Not only..but also modifications

[GeorgeG453]

I've seen now twice in SC problems where the "not only...but also" rule has not been followed. In these cases, answer choices such as "but...not only" and "not only...can also" have been acceptable and chosen as correct. Is there a way of knowing when its ok to break the rule and when its not?

[Sage Pearce-Higgins]

It's hard for me to comment without seeing the problems involved (please feel free to post the problem numbers, just not the text, here). I would encourage you to use the meaning of the sentence to see when a structure is correct. Not only X, but also Y is used to show two reasons, factors, etc. that point in the same direction. This is often a test as to whether we the structure is appropriate or not.

[GeorgeG453]

Sure! In problem 800 from the Official guide is the example of the "not only...can also" and in problem 766 is the "not just...but also" example.

[Sage Pearce-Higgins]

Thanks for letting me know that. Looking at that problem - SC 800 from OG 2019 - I can see that it's not a simple choice between the constructions 'not only ... but also ...' and 'not only ... can also ...'. In fact, looking for such rules suggests that you may be oversimplifying the task of solving SC problems.

The answer choices (D and E) that have 'not only ... but also ... ' are not parallel. If you're not sure what that means, then become familiar with the SC strategy guide chapter that deals with that. Specifically, I suggest that you get really good at identifying parallel markers, parallel elements, and the root phrase in parallel constructions. This is a knock-out blow to answers D and E.

I would describe the correct answer in this problem as being a 'not only ... but also ...' construction that's simply missed out the 'but'. In this context, the sentence makes perfect sense without it. Remember that language is an imperfect system, with many compromises and imperfections. Adjusting a sentence to fit a particular situation in this way is just the kind of thing that GMAT is going to throw at you.