The Sumerians, who founded the first cities, not only invented writing

This question tests the right usage of the idiom not only X but also Y.
A is wrong because it uses “and” instead of “but also”. In addition, “were also experienced craftsmen is not parallel to the rest of the sentence.
B is incorrect because it uses “but were also” instead of “but also”. In addition, it does not maintain parallelism with the rest of the sentence.
C is wrong because it does not maintain parallelism with the list provided in the portion of sentence after not only.
E is wrong because it uses the wrong construct of “and also” instead of “but also”.
D is the correct answer. It uses the right construct for the idiom and also maintains the parallelism in the list provided after “not only”.

Posted from my mobile device

Options differ in ‘extraordinary craftsmen’ and ‘fashioned extraordinary crafts’ and ‘but also + verb’ and ‘but also + helping verb’. But before that sentence is trying to establish that Sumerians did X, Y and something.
A. and were also extraordinary craftsmen. – WRONG. Sumerians did not do ‘extraordinary craftsmen’. ‘Were’ is not an action verb plus sentence is not trying to tell about Sumerians rather it tells us about what they did.
B. but were also extraordinary craftsmen. – WRONG. Same as option A.
C. but also were extraordinary craftsmen. – WRONG. Same as option A plus additional issue.
D. but also fashioned extraordinary crafts. – CORRECT. Idiom “Not only .. but also” properly used.
E. and also fashioned extraordinary crafts. – WRONG. Incorrect idiom “Not only .. but also”.

IMO (D).

not only invented ..... but also fashioned ....

not only x but also y : idiom
past tense and past tense

therefore, D

Not only.. always follow by but also -- so A and E are out

not only invented writing -- not only is followed by verb phrases. Therefore, the correct choice that follow by but also must be verb phrases.

Only choice D, but also fashioned extraordinary crafts is a verb phrase and make the sentence parallel.

IMO D

Not only... But also is the correct idiom.

Parallelism - not only ____ but also ___ here the two lines should be parallel

MEANING
"The Sumerians… not only [idiom] invented [past-part]… but also [idiom] fashioned [past-part]…"

(A,B,C,E) contain errors in idiom, parallelism, redundancy ("and also") and meaning.

Answer (D)

The Sumerians, who founded the first cities, not only invented writing, created poetry and the rule of law, and were also extraordinary craftsmen.

(A) and were also extraordinary craftsmen.----not only but also should be used here.
(B) but were also extraordinary craftsmen.----were is incorrect
(C) but also were extraordinary craftsmen.-----were is incorrect
(D) but also fashioned extraordinary crafts.----CORRECT
(E) and also fashioned extraordinary crafts.----same as A

Option D)

Idioms - Not only .... but also ....

I think it should be D as the structure must follow not only....but also pattern which leaves us with option C and D and D follows parallelism

Posted from my mobile device

D
Obviously
Created, invented is not parallel to were extraordinary.
Hence the usage of fashioned Is justifiable.

Rule - Not only X but also Y

Posted from my mobile device

D
Obviously
Created, invented is not parallel to were extraordinary.
Hence the usage of fashioned Is justifiable.

Rule - Not only X but also Y

Posted from my mobile device

The Sumerians, who founded the first cities, not only invented writing, created poetry and the rule of law, and were also extraordinary craftsmen.

First of all, not only demands but in the sentence and hence, all the choices with "and" should be eliminated without a doubt.
A & E gone.

Now, the sentence is talking about few things Sumerians did,(invented x ) and not about what they were. So Fashioned extraordinary crafts is superior to were extraordinary craftsman.

Hence D

Answer will be C.
Correct idiom "not only...but also"

Posted from my mobile device

The Sumerians, who founded the first cities, not only invented writing, created poetry and the rule of law, and were also extraordinary craftsmen.

(A) and were also extraordinary craftsmen.
(B) but were also extraordinary craftsmen.
(C) but also were extraordinary craftsmen.
(D) but also fashioned extraordinary crafts.
(E) and also fashioned extraordinary crafts.

The correct answer is C.

A. Incorrect idiom. The correct idiom is "not only X ... but also Y"; additionally, the verb "were" should follow "also"--not precede it.
B. Incorrect idiom. The correct idiom is "not only X ... but also Y"; the verb "were" (i.e., the beginning of Y) should therefore follow "also."
D. Meaning distortion. The original meaning is that the Sumerians were extraordinary craftsmen; this is not the same as fashioning extraordinary crafts.
E. Meaning distortion, as in D. Additionally, incorrect idiom as in A.

Has to be D. not only "invented" but also "fashioned"

Don't be confused with option B, "But were also.."

Official Explanation

The best answer is D. Choice d correctly uses the not only but also construction, with parallel phrases.

Hello from the GMAT Club VerbalBot!

Thanks to another GMAT Club member, I have just discovered this valuable topic, yet it had no discussion for over a year. I am now bumping it up - doing my job. I think you may find it valuable (esp those replies with Kudos).

Want to see all other topics I dig out? Follow me (click follow button on profile). You will receive a summary of all topics I bump in your profile area as well as via email.