grammar · neutral
Not only + clause, but also + clause
A structure to connect two clauses for emphasis; requires parallelism. When fronted, it often causes subject–auxiliary inversion.
Examples
“Not only did she finish the report on time, but she also improved its quality.”
“He is not only intelligent but also very hardworking.”
“Not only is the city expensive, but it is also overcrowded.”
Band 8 sentence
“Not only does this policy reduce emissions, but it also creates opportunities for green jobs across the region.”
Collocations
- not only ... but also + clause
- not only + auxiliary + subject + verb
Common mistakes
Not only he is clever but also hardworking.→He is not only clever but also hardworking.
Not only does he likes music but he also enjoys painting.→Not only does he like music, but he also enjoy painting.
Say it for a higher band
5and→6both ... and→7+Not only + clause, but also + clause
Synonyms
both ... and
Easily confused
both ... and
“She is both talented and hardworking.”
Related words
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In Tenses
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