At the end of the 1930's, Duke Ellington was looking for a composer to

Question

At the end of the 1930's, Duke Ellington was looking for a composer to assist him- someone not only who could arrange music for his successful band, but mirroring his eccentric writing style as well in order to finish  the many pieces he had started but never completed.

A someone not only who could arrange music for his successful band, but mirroring his eccentric writing style as well in order to finish
B someone who could not only arrange music for his successful band, but also mirror his eccentric writing style in order to finish
C someone who not only could arrange music for his successful band, but also to mirror his eccentric style in finishing
D that being someone who could not only arrange music for his successful big band, but mirroring his eccentric writing style for finishing
E being someone not only who could arrange music for his successful big band, but mirror his eccentric writing style as well, finishing

OG13 SC #4

mikemcgarry · Accepted Answer

Hi, there. I'm happy to help with this one.

This is OG13 SC #4, a new question that does not appear in OG12. The BIG IDEA of this question is the " not only .... but also " idiom. The "not only" phrase appears in all five answer choices, and on the GMAT, every "not only" has to be followed by a "but only." Right away, that eliminates (A) & (D) & (E), leaving only (B) and (C). Now we have to look at parallelism, because in the construction "not only X but also Y", X and Y must be in parallel. In (B) we have = could not only arrange music = but also mirror verb "arrange" correctly parallel with verb "mirror" In (C) we have = not only could arrange music = but also to mirror One is a verb and the other is an infinitive, so this is a failure of parallelism. Also, notice the common word "could" either needs to be totally outside ---- "could not only X but also Y" --- or it need to appear in both terms ---- "not only could X but also could Y". See this blog for more on that mistake: https://magoosh.com/gmat/2012/common-par ... orrection/ For a variety of reasons, (C) is incorrect, so we are left with (B) as the best answer. Does all this make sense? Please let me know if you have any further questions. Mike

badribaba1984 · Answer

Hi .. Is that correct to use not only could do X but also ??? is the presence of Could , should etc come after not only clause or before .

targetdec31 · Answer

Hi All,
I understand the correct answer . What I want to know is why past perfect tense is used towards the end of the sentence " he had started but never completed "
Is " never completed " is the 2nd action ??

mikemcgarry · Answer

Dear badribaba1984 , Suppose you have a correlative conjunction (e.g. "not only ... but also", "both ... and", "either ... or", etc.) linking two terms, X and Y, and you have some common words (here, the common word is "could") --- there are two grammatically correct options. 1) have the common word appear once before the first conjunction : ...could not only X but also Y . or 2) repeat the common word after each part of the conjunction : ...not only could X but also could Y . The classic mistake , wrong 100% of the time on the GMAT SC, is to have the common word appear once after the first part of the conjunction and not appear after the second conjunction: ...not only could X but also Y. = ALWAYS INCORRECT See this blog for more: https://magoosh.com/gmat/2012/common-par ... orrection/ Does all that make sense? Let me know if you have any more questions. Mike :-)

mikemcgarry · Answer

Dear targetdec31 , In general, the past perfect is used to show one past action happened before another. The main verb in this sentence is the "was looking". Think about the sequence of action ---- (a) Duke Ellington started composing some pieces (b) Then, he realized, gee, I'm not going to have time to finish them (c) Then, having realized that, he starts looking for someone to help him. Thus, the "starting", way back at step (a), is well before (c), the action of the main verb of the sentence. That's why the (a)-action has to be in the past perfect. My friend, always think about logic. People think SC is only about grammar, but the logic underlies the grammar and determines it. Does all this make sense? Mike

targetdec31 · Answer

Dear Mike ,
Thanks for the prompt reply . Yes the sequence makes sense and is now clear to me .
But I had this misconception that if past perfect represents first action than 2nd action is in simple past .
Here 2nd action i.e. the main action is " was looking "and is in past continuous . 
So the 2nd action can be in both Simple past and past continuous . Is my takeaway correct ?

mikemcgarry · Answer

Dear targetdec31 , The past progressive is the formal name for what you are calling the "past continuous". See: https://magoosh.com/gmat/2012/gmat-verbs ... ive-tense/ Yes, the progressive transformation of verbs changes whether the object was continuously happening, but it doesn't change the time sequence. Thus, if Past Action #1 happens before Past Action #2, then Past Action #1 could be in the past perfect ( had visited) or past perfect progressive ( had been visiting ) Past Action #2 could be in the simple past ( returned ) or in the past progressive ( was returning ) We can mix and match --- either #1 or #2 or both could be progressive, depending on the action. Whether either verb takes the progressive form or not does not change at all the fundamental relation of perfect-to-past. Does all this make sense? Mike :-)

mikemcgarry · Answer

Dear honchos , I'm happy to respond. :-)

In (D) and (E) , the uses of the phrase " being someone " are pure trainwrecks. They are not just wrong: they are so bad that they deserve to be taken out back and shot. They are atrociously wrong. They are inexcusable and uncompromisingly irredeemable. There is nothing remotely good about them. The correct structure is an appositive phrase , for which see: https://magoosh.com/gmat/2012/gmat-gramm ... e-phrases/ For this structure, the word " being " is entirely superfluous. The word " being " is most often incorrect when it appears on the GMAT SC. Its correct appearances are few and far between. Always be deeply suspicious of the word " being " when it appears. Does all this make sense? Mike :-)

ankit485 · Answer

At the end of the 1930s, Duke Ellington was looking for a composer to assist him- someone not only who could arrange music for his successful big band, but mirroring his eccentric writing style as well in order to finish  the many pieces he had started but never completed.

Analysis: Qualities of SOMEONE are defined in the later half of the sentence and these qualities have to be parallel; Not only..but also is a clear indication for such parallelism 
(A) someone not only who could arrange music for his successful big band, but mirroring his eccentric writing style as well in order to finish-- not parallel

(B) someone who could not only arrange music for his successful big band, but also mirror his eccentric writing style in order to finish-- ok

(C) someone who not only could arrange music for his successful big band, but also to mirror his eccentric writing style in finishing-- not only VERB but also INFINITIVE is not parallel construction; in order to finish is correct

(D) that being someone who could not only arrange music for his successful big band, but mirroring his eccentric writing style for finishing-  not parallel; THAT BEING SOMEONE is strange and awkward

(E) being someone not only who could arrange music for his successful big band, but mirror his eccentric writing style as well, finishing-- not parallel

mbaapp1234 · Answer

A "Not only... but also" parallel marker is missing here.
B Correct
C Infinitive "to mirror" is not parallel with the modal auxiliary verb "could" 
D "That being" is redundant and unnecessary. "Not only... but also" parallel marker is missing.
E "Not only... but also" parallel marker is missing.

Shiv2016 · Answer

Hello Mike

If a sentence has "but also" then is it necessary that it should also have "not only" before it?

mikemcgarry · Answer

Dear Shiv2016 ,, I'm happy to respond, my friend. :-)

In the big broad world of the English language, no, absolutely not. We certainly could have have " but also " without any " not " statement before it. Albert Schweitzer was a medical doctor but also a scholar of classical music . That's what's true in the big broad world of English. Now, in the somewhat more limited scope of the GMAT, could you see something such as this? Yes, it is fair game. The " not only . . . but also " is a common parallel marker, but we can't become too attached, in a dogmatic way, to this exact formulation. Multiple variations exist within perfectly accepted English. Does all this make sense? Mike :-)

AnubhavK · Answer

"B" is the correct choice: not only, but also usage is correct.

A - not only, ... but also should be there
C - not only could.... but also to (preposition) usage is incorrect (not parallel)
"D" and "E" avoid because of "being" usage

akadiyan · Answer

A someone not only who could arrange music for his successful band, but mirroring his eccentric writing style as well in order to finish - Not only who - not a recommended construction - Incorrect

B someone who could not only arrange music for his successful band, but also mirror his eccentric writing style in order to finish - Correct form of Not only but also -   Correct

C someone who not only could arrange music for his successful band, but also to mirror his eccentric style in writing - Not only could , but also - not correct form of usage - Incorrect

D that being someone who could not only arrange music for his successful big band, but mirroring his eccentric writing style for finishing - Not only but is not right way of usage - Incorrect

E being someone not only who could arrange music for his successful big band, but mirror his eccentric writing style as well, finishing - Not only but is not right way of usage

AkshdeepS · Answer

A someone not only who could  arrange music for his successful band,  but mirroring  his eccentric writing style as well in order to finish

B someone who could not only arrange music for his successful band, but also mirror his eccentric writing style in order to finish

C someone  who not only could arrange  music for his successful band,  but also to mirror  his eccentric style in writing

D  that being someone  who could not only arrange music for his successful big band, but mirroring his eccentric writing style for finishing

E  being someone not only  who could arrange music for his successful big band, but mirror his eccentric writing style as well, finishing

Not only arrange, but also Y mirror. (Correct usage)

GMATmantra · Answer

If we vertically scan options, we can see not only in all choices. This question uses idiom pair 'not only X ....bust also Y'. Here X and Y must be parallel.

In option A, not only 'who could '....is not parallel to but 'mirroring'..... Eliminate
In option B, not only 'arrange' ....is parallel to but also 'mirror'....
In option C, not only 'could arrange'....is not parallel to but also 'to mirror'.... Eliminate
In option D, not only 'arrange' is not parallel to but 'mirroring'....... Eliminate
In option E, not only 'who could '..... is not parallel to but 'mirror'.... Eliminate

So, only option B is parallel.

You can watch video solution at

https://youtu.be/eYtW-vucXsg

EMPOWERgmatVerbal · Answer

Hello Everyone!

Let's tackle this question, one problem at a time, and get to the correct answer quickly! Before we dive in, here is the original question with the major differences between each option highlighted in  orange :

At the end of the 1930's, Duke Ellington was looking for a composer to assist him- someone not only who could arrange music for his successful band, but mirroring his eccentric writing style as well in order to finish  the many pieces he had started but never completed.

A)  someone not only who could  arrange music for his successful band,  but mirroring his eccentric writing style as well  in order to finish
B)  someone who could not only  arrange music for his successful band,  but also mirror his eccentric writing style  in order to finish
C)  someone who not only could  arrange music for his successful band,  but also to mirror his eccentric style in writing 
D)  that being someone who could not only  arrange music for his successful big band,  but mirroring his eccentric writing style  for finishing
E)  being someone not only who could  arrange music for his successful big band,  but mirror his eccentric writing style as well,  finishing

After a quick glance over all the options, it's clear that  we're dealing with an issue of idiomatic structure ! Any time we see a phrase with "not only...but also," we know that we should start there to rule out any incorrect answers quickly.

The idiomatic structure is:

Not only X, but also Y.
 
For this to work, both X and Y must be written using parallel format. Let's take a closer look at each option to see which ones follow the format, and rule out the ones who don't:

A) someone  not only  who could arrange music for his successful band,  but  mirroring his eccentric writing style as well in order to finish

This is  INCORRECT  because it doesn't follow the "not only... but also ..." format. It only says "not only...but...," which is wrong. It also doesn't use parallel format with the verbs (arrange/mirroring).

B) someone who could  not only arrange music  for his successful band,  but also mirror his eccentric writing style  in order to finish

This is  CORRECT  because it uses the proper "not only...but also..." structure, and each part is written using a similar format.
 
C) someone who  not only could arrange music  for his successful band,  but also to mirror his eccentric style  in writing

While this does use the proper "not only...but also..." format, the two phrases are NOT written using parallel structure. For this to work, it would have to say "not only  could arrange  music...but also  could mirror  his eccentric style...." Therefore, this is  INCORRECT .

D) that being someone who could  not only arrange music  for his successful big band,  but mirroring his eccentric writing style  for finishing

This is  INCORRECT  because it doesn't use the "not only...but also..." format - it says "not only...but...," which is wrong. It also doesn't use parallel format with the verbs (arrange/mirroring).

E) being someone  not only who could arrange music  for his successful big band,  but mirror his eccentric writing style  as well, finishing

This is  INCORRECT  because it doesn't use the proper "not only...but also..." format - it says "not only...but...," which is wrong. It also doesn't use parallel format with the verbs and phrasing (who could arrange/mirror).

There you go - B is the correct option!  If you familiarize yourself with common idiomatic structures, these are some of the quickest and easiest GMAT questions to answer!

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

bubbly2010 · Answer

At the end of the 1930's, Duke Ellington was looking for a composer to assist him-someone not only who could arrange music for his successful band, but mirroring his eccentric writing style as well in order to finish the many pieces he had started but never completed.

A someone  not only  who could arrange music for his successful band,  but  mirroring his eccentric writing style as well in order to finish
B someone who could  not only arrange  music for his successful band,  but also mirror  his eccentric writing style in order to finish
C someone who  not only could arrange  music for his successful band,  but also to mirror  his eccentric style in writing
D that being someone who could  not only  arrange music for his successful big band,  but  mirroring his eccentric writing style for finishing
E being someone  not only  who could arrange music for his successful big band,  but  mirror his eccentric writing style as well, finishing

Idiom: not only / but also so we can eliminate A, D,E
C is not parallel after the idiom

rkoshlyak · Answer

At the end of the 1930's, Duke Ellington was looking for a composer to assist him-someone not only who could arrange music for his successful band, but mirroring his eccentric writing style as well in order to finish the many pieces he had started but never completed.

Rule:
Idiom: not only X but   Y. X, Y - must me parallel

A someone  not only   who could arrange  music for his successful band,  but   mirroring  his eccentric writing style as well in order to finish
B someone who could  not only   arrange  music for his successful band,  but also   mirror  his eccentric writing style in order to finish
C someone who  not only   could arrange  music for his successful band,  but also   to mirror  his eccentric style in writing
D that being someone who could  not only   arrange  music for his successful big band,  but   mirroring  his eccentric writing style for finishing
E being someone  not only   who could arrange  music for his successful big band,  but   mirror  his eccentric writing style as well, finishing

At the end of the 1930's, Duke Ellington was looking for a composer to

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GMAT Sentence Correction (SC - EA only) Questions

At the end of the 1930's, Duke Ellington was looking for a composer to

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615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

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