As well as heat and light, the Sun is the source of a continuous strea

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 the sentence is that the Sun is the source of heat, light, and also a continuous stream of atomic particles known as the solar wind.

Concepts tested here: Meaning + Modifiers + Idioms + Awkwardness/Redundancy

• In a “phrase + comma + noun” construction, the phrase must correctly modify the noun; this is one of the most frequently tested concepts on GMAT sentence correction.
• “not only A but also B” is the correct, idiomatic usage; A must be parallel to B.

A: This answer choice incorrectly uses the phrase "As well as heat and light" to modify "the Sun", illogically implying that heat, light, and the Sun are all the source of the solar wind; the intended meaning is that the Sun is the source of heat, light, and the solar wind; remember, in a “phrase + comma + noun” construction, the phrase must correctly modify the noun.

B: This answer choice incorrectly uses the phrase "Besides heat and light" to modify "the Sun", illogically implying that heat, light, and the Sun are all the source of the solar wind; the intended meaning is that the Sun is the source of heat, light, and the solar wind; remember, in a “phrase + comma + noun” construction, the phrase must correctly modify the noun. Further, Option B uses the needlessly wordy phrase "also the Sun", leading to awkwardness and redundancy; this usage is redundant because "also" can be deleted without a loss of clarity.

C: This answer choice incorrectly uses the phrase "Besides heat and light" to modify "the Sun", illogically implying that heat, light, and the Sun are all the source of the solar wind; the intended meaning is that the Sun is the source of heat, light, and the solar wind; remember, in a “phrase + comma + noun” construction, the phrase must correctly modify the noun. Further, Option C uses the needlessly indirect phrase "a continuous streaming", leading to awkwardness.

D: Correct. This answer choice avoids the modifier error seen in Options A, B, and C, as it does not utilize the "phrase + comma" construction; rather, it uses the phrase "not only of heat and light, but also of a continuous stream" to modify "the source", conveying the intended meaning - that the Sun is the source of heat, light, and the solar wind. Further, Option D correctly uses the idiomatic construction "not only A but also B" and maintains parallelism between A ("of heat and light") and B ("of a continuous streaming"). Additionally, Option D is free of any awkwardness and redundancy.

E: This answer choice uses the unidiomatic construction "not only A but as well B" and fails to maintain parallelism between A ("heat and light") and B ("of a continuous streaming"); remember, “not only A but also B” is the correct, idiomatic usage; A must be parallel to B. Further, Option E uses the needlessly indirect phrase "a continuous streaming", leading to awkwardness.

Hence, D is the best answer choice.

To understand the concept of "Phrase Comma Subject" and "Subject Comma Phrase" on GMAT, you may want to watch the following video (~2 minutes):



All the best!
Experts' Global Team

IMO D.

Besides heat and light, xxx....here xxx should not be 'the sun'..it can be something else that the sun possesses. Seems like heat, light and 'the sun' are compared.

A and E don't read too well.

(A) As well as heat and light, the Sun is the source of a continuous stream
Not preferred construction.
(B) Besides heat and light, also the Sun is the source of a continuous stream
"Besides X, also the sun" is incorrect.
(C) Besides heat and light, the Sun is also the source of a continuous streaming
"continuous streaming", present progressive is not preferred over simple present - stream.
(D) The Sun is the source not only of heat and light, but also of a continuous stream
Uses "Not only X but also Y" correctly. This is correct.
(E) The Sun is the source of not only heat and light but, as well, of a continuous streaming
Uses "not only but, as well" which is incorrect.

D.
is the comma between not only but also correct

Comma is a vexatious issue, with different measurements applied in different systems. American English is liberal about such use of comma just before and & but, while British English does not encourage such a use. We will go by AE, which is what GMAT is concerned about

I rejected option E coz 'but also' was not accompanied by 'not only'...
Should 'but also' be always accompanied by 'not only'... or is it not necessary?
Can someone please answer that?

Hello cubs,

I will be glad to help you out with this one.

The phrase but also does always accompany the phrase not only/just. However, there are a few official questions the correct version of which use the idiom not only X but Y.

So your reason to reject Choice E is absolutely correct.

Hope this helps.
Thanks.
Shraddha

Thanks for the reply.
I have a follow up query.
You mentioned that few official question does use the idiom not only X but Y. So then how can we be sure to reject the option choice based on just that reason alone.

Hello cubs,

IMHO, the sentence will not mix the two idioms not only X but also Y and not only X but Y together. it would either use either the former or the latter expression.

In case that happens, the correct answer choice will be the one that will have no grammatical and logical issues. So basically, process of elimination will help us reach the correct answer choice.

Moreover, you will never have to select the correct answer choice solely on the basis of these two idioms because both of them are correct. And any official sentence can NEVER have two grammatical and logical answer choices.


Hope this helps.
Thanks.
Shraddha

As well as heat and light, the Sun is the source of a continuous stream of atomic particles known as the solar wind.

Meaning issue - A, B, C
(A) As well as heat and light, the Sun is the source of a continuous stream

"As well as H and L, the Sun does X" is confusing because this suggests that Heat and Light are also a source of X, but then "the source" is limiting --> Eliminate

(B) Besides heat and light, also the Sun is the source of a continuous stream
Tells us that Heat and Light are also a source of continuous stream. Words "also the Sun" should be "the Sun also". Eliminate.

(C) Besides heat and light, the Sun is also the source of a continuous streaming
Tells us that Heat and Light are also a source of continuous stream - Elim.

(D) The Sun is the source not only of heat and light, but also of a continuous stream
Correct as it clarifies the meaning, correctly uses the idiom: Not Only X, but also Y, and is logical.

(E) The Sun is the source of not only heat and light but, as well, of a continuous streaming
Incorrect Idiom used. Should be Not Only, But Also

I eliminated Options A,B and E but I dont understand why the answer cant be option C. Please explain.

Hi Bhavya, let's take the following example:

Besides Rajnikant, Kamal Hassan is also a superstar in South India.

This clearly means that Rajnikant is a superstar in South India and Kamal Hassan is also a superstar in South India.

Now let's look at C:

Besides heat and light, the Sun is also the source of a continuous streaming...

This could be (mis-) interpreted that heat & light are the sources of a continuous streaming, and Sun is also the source of a continuous streaming.

This clearly is not the intended meaning.

Plugging in option (C) into the original sentence, we get:

Besides heat and light, the Sun is also the source of a continuous streaming of atomic particles known as the solar wind.

There are two problems with this construction:

1) The items on the list to be considered are "heat", "light", both nouns, and "continuous streaming of..." which is a verb, hence violating parallelism. The correct structure would be "continuous stream of..."
2) Beginning the sentence with "Besides heat and light," followed by "the sun", implies that the sun is a third source of atomic particles (heat and light being the first two), which is a major alteration of the intended meaning.

Hope this clarifies.

I think your explanation is clear. But i have one question. How do we know that (c) is not the intended meaning? I thought that the passage was exactly meaning that heat, light, and sun are the sources of solar wind. (D) means that the sun is the source of heat, light, and solar wind. How do we know that this is the intended meaning?

I would say that it is common knowledge that sun is a source of heat and light.

As well as heat and light, the Sun is the source of a continuous stream of atomic particles known as the solar wind.


(A) As well as heat and light, the Sun is the source of a continuous stream - This literally means that 'the continuous stream' has three sources: The Sun, as well as heat and light. However, the intended meaning of the sentence was to indicate that the Sun is the source of heat, light and the continuous stream. Since (A) changes the intended meaning, we can eliminate (A)

(B) Besides heat and light, also the Sun is the source of a continuous stream - (B) has a misplaced 'also' in it. Moreover, (B) has the same meaning error described in (A). Hence, eliminate (B)

(C) Besides heat and light, the Sun is also the source of a continuous streaming - has the same meaning error as in (A). hence, eliminate (C)


(D) The Sun is the source not only of heat and light, but also of a continuous stream
- Uses the right idiom structure for 'Not Only'. There is no error here. Hence, (D) is the right answer.

(E) The Sun is the source of not only heat and light but, as well, of a continuous streaming - The use of -ing form of 'stream' indicates that this action is now active in the present moment; In other words, the noun 'stream' has been converted to a 'verb'. This changes the intended meaning of the sentence. Hence, eliminate (E).

Hi AndrewN,

I have a small query- Is "comma" before "but" warranted here? It got my alarm for "comma + fanboys = IC incoming" triggered. Is this a non-issue? Or does the questions need some correction?

I have read Daagh's comment above, and I believe that he thinks it's a non-issue. Do you have the same opinion on this?

Regards,
Deb