V04-25

Question

Czech-born American tennis player Martina Navratilova not only reached the Wimbledon singles finals an impressive 12 times,  holding a record for the most women’s singles titles won at Wimbledon: 9 .

A. holding a record for the most women’s singles titles won at Wimbledon: 9
B. holding a record of 9, the most women’s singles titles won at Wimbledon
C. but she also holds a record of 9, the most women’s singles titles won at Wimbledon
D. but she also, having won 9 women’s singles titles, holds a record at Wimbledon
E. but also holds a record for the most women’s singles titles won at Wimbledon: 9

Bunuel · Answer

Official Solution:

Czech-born American tennis player Martina Navratilova not only reached the Wimbledon singles finals an impressive 12 times,  holding a record for the most women’s singles titles won at Wimbledon: 9 .

A. holding a record for the most women’s singles titles won at Wimbledon: 9
B. holding a record of 9, the most women’s singles titles won at Wimbledon
C. but she also holds a record of 9, the most women’s singles titles won at Wimbledon
D. but she also, having won 9 women’s singles titles, holds a record at Wimbledon
E. but also holds a record for the most women’s singles titles won at Wimbledon: 9

The idiom being tested in this sentence is the construction not only...but also. The not only reached in the first part of the sentence requires a parallel but also + past tense verb in the second part. The original sentence’s failure to use this construction correctly has also resulted in an incomplete sentence.
 
A. This option does not correctly use the idiom  not only...but also , and the word  holding  at the beginning of the clause makes the sentence incomplete.
 
B.  Holding  at the beginning of the clause forms an incomplete sentence because it does not correctly use the idiom  not only...but also . Additionally, this option is wordy.
 
C. The phrase  she also holds a record of 9  does not make sense.
 
D. This option correctly uses  not only...but also , but it is unnecessarily wordy.
 
 E. CORRECT.  The idiom  not only...but also  is correctly used here, and the verb phrase  she also holds  forms a complete sentence.

Answer: E

vinraj · Answer

The answer choice E completely changes the intended meaning of the choice....

but she also holds a record for the most singles titles won at Wimbledon: 9

The choice does not mention the word "women's"...
Original intend is to mention that Martina holds record for the most women's singles titles. Whereas this option mentions just 'singles title'.

Also, I think the word 'she' must be excluded form all options.

Answer choice E is skewing the meaning. How can it be correct. Please explain..THanks...

amenon55 · Answer

why is D wrong?

Wan915 · Answer

I agree wit Vinraj.

E changes the meaning of the sentence. Now, I assume this was a typo or careless omission, however, while taking the exam, I assumed this 'change in meaning' was the trick. Unfortunately, getting this 500 level question wrong really skewed my verbal score on that exam

dina98 · Answer

E does not have "women". Is not this traditionally an incorrect answer? Meaning is very important to GMAT, how can this one be an exception? I liked E but chose D only because of "women" in D.

sayantanc2k · Answer

Thank you for pointing out ....corrected.

dina98 · Answer

GMATClub test also has this error. Please correct the answer choice over there as well.

sayantanc2k · Answer

Yes, updated in the test section as well. Thank you.

Messer · Answer

The correct idiom is "not only but also ", which is not the same as "not only, but also". If a comma is inserted in between, the part after the comma acts as a new clause and requires a subject (Similar to sentences where normal "but" is used ). Ex: They were hungry, but  they  had to leave.
Please correct my understanding about the usage of the comma here.
Shouldn't it be:
Czech-born American tennis player Martina Navratilova not only reached the Wimbledon singles finals an impressive 12 times but also holds a record for the most women’s singles titles won at Wimbledon: 9.

sayantanc2k · Answer

Your point is very well thought. In general "not only.. but also.." construction does not take a comma, but it is acceptable to use a comma when an emphasis is intended.

tinytiger · Answer

sayantanc2k  thank you for your explanation above (: May I confirm that it is indeed okay to not have a subject 'she' in the clause after the comma is placed?

i.e. (quote) "... ...12 times, but (she) also holds a record for the most women’s singles titles won at Wimbledon." (having placed a comma before the conjunction 'but', yet no subject is included in the latter clause while still complying with the idiom "not only... , but also...")

We're taught to observe the SVA rule given 2 independent clauses separated by a comma + conjunction, though in this case it is slightly less common.

-->May I confirm that the above clause (without a subject quoted) is still grammatically acceptable on the GMAT (just not as common)?

riddhisiddhi · Answer

I am not understanding why is E correct. I had chosen C.Pls help

BottomJee · Answer

I think this is a  high-quality  question and I agree with explanation.

V04-25

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