Confusing Idiom question

Question

https://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc251/ProgBagel/gmat1.jpg

Easy to see the parallelism split with created. I had D and E left but they both seemed off with the not only, but also idiom. D has but also, but nothing before that, E did, but only had 'but' at the end. I went with E...

kissthegmat · Answer

It's clearly D.

A, B, C and E are out as this violates the parallelism rule: NOT ONLY X (,) BUT ALSO Y (comma is optional here) and X and Y has to be parallel to each other.

Option E will be correct if it is rewritten as "not only created.....but ALSO caused"

ramana · Answer

where is the question.? i cant see..

sony26 · Answer

Hi,

Can you plz explain in an elaborative manner? What i understand is 'NOT ONLY X'.... 'BUT ALSO Y'. 
According to you 'D' should be the ans. But again in 'D', don't you think we have 'BUT ALSO' without the 'NOT ONLY'. 
Or is it that 'D' should be the best of the rest? Correct me.

Regards
Sony

metallicafan · Answer

It would be better if you eliminate that image and type the question. We can see the answer :s

seekmba · Answer

This question does not require the usage of "not only"....."but also"...that is not the intended meaning of the sentence.

Systematic clearing of forests did 2 things:

(1) created farmland and gave consumers inexpensive houses (positive effects)

(2) caused erosion and deforested whole regions (negative effects)

We need to show this contrast in the sentnece. Hnece "but" is used. Only D does that correctly. Hope this helps.

gmat1011 · Answer

I don't get why B is incorrect

it also gives a valid contrast

You can say:

Not only is labor a necessity, which cannot be avoided, but also a pleasure.

B follows a similar structure.

If the GMAT prep software is being fussy about "which" - whether "which" relates to the farmland or to the clearing of forests - then its being quite silly

Take a look at:
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cac ... swPkitcMkA

- the walt disney + vacation example - where 'which' can validly refer to the taking of the vacation and not just 'Walt Disney World' on the pretext that Walt Disney is at closer proximity to 'which'

gmat1011 · Answer

Ok fine --- so B is not parallel "created" farmland <----> "caused" erosion are parallel only in D AND it has the 'not only x but also y' structure. That's why B and the rest are out.

RonBagel · Answer

Thanks, I assumed but also must have 'not only' somewhere before it in the sentence. Looks like I need more practice!

kissthegmat · Answer

Thanks for writing in! In option D it's written "NOT IT ALSO" not "BUT ALSO" I mean to say in Idiom NOT ONLY X..... BUT ALSO Y. In this idiom NOT ONLY and BUT ALSO has to be written as it is. We can't add "IT" inside NOT ONLY. And X and Y should be parallel to each other. e.g. not only quickly ...... but also efficiently ... Here quickly and efficiently are parallel. I think I'm making a sense.

sony26 · Answer

Thanks for prompt reply. Yes, i do understand that it has to be in parallel. But what i am asking is 'NOT ONLY' is not there in the sentence, does that imply that 'BUT ALSO' should not be there? I somewhat understood the explaination given by 'seekthegmat'. But not much clear though. Can you elaborate in that direction plz.?

Thanks & Regards
Sony

Confusing Idiom question

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