Aman Ahuja wrote:Hello experts
Im still a little confused on how A is incorrect
Can you explain with a few examples
Thanks in advance
When
not serves to negate a verb form that include a helping verb or linking verb,
not must FOLLOW the helping verb or linking verb:
john DID not play the clarinet.
John WILL not attend the party.
John WAS not tall.
In every case,
not follows the helping verb or linking verb.
This rule holds true even when
not serves as part of the idiom NOT X BUT Y, where X and Y must be parallel forms.
For example:
The earliest writing was not a direct rendering of speech but began as a distinct symbolic system.
Here, the portions in red --
was a direct rendering of speech and
began as a distinct symbolic system -- are parallel forms.
In accordance with the rule above,
not correctly FOLLOWS the linking verb
was.
In the SC above:
A:
The human mind is not a "blank slate," but instead that it comprises specialized mental mechanisms.
Here, the portions in red --
is a blank slate (verb + noun phrase) and
that it comprises specialized mental mechanisms (
that-clause) -- are not parallel forms.
Eliminate A.
OA:
The human mind is not a "blank slate" but instead comprises specialized mental mechanisms.
Here, the portions in red --
is a blank slate (verb + noun phrase) and
comprises specialized mental mechanisms (verb + noun phrase) are parallel forms.
In accordance with the rule above,
not correctly follows the linking verb
is.
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