Doctors generally agree that such factors as cigarette smoking, eating

Question

Doctors generally agree that such factors as cigarette smoking, eating rich foods high in fats, and alcohol consumption not only do damage by themselves but also aggravate genetic predispositions toward certain diseases.

(A) not only do damage by themselves but also aggravate

(C) are damaging by themselves but also are aggravating

(A) not only do damage by themselves but also aggravate

(B) do damage by themselves but also are aggravating to

(C) are damaging by themselves but also are aggravating

(D) not only do damage by themselves, they are also aggravating to

(E) are doing damage by themselves, and they are also aggravating

thangvietname · Accepted Answer

be carefull my friends.

not only...but also is used to show the in-the-same- direction content between 2 clauses.

however, "but also" can be used ALONE to show contrast and means "but"

gmatprep presents a question in which "but also " is used ALONE to test whether we know the contrast.

in this question, the meaning is same-direction content between 2 clauses, so, the couple "not only...but also" is used

this is called meaning based analysis which assumes that the wrong answer choice is grammatical and needs to be proved wrong in meaning.

this means "but also" in b and c are grammatical but wrong in meaning. 
if you think that "but also" in b and c are wrong because "not only" dose not go with them, you are wrong because "but also" can be used without "not only"

that is my thinking.

rockthegmat007 · Answer

Generally, whenever a noun form exists for an action , that noun form is preferred to the -ing form of that action. Here, alcohol consumption is preferred over consuming of alcohol Coming to the parallelism aspect , the parallelism rules say the following are parallel 1) action nouns || to action nouns ( consumption here) 2) nouns || to complex gerunds (verb-ing OF ) --> notice the presence of "of " 2) verb-ing (simple gerund) || to verb-ing (simple gerund) Going by the rule - I see what you're saying. it's difficult to explain the parallelism by these rules. But, going by the construction of this sentence, it is clear to see that smoking , eating and consumption are all unambiguously positioned as nouns . (considering verb-ing can be modifiers as well) , so I am guessing GMAC took the liberty to position all the nouns parallel (smoking, eating, and consumption) to avoid the awkwardness of a construction like below. smoking of cigarettes, eating of rich foods high in fats, and alcohol consumption this might be the only other possible construction to fit the rule, because smoking and eating do not have a proper noun form. my takeaway would be that we should keep an eye on the role of verb-ing and if it's unambiguously a noun, it can be presented parallel to action nouns. just noticed that this question is repeated in OG16 (Q87) , verbatim, without eliminating the question. so GMAC believes this a valid construction. the rule is probably hard for modifier forms and soft on noun forms . A new learning today, after having recently learnt about how past participle forms can be parallel to present participle forms - from the famous fungus question

. thanks for asking this Q. do drop in another post if you notice similar construction in other Qs.

chandu4gmat · Answer

A. Use of Not only---- But also...

gmatlbs · Answer

please explain the parallelism here..."...cigarette smoking, eating rich foods high in fats, and alcohol consumption....".

daagh · Answer

The general observation is that GMAC never comes out and says that this is the rule or that is the rule. Only others interpret them as per their own perceptions. The problem is thicker when, such concepts are tested in the underlined portion. Then we have to look the proclaimed answer choices to expound the acceptance of the diction or the style. However, except for academic purposes, worrying about something that is not underlined or even cultivating that habit will be a strain on the resources, especially in the hall. So, let us take that as far //ism is concerned, that the combination of gerund and an action noun is perfectly ok in GMAT, if I may add including in underlined portion. I hardly remember having seen any GMAT question wherein such a distinction has been used to reject an answer

ydmuley · Answer

Doctors generally agree that such factors as cigarette smoking, eating rich foods high in fats, and alcohol consumption not only do damage by themselves but also aggravate genetic predispositions toward certain diseases.

(A) not only do damage by themselves but also aggravate

(C) are damaging by themselves but also are aggravating

(A)  not only   do damage  by themselves  but also aggravate 
(B)  do damage  by themselves but also are  aggravating  to
(C)  are  damaging by themselves  but also  are aggravating
(D) not only  do damage  by themselves, they are also  aggravating  to
(E)  are doing damage by themselves, and they are also aggravating

A

EMPOWERgmatVerbal · Answer

Hello Everyone!

This looks like a great example of a question that deals with both  idiom structures  and  parallelism ! To start, here is the original question, with major differences between the options highlighted in  orange :

Doctors generally agree that such factors as cigarette smoking, eating rich foods high in fats, and alcohol consumption not only do damage by themselves but also aggravate genetic predispositions toward certain diseases.

(A) not only do damage by themselves but also aggravate

(C) are damaging by themselves but also are aggravating

(A)  not only do damage  by themselves  but also aggravate 
(B)  do damage  by themselves  but also are aggravating to 
(C)  are damaging  by themselves  but also are aggravating 
(D)  not only do damage  by themselves,  they are also aggravating to 
(E)  are doing damage  by themselves,  and they are also aggravating

After a quick glance over the options, there are 2 main things we can focus on:

1. Parallelism: damage/aggravate & damaging/aggravating
2. Idiom Structure: not only X, but also Y

Let's start with #1 on our list: parallelism.  No matter which structure you end up using later on, both verbs need to be written using the same structure. Parallel structure is clearer, easier to read, and looks more professional - all things the GMAT loves! Here's how each option holds up:

(A) not only  do damage  by themselves but also  aggravate 
(B)  do damage  by themselves but also  are aggravating  to
(C)  are damaging  by themselves but also  are aggravating 
(D) not only  do damage  by themselves, they are also  aggravating  to
(E) are  doing damage  by themselves, and they are also  aggravating

We can eliminate options B, D, & E  because the verbs they use aren't parallel.  Now, let's focus on #2 on our list: idiom structure.  The idiom structure we're using here should look like this:

not only X but also Y

Let's see how each option handles this:

(A)  not only  do damage by themselves  but also  aggravate

This is  CORRECT ! It follows the "not only X but also Y" idiom structure, and both X and Y are written using parallel structure!

(C) are damaging by themselves  but also  are aggravating

This is  INCORRECT  because it doesn't use the "not only X but also Y" structure. It's missing the "not only" part. You could fix this by replacing the "but also" with "and" to make it clearer for readers.

There you go - option A was the correct choice all along!

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

dabaobao · Answer

(A) not only do damage by themselves but also aggravate  - Correct

(B) do damage by themselves  but also  are  aggravating  to  - Wrong: Idiom 2) Verb

(C) are  damaging  by themselves  but also  are  aggravating   - Wrong: Idiom 2) Verb

(D)  not only  do damage by  themselves, they  are also  aggravating  to  - Wrong: Idiom 2) Verb 3) Structure

(E) are  doing  damage by themselves,  and they  are also  aggravating   - Wrong: Meaning 2) Verb

adkikani · Answer

VeritasKarishma   Abhi077   MentorTutoring   AjiteshArun   egmat

Could you help me to identify verb tense error, if any between above choices since I could not understand whether or not 
I am REQUIRED to use NOT ONLY always in GMAT:

Doctors  generally  agree   (Independent clause -1) 
that (connector)
 such factors   (subject for next independent clause) 
as cigarette smoking, eating rich foods high in fats, and alcohol consumption 
 (I think do is plural present tense and so is aggravate)
 (here I do not since anything wrong with present continuous tense.)

Why do we not repeat DO in (A) before aggravate? Can you share an alternative approach?

Abhi077 · Answer

This sentence talks about general facts so the use of simple present tense is appropriate here. It's not compulsory to use NOT only BUT also, in any case, It's all about the parallel structure and the meaning.The idiom not only but also fits in perfectly in this case because it maintains a parallel structure and communicates the meaning of the sentence effectively

AjiteshArun · Answer

Hi  adkikani ,

1.  But also  can be used without  not only , but the meaning changes (closer to contrast than continuation).

1a.  He works  but also  studies for the GMAT. 
1b.  He  not only  works  but also  studies for the GMAT.

2.  Are aggravating  seems to indicate that this is something that is happening now, but the intended meaning is that this is something that happens  generally .

2a.   Alcohol consumption   is causing  cancer.  ← This is most likely not the intended meaning.
2b.   Alcohol consumption   causes  cancer.  ← This is what we would normally expect a sentence like this to say.

3.  Do  is not a helping verb here, and  damage  is a noun.

3a.   Radiation   does damage  cells.  ← Here  does damage  is the verb.
3b.   Radiation   does  damage to cells.  ← Here  does  is the verb.  Damage  is a noun. This can be read as "radiation  does   something  to cells".

In the correct option, it is actually  do  that is parallel to  aggravate .

AndrewN · Answer

Hello,  adkikani , and thank you for tagging me. I agree with what  Abhi077  and  AjiteshArun  have written above. I would encourage you to explore your own question by adding in  do  before  aggravate  to see how that might change the meaning:

Original option:  not only  do  damage by themselves but also  aggravate

The two parallel options fit the  not only A, but also B  construct.

Altered option:  not only  do  damage by themselves but also  do  aggravate

The second option presents a problem. Although it might seem intuitive to place a parallel  do  in front of the second item,  damage  is a noun, while  aggravate  is a verb. This forces  do  to act in different capacities. In its first use, it is indicating what effect these factors have, while in the second, you could say that the word was being emphatically, as in,  they  do  aggravate , but I think you will agree that that is not only unnecessary in this case, but also a little hard to justify.

Good luck with your studies.

- Andrew

CrackverbalGMAT · Answer

This question tests  idioms  and  parallelism .

The idiom we need to know here is  not only X… but also Y.  
The two items that should be parallel are ‘ damage ’ and ‘ aggravate ’.

Let’s look at the options:

(A)  not only  do damage by themselves  but also  aggravate

(B) do damage by themselves but also are  aggravating  to

(C) are damaging by themselves  but also  are aggravating

(D) not only do damage by themselves, they are also  aggravating  to

(E) are doing damage by themselves, and they are also  aggravating

Eliminate Options B, C, D, and E. 
 
  Option A  is the best choice.

Hope this helps!

mba757 · Answer

(A) not only do damage by themselves but also aggravate
 aggravate = worsen – meaning checks out; I was immediately hesitant at first to choose this because the "do" in front of the "damage." I thought it broke the parallelism. But damage is an action noun and "do" supplements that noun as a verb to make sure parallelism is maintained with "aggravate" within the "but also" piece. Meaning > mechanics

(B) do damage by themselves but also are aggravating to
 not parallel – “do damage” and “also are aggravating”; “aggravating to” means irritating, which changes the intended meaning

(C) are damaging by themselves but also are aggravating
 “aggravating to” means irritating, which changes the intended meaning

(D) not only do damage by themselves, they are also aggravating to
 not parallel – “do damage” and “are also aggravating”; “aggravating to” means irritating, which changes the intended meaning

(E) are doing damage by themselves, and they are also aggravating
 “aggravating to” means irritating, which changes the intended meaning

EatMyDosa · Answer

Hi @EMPOWERGMAT,  CrackVerbalGMAT ,  egmat ,  GMATNinja

In option D, do you think the Independent Clause (“they are also aggravating to…”) is connected properly with the first IC (following "not only")?

CEdward · Answer

Doctors generally agree that such factors as cigarette smoking, eating rich foods high in fats, and alcohol consumption not only do damage by themselves but also aggravate genetic predispositions toward certain diseases.

(A) not only do damage by themselves but also aggravate

(C) are damaging by themselves but also are aggravating

(A) not only do damage by themselves but also aggravate  CORRECT

(B) do damage by themselves  but also  are aggravating to X

The correct idiom is 'not only...but also'. You cannot have half of the idiom.

(C)  are damaging  by themselves  but also  are aggravating X

The correct idiom is 'not only...but also'. You cannot have half of the idiom. 'do damage by themselves' is correct not 'are damaging by themselves'.
 
(D) not only do damage by themselves,  they are  also aggravating to X

The correct idiom is 'not only...but also'. You cannot have half of the idiom.

(E)  are doing damage  by themselves, and they  are also aggravating  X

CEdward · Answer

Doctors generally agree that such factors as cigarette smoking, eating rich foods high in fats, and alcohol consumption not only do damage by themselves but also aggravate genetic predispositions toward certain diseases.

(A) not only do damage by themselves but also aggravate

(C) are damaging by themselves but also are aggravating

(A) not only do damage by themselves but also aggravate  CORRECT

(B) do damage by themselves but also  are aggravating to  X
-we need the full idiom 'not only...but also'
-'are aggravating to'...the present continuous suggests those factors are aggravating in an ongoing manner...but that's not the intended meaning

(C) are damaging by themselves but also are aggravating X
-we need the full idiom 'not only...but also'

(D) not only do damage by themselves,  they are also aggravating to  X
-we need the full idiom 'not only...but also'

(E) are doing damage by themselves, and they are also aggravating X
-use of the present continuous throughout here makes no sense

ag153 · Answer

You mentioned that verb-ing of something is complex gerund, however, the statement in question only mentions verb-ing not verb-ing " of something" so how is that a complex gerund and hence parallel to action noun "consumption"?

Also are complex gerunds also called action nouns?

Prerit22 · Answer

Could someone please explain how in option A, "do damage" and "aggravate" are parallel ?

Doctors generally agree that such factors as cigarette smoking, eating

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GMAT Sentence Correction (SC - EA only) Questions

Doctors generally agree that such factors as cigarette smoking, eating

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