Standard English ConventionsHardParallel structure with correlative conjunctions
Standard English Conventions practice question
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English? The grant will fund the project not only in its first year ____ throughout its entire five-year span.
- A. but alsoCorrect
- B. but
- C. and also
- D. as well as
Answer: A. but also
The correlative conjunction 'not only' must be paired with 'but also' to keep the two parallel phrases balanced. 'But' alone (B) drops the required 'also', and 'and also' (C) breaks the fixed correlative pair.
Why the other answers are wrong
- B. but
- 'Not only' requires the full partner 'but also' — dropping 'also' leaves the correlative pair incomplete and unbalances the two parallel phrases.
- C. and also
- 'Not only' pairs with 'but also,' not 'and also'; the correlative pair is fixed and can't be swapped.
- D. as well as
- 'As well as' is not the partner for 'not only' — this correlative construction requires 'but also' to complete it.
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