaulQ]

Can we use "earlier" instead of "sooner"?

No.

When two actions are held in almost the same time, we usually use the phrase "as soon as", like #1.

This is wrong. We use "as soon as" in the sense of "immediately after".

 

[The Newt]

"No sooner + had/did" should be seen as a fixed idiom. Off the top of my head I can't think of any word that could replace "sooner" and be used in the same way.