The largest of all the planets, not only is Jupiter three times so mas

Important: When a sentence begins with a with noun modifier, stop at the comma and ask the question that the modifier raises

So, once we read, The largest of all the planets, we should stop and ask . . .

"What is the largest of all the planets?"

If the sentence is properly constructed, the part that immediately follows the comma will answer that question in a logical manner.

Reading on we get...

A: not only is....
No good.
ELIMINATE A

B: not only is....
No good.
ELIMINATE B

C: Jupiter
So, JUPITER is the largest of all the planets.
Makes sense.
KEEP C

D: Jupiter
Makes sense.
KEEP D

E: Jupiter
Makes sense.
KEEP E

We're left with C, D and E
Next we should recognize the correlative not only X but also Y
For this correlative, the parts that follows NOT ONLY and BUT ALSO must be parallel

Let's check the remaining answer choices....

C: Jupiter, NOT ONLY three times as massive as Saturn, the next largest planet, BUT ALSO possesses four of the largest satellites
three times as massive as Saturn is not parallel with possesses four of the largest satellites
three times as massive as Saturn is just a verb-less phrase, whereas possesses four of the largest satellites begins with the verb POSSESSES
ELIMINATE C

D: Jupiter NOT ONLY is three times as massive as Saturn, the next largest planet, BUT ALSO possesses four of the largest satellites
Here we have parallel structure
In both parts, we have the form: VERB followed by other words (IS three times as... & POSSESSES four of.....)
KEEP D for now

E: Jupiter is NOT ONLY three times so massive as Saturn, the next larger planet, BUT ALSO possesses four of the largest satellites
three times as massive as Saturn is just a verb-less phrase, whereas possesses four of the largest satellites begins with the verb POSSESSES
ELIMINATE E

By the process of elimination, the correct answer is D

Cheers,
Brent

IMO: D
A and B are out as the starting phrase should modify Jupitor.
Also there is idiom error in A(it should be 'as massive as') so E is also out.
Between C and D, there is parallelism error in C as the clause that follows 'not only' is adjective clause but the clause that follows 'but also' is verb clause.
One more error in A and E is that 'the next larger' should be 'the next largest'

Dear Friends,

Here is a detailed explanation to this question-

Meaning is crucial to solving this problem:
Understanding the intended meaning is key to solving this question; the intended meaning of this sentence is that Jupiter is the largest of all the planets, and not only is it three times as massive as Saturn, which is the next largest planet, but it also possesses four of the largest moons in our solar system.

Concepts tested here: Meaning + Modifiers + Grammatical Construction + Comparison + Idioms

• “as A as B” is the correct, idiomatic usage.
• “not only A but also B” is the correct, idiomatic usage; A must be parallel to B.
• The comparative forms are used to compare two elements and superlative forms are used to compare more than two elements.

A: This answer choice incorrectly uses "The largest of all the planets" to modify the clause "not only is Jupiter...", leading to an incoherent meaning; the intended meaning is that Jupiter is the largest of all the planets. Further, Option A incorrectly uses the unidiomatic construction "so A as B"; please remember, “as A as B” is the correct, idiomatic usage. Additionally, Option A fails to maintain parallelism between A ("is Jupiter three times so massive as Saturn") and B (" possesses four of the largest satellites...") in the idiomatic construction "not only A but also B"; please remember, “not only A but also B” is the correct, idiomatic usage; A must be parallel to B. Besides, Option A incorrectly uses the comparative adjective form "the next larger" to compare more than two elements; please remember, the comparative forms are used to compare two elements and superlative forms are used to compare more than two elements.

B: This answer choice incorrectly uses "The largest of all the planets" to modify the clause "not only is Jupiter...", leading to an incoherent meaning; the intended meaning is that Jupiter is the largest of all the planets. Further, Option B fails to maintain parallelism between A ("is Jupiter three times as massive as Saturn") and B (" possesses four of the largest satellites...") in the idiomatic construction "not only A but also B"; please remember, “not only A but also B” is the correct, idiomatic usage; A must be parallel to B.

C: This answer choice fails to form a complete sentence; "The largest of all the planets", "not only three times as massive as Saturn", and "but also possesses...solar system" are all modifiers, so there is no active verb to act upon the subject noun "Jupiter".

D: Correct. This answer choice acts upon the independent noun "Jupiter" with the active verb "is" to form a complete thought, leading to a complete sentence. Moreover, Option D correctly uses "The largest of all the planets" to modify the noun "Jupiter", conveying the intended meaning - that Jupiter is the largest of all the planets. Further, Option D correctly uses the idiomatic construction "as A as B". Additionally, Option D correctly uses the superlative adjective form "the next largest" to compare more than two elements. Besides, Option D maintains parallelism between A ("is three times as massive as Saturn") and B ("possesses four of the largest satellites...") in the idiomatic construction "not only A but also B".

E: This answer choice incorrectly uses the unidiomatic construction "so A as B"; please remember, “as A as B” is the correct, idiomatic usage. Further, Option E incorrectly uses the comparative adjective form "the next larger" to compare more than two elements; please remember, the comparative forms are used to compare two elements and superlative forms are used to compare more than two elements. Additionally, Option E fails to maintain parallelism between A ("three times so massive as Saturn") and B (" possesses four of the largest satellites...") in the idiomatic construction "not only A but also B"; please remember, “not only A but also B” is the correct, idiomatic usage; A must be parallel to B.

Hence, D is the best answer choice.

All the best!
Experts' Global Team
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A and B can eliminated due to modifier error.
so massive as is improper here as it will not result in intended meaning. So E is incorrect choice.
Real war is between C and D,
In C, not only is placed inside non-essential modifier and is not parallel to but also phrase and there is no proper verb.
Hence C is incorrect leaving D as correct choice.

IMHO ‘D’ is the best choice for following reasons:-
Jupiter should be close to the modifier ‘ the largest of all the planets’
‘D’ maintains parallelism in ‘Not only’... ‘But also’, and is not a fragment sentence.
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It was a 50/50 pick between D and E and I eventually picked E because of the "once outside, twice inside" rule for parallelism. We have the idiom not only x but also y and in choice D we have not only is x... but also y. For some reason I was under the impression to maintain parallelism it needed to be not only is x... but is also (or some variation) y. Option E has is outside the idiomatic structure.

With all that being said, the next larger sounds awful compared to the next largest.

A: not only is Jupiter three times so massive as Saturn, the next larger
This one is straightforwardly incorrect as it incorrectly uses so rather than the idiomatically correct as...as. Also, next larger does not make sense. Let me get this straight. Jupiter is the largest, and Saturn is the next larger? Larger than what?

B: not only is Jupiter three times as massive as Saturn, the next largest
This leaves the modifier The largest of all the planets dangling. Does it modify Jupiter? Also what follows not only is not parallel to what follows but also. Simplified we get not only is Jupiter...but also possesses. Clearly that does not work.

C: Jupiter, not only three times as massive as Saturn, the next largest
The modifier is next to and clearly modifies Jupiter now, but a verb is missing. We have two parts that need to be parallel, not only... and but also... The sentence is constructed in such a way as to have a verb in the but also part, creating but also possesses. So you need something parallel to that after not only, something with a verb. You don't have to be all that mechanical about figuring this out. Just notice that Jupiter is doing something, "possesses", in the second part, and so the first part, which has no verb, does not really work with the second part.

D: Jupiter not only is three times as massive as Saturn, the next largest
This is it. Jupiter is next to the modifier, and as...as is correctly used. Then we see that the construction Jupiter not only is...but also possesses works.

E: Jupiter is not only three times so massive as Saturn, the next larger
This one is a mess. First the use of so...as is not idiomatic. Even if you don't catch that, the expression next larger does not make sense. Finally, not only three times is not parallel to but also possesses.

Choose D.

Isnt the option D lacks parallelism

not only is ........................... but also possesses

I was confused between D and E and coz of the above reason I chose E

amatya

D is actually parallel, while E is not.

Not only X But also Y
Here X and Y should have parallel structure.
In D X and Y both are predicates I.e. verb+ object.

X has linking verb 'is' while Y has verb possesses.

In E, there is no verb after in X part but Y has verb possesses.

Further E has other problems. So X as Y is not idiomatic. It should be as massive as. Further larger is wrong while largest is correct.

A,E are out because of the wrong structure AS...SO, it schould be AS....AS
B is alos out, Jupiter must follow the modifier sentence. So we are left with C and D

Not only X but also Y
Jupiter not only is.. but also possesses.
X and Y should have same construction. either verb-verb or clause clause etc. Only D maintains that.

The largest of all the planets, not only is Jupiter three times so massive as Saturn, the next larger planet,
but also possesses four of the largest satellites, or moons, in our solar system.

A. not only is Jupiter three times so massive as Saturn, the next larger
What is largest of all the planets ? – Jupiter..
So the “Jupiter” should immediately precede the modifier “the largest of all planets”
Also, “so massive as” is unidiomatic

B. not only is Jupiter three times as massive as Saturn, the next largest
Same modifier issue as A

C. Jupiter, not only three times as massive as Saturn, the next largest
Parallelism error “but also” is followed by a verb..so “not only” should do the same…which is not the case …

D. Jupiter not only is three times as massive as Saturn, the next largest
Correct option ..with correct parallelism, correct idiom and correct modifier reference ..

E. Jupiter is not only three times so massive as Saturn, the next larger
Idiom error and parallelism error “is” should follow “not only” but here it precedes “not only”
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In the official explanation, it is mentioned that idiom form "not only X but Y" is used and not idiom form "not only X but also Y" is used. But how to identify which form of "not only" idiom is used in the given sentence?
Because in "not only X but also Y" form of idiom "X" and "Y" have to be parallel. Thinking that I chose E
But here "not only X but Y" form is used and "also" too is part of "Y". This is really confusing for me. Please somebody explain.

Hello Ramyanag,

I will be glad to help you with one.

The official sentences are of the best quality but not their explanations.

I can say same is the case with the explanation of this official question.

This official question does use the idiom not only X but also Y. In fact, the but also Y potion lies in the non-underlined portion of the sentence.

You are correct in saying that in the idiom not only X but also Y, X and Y must be parallel. The same is true of the idiom not only X but Y too. While scanning the answer choices, you just have to be vigilant and prepared that the sentence may use not only X but Y too. It is not necessary that but will be followed by also.

Now let's talk about Choice E in the official question at hand. In this choice X and Y in the idiom not only X but also Y are not parallel.

See, but only in the non-underlined portion of the sentence is followed by the verb possesses. This means that not only must be followed by a verb for X and Y to be parallel. But in Choice E, not only is followed by three times..., a noun phrase. Hence usage of not only X but also Y is incorrect in this choice.

Choice D is the only Choice that uses this idiom in the correct structure in which X = is (verb) and Y = possesses (verb) and hence are parallel.

Hope this helps.
Thanks.
Shraddha
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Imo D

Not only X but also Y
We need to make the entities after Not only parallel to the entities after but also.
Only D has correct parallelism as Not only is followed by a verb so is but also
E is not parallel

The largest of all the planets, not only is Jupiter three times so massive as Saturn, the next larger planet, but also possesses four of the largest satellites, or moons, in our solar system.

A: not only is Jupiter three times so massive as Saturn, the next larger -Opening modifier issue ; idiom issue - so X as is incorrect

B: not only is Jupiter three times as massive as Saturn, the next largest -Opening modifier issue

C: Jupiter, not only three times as massive as Saturn, the next largest - Not only X but also Y - X and Y should be parallel ; the part of sentence before but does not have a verb

D: Jupiter not only is three times as massive as Saturn, the next largest - Correct

E: Jupiter is not only three times so massive as Saturn, the next larger - Not only X but also Y - X and Y should be parallel ; idiom issue - so X as is incorrect

Answer D
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Thank you egmat, Shraddha for the reply.
Now I am able to understand why D is correct. I was not considering "is" as verb. That's the mistake I was doing.
Please let me know if there is any article related to this ("is" as verb) or any similar question. So that I can get some more knowledge on this.

I just wanted to highlight the four errors in the main sentence itself.

The sentence starts with an adjectival phrase “The largest of all the planets”. After reading this phrase, we expect to come across the noun that this adjective modifies. However, the sentence then reads “not only is Jupiter..”.

This is the first error in the sentence. The beginning modifier should be immediately followed by the noun that it modifies.

The second error is the incorrect use of the idiom “so..as”. This construction is only used to communicate negative comparison. The construction “as..as” is used in both positive and negative comparisons. For example: the first three sentences below are correct; the fourth one is incorrect.

Tom is as nice as Joe.
Tom is not as nice as Joe.
Tom is not so nice as Joe.
Tom is so nice as Joe. (Incorrect)

The third error in the sentence is lack of parallelism. While the “not only” part has both the subject and the verb (Jupiter is), “but also” has only verb. Therefore, these two elements are neither logically nor grammatically parallel.

The fourth error in the sentence is the use of “the next larger”. This phrase is unidiomatic. The correct version is “the next largest”, which is perfectly fine in the context of the sentence since Jupiter is given as the largest of all the planets.

The sentence, thus, has four errors.

Hello Everyone!

Let's tackle this question, one issue at a time, and narrow it down to the right choice quickly! This is a pretty simple example, so it shouldn't take too long! To get started, let's take a quick look over the options and highlight any major differences we can find in orange:

The largest of all the planets, not only is Jupiter three times so massive as Saturn, the next larger planet, but also possesses four of the largest satellites, or moons, in our solar system.

(A) not only is Jupiter three times so massive as Saturn, the next larger
(B) not only is Jupiter three times as massive as Saturn, the next largest
(C) Jupiter, not only three times as massive as Saturn, the next largest
(D) Jupiter not only is three times as massive as Saturn, the next largest
(E) Jupiter is not only three times so massive as Saturn, the next larger

After a quick glance over the options, a few key differences jump out:

1. not only is Jupiter / Jupiter, not only / Jupiter not only is / Jupiter is not only (Idioms; Parallelism)
2. so / as (Idioms; Comparisons)
3. larger / largest (Idioms; Listing)

Let's start with #2 on our list because no matter which one we choose, it will eliminate 2-3 options right away. This is an issue with comparison idioms. Whenever we talk about things being much larger or smaller, here is how it should be formatted:

X is three times as massive as Y = CORRECT
X is three times so massive as Y = WRONG

Let's see how each option handles this, and eliminate the ones that use the wrong idiom structure:

(A) not only is Jupiter three times so massive as Saturn, the next larger
(B) not only is Jupiter three times as massive as Saturn, the next largest
(C) Jupiter, not only three times as massive as Saturn, the next largest
(D) Jupiter not only is three times as massive as Saturn, the next largest
(E) Jupiter is not only three times so massive as Saturn, the next larger

We can eliminate options A & E because they don't use the right idiom structure for comparing mass or size.

If we look at #3 on our list (larger/largest), we see that all our remaining options use "largest," so we can skip worrying about that one. Let's move on to #1 on our list, which is another idiom issue. If we look carefully at the entire sentence, we can spot the idiom we're working with:

The largest of all the planets, not only is Jupiter three times so massive as Saturn, the next larger planet, but also possesses four of the largest satellites, or moons, in our solar system.

not only X, but also Y

We know that X and Y must be parallel in their wording, tenses, and number. So let's add in the other half of the idiom (but also possesses) to rule out the ones that don't use parallel structure:

(B) not only is Jupiter three times as massive as Saturn, the next largest planet, but also possesses --> NOT PARALLEL
(C) Jupiter, not only three times as massive as Saturn, the next largest planet, but also possesses --> NOT PARALLEL
(D) Jupiter not only is three times as massive as Saturn, the next largest planet, but also possesses --> PARALLEL


There you have it - option D is the only one that uses idioms and parallel structure correctly! By focusing on the "either/or" problems early on, we could easily narrow down the options to find the right choice rather quickly!


Don't study for the GMAT. Train for it.
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