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By pressing a tiny amount of nitrogen between two diamonds

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By pressing a tiny amount of nitrogen between two diamonds

by aspirant2011 » Thu Jul 14, 2011 8:47 am
By pressing a tiny amount of nitrogen between two diamonds to a pressure of 25 million pounds per square inch, scientists not only were able to transform the gas into a solid, but they also created a semiconductor similar to silicon.

(A) not only were able to transform the gas into a solid, but they also created
(B) not only were able to transform the gas into a solid but also creating
(C) were able not only to transform the gas into a solid but to create
(D) were able not only to transform the gas into a solid but also creating
(E) were not only able to transform the gas into a solid, but they were also able to create

[spoiler]OA: Will be posted later. Please discuss each answer choice in detail.[/spoiler]
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by clock60 » Thu Jul 14, 2011 9:25 am
imo [spoiler]С [/spoiler]is the only answer choice that is valid here
of course it tests ||-ism: to transform...and to create
i think that you confused that idiom not only ..but also, is not complete here, but they frequently omit also. and do not consider that mistake
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by aspirant2011 » Thu Jul 14, 2011 9:30 am
clock60 wrote:imo [spoiler]С [/spoiler]is the only answer choice that is valid here
of course it tests ||-ism: to transform...and to create
i think that you confused that idiom not only ..but also, is not complete here, but they frequently omit also. and do not consider that mistake
How is idiom not only but alsoincomplete in option E????
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by gsinghal » Thu Jul 14, 2011 9:52 am
I also selected E at first look... but i think this option is wrong in this context because after comma and but it creates an independent clause but here it should be dependent here as it says that it not only did something but also did something else.. so it is incorrect here to make the first something independent to something else...

Hope it helps.

Let me know if my reasoning is correct :D


Thanks
Gautam
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by aspirant2011 » Thu Jul 14, 2011 10:06 am
yup got it, thanks Gautam :-)
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by clock60 » Thu Jul 14, 2011 10:14 am
i don`t like E for two reasons.first is meaning
were not only able to transform the gas into a solid,changes the meaning
better version:were able not only to transform....is better
and the second it the second part of the idiom breaks the ||-ism
but they were also able to create :better version will be (as i think)
but also they were able to create..., as first part of the idiom: not only...is with out verb between
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by Frankenstein » Thu Jul 14, 2011 10:41 am
clock60 wrote:i don`t like E for two reasons.first is meaning
were not only able to transform the gas into a solid,changes the meaning
better version:were able not only to transform....is better
and the second it the second part of the idiom breaks the ||-ism
but they were also able to create :better version will be (as i think)
but also they were able to create..., as first part of the idiom: not only...is with out verb between
Hi,
Your first point about meaning is incorrect.
Second point: I think even then E is wrong. That usage would mean:
scientists were able to transform the gas into a solid, and
scientists were they were able to create
This usage is not parallel as well.

Correct one would be:
were not only able to transform the gas into a solid, but also able to create..
Cheers!

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by Mo2men » Wed Jul 05, 2017 11:44 pm
aspirant2011 wrote:By pressing a tiny amount of nitrogen between two diamonds to a pressure of 25 million pounds per square inch, scientists not only were able to transform the gas into a solid, but they also created a semiconductor similar to silicon.

(A) not only were able to transform the gas into a solid, but they also created
(B) not only were able to transform the gas into a solid but also creating
(C) were able not only to transform the gas into a solid but to create
(D) were able not only to transform the gas into a solid but also creating
(E) were not only able to transform the gas into a solid, but they were also able to create

[spoiler]OA: Will be posted later. Please discuss each answer choice in detail.[/spoiler]
Dear Mitch,

Why does choice A wrong?

In my understating, it will be incorrect because of meaning issue. In first part (not only part), the sentence talks about ABILITY but in the second part (but part), it talks about action done. Both are not parallel.

Am I correct in my analysis?
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by GMATGuruNY » Thu Jul 06, 2017 5:09 am
Mo2men wrote:Dear Mitch,

Why does choice A wrong?
not only X but Y must serve to connect PARALLEL FORMS.
A: not only were...but they
Here, were (verb) and they (pronoun) are not parallel forms.
Eliminate A.
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by Mo2men » Thu Jul 06, 2017 5:27 am
GMATGuruNY wrote:
Mo2men wrote:Dear Mitch,

Why does choice A wrong?
not only X but Y must serve to connect PARALLEL FORMS.
A: not only were...but they
Here, were (verb) and they (pronoun) are not parallel forms.
Eliminate A.
Thanks Mitch
But how can 'not only....but also' connect two full independent clauses.
It seems to me that it can't happen because the subject is always the same in that construction.
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by GMATGuruNY » Thu Jul 06, 2017 5:52 am
Mo2men wrote:
GMATGuruNY wrote:
Mo2men wrote:Dear Mitch,

Why does choice A wrong?
not only X but Y must serve to connect PARALLEL FORMS.
A: not only were...but they
Here, were (verb) and they (pronoun) are not parallel forms.
Eliminate A.
Thanks Mitch
But how can 'not only....but also' connect two full independent clauses.
It seems to me that it can't happen because the subject is always the same in that construction.
When not only...but also serves to connect two clauses, not only will generally be followed by a helping verb such as does/do/did, has/have/had, or will.
Not only did John eat the most ice cream, but he also drank the greatest amount of soda.
Not only has Mary studied algebra, but she has also learned to play the clarinet.
Not only will the two brothers make up, but they will also promise never to fight again.
In each of these sentences:
The blue portion that follows not = complete clause with subject and verb.
The red portion that follows but = complete clause with subject and verb.

Option A in the SC above:
scientists not only...but they also
Here, not is PRECEDED by a subject (scientists), while but is FOLLOWED by a subject (they).
The result is a lack of parallelism.
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