using "did not" in "not ....but" idiom

[vickychaudharycat]

Hi,
I came across a question with "not....but" idiom.

Scientists argued that organisms sprang to life not through a recognizable reproductive process but independently from non living matter.

Bold part shows the correct choice, however, I did not find it parallel. Can someone explain how not through is parallel to but independently?

Even when we consider ellipsis, not through is not parallel to but through independently.

Therefore, i chose "Scientists argued that organisms did not spring to life through a recognizable reproductive process but came to life independently from non living matter.", which is incorrect. Can you also explain why this is not a preferable choice? Can we use "did not + verb" instead of "verb_ED + not " in a "not....but" idiom?

[Willy]

Hi,
I came across a question with "not....but" idiom.

Scientists argued that organisms sprang to life not through a recognizable reproductive process but independently from non living matter.

Bold part shows the correct choice, however, I did not find it parallel. Can someone explain how not through is parallel to but independently?

Even when we consider ellipsis, not through is not parallel to but through independently.

Therefore, i chose "Scientists argued that organisms did not spring to life through a recognizable reproductive process but came to life independently from non living matter.", which is incorrect. Can you also explain why this is not a preferable choice? Can we use "did not + verb" instead of "verb_ED + not " in a "not....but" idiom?

I don't think there is any ellipsis.

The idiom used here is NOT X BUT Y

through is a Adverb as is the independently
so X and Y are parallel.

when we are using "Did" in sentence, i think in second part it is implied i.e.

"Scientists argued that organisms did not spring to life through a recognizable reproductive process but DID came to life independently from non living matter."

but the use of CAME is wrong here. I think, I am making some sense?

[rakesh.id]

through is a Adverb as is the independently
so X and Y are parallel.

IMO, "through" is a preposition here, not adverb - and so is "from" in the other clause.

"NOT through a recognizable reproductive process" is parallel with "BUT independently from non living matter."

[Willy]

through is a Adverb as is the independently
so X and Y are parallel.

IMO, "through" is a preposition here, not adverb - and so is "from" in the other clause.

"NOT through a recognizable reproductive process" is parallel with "BUT independently from non living matter."

I think, you caught it right. Thanks!

[RonPurewal]

well, no, you can't ignore "independently".

what you need to realize here is that parallel structures don't have to look exactly like each other -- they just have to play the same role in the sentence, in terms of both grammar and meaning.

here, you have:
1/
(not) through xxxxx
2/
independently of xxxx

both of these play the same role: they both describe the verb "sprang (to life)". if you like grammar terms, they are both "adverbial" -- they both play the role of adverbs describing that verb.
one of them is literally an adverb ("independently"); the other is a prepositional phrase that acts as an adverb. that distinction isn't relevant; what matters is that both of them play the same role.

for another example of this sort of thing, check out #50 in the DIAGNOSTIC section (not the normal SC section) of og11, og12, or og13.
in that problem, you have "just as frequently" and "in the same way as..." doing the same thing that these two things are doing here.

[Willy]

well, no, you can't ignore "independently".

what you need to realize here is that parallel structures don't have to look exactly like each other -- they just have to play the same role in the sentence, in terms of both grammar and meaning.

here, you have:
1/
(not) through xxxxx
2/
independently of xxxx

both of these play the same role: they both describe the verb "sprang (to life)". if you like grammar terms, they are both "adverbial" -- they both play the role of adverbs describing that verb.
one of them is literally an adverb ("independently"); the other is a prepositional phrase that acts as an adverb. that distinction isn't relevant; what matters is that both of them play the same role.

for another example of this sort of thing, check out #50 in the DIAGNOSTIC section (not the normal SC section) of og11, og12, or og13.
in that problem, you have "just as frequently" and "in the same way as..." doing the same thing that these two things are doing here.

Ahh.., I was right when I noticed halfheartedly that "Through" is acting as an adverb. Thank you Ron for clearing my doubts. You rock!

[vickychaudharycat]

well, no, you can't ignore "independently".

what you need to realize here is that parallel structures don't have to look exactly like each other -- they just have to play the same role in the sentence, in terms of both grammar and meaning.

here, you have:
1/
(not) through xxxxx
2/
independently of xxxx

both of these play the same role: they both describe the verb "sprang (to life)". if you like grammar terms, they are both "adverbial" -- they both play the role of adverbs describing that verb.
one of them is literally an adverb ("independently"); the other is a prepositional phrase that acts as an adverb. that distinction isn't relevant; what matters is that both of them play the same role.

for another example of this sort of thing, check out #50 in the DIAGNOSTIC section (not the normal SC section) of og11, og12, or og13.
in that problem, you have "just as frequently" and "in the same way as..." doing the same thing that these two things are doing here.

Ron, you are the best instructor I've ever found. A big thanks for the detailed explanation.

[jlucero]

He's pretty great!