The main usage is that the predicate verb must follow the "principle of proximity agreement", Not only the students but also the teacher was invited. Not only the students were invited, but the teacher was also invited.
－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－
(The following is the detailed usage)
“not only … but also ..." is a coordinating conjunction phrase, its meaning is basically the same as "both ... and ...", but the emphasis is on "but also". In addition, certain rules must be followed when using this phrase, such as requiring symmetry, inversion and subject-predicate Consistency, etc. The following two sentences are often regarded as inappropriate or wrong:
1. *Sitting up late last night, Tom not only read the assignment but also many poems by his favorite poet. < /p>
2. *Not only the students but also the teacher were invited.
The first sentence of the above two sentences is inappropriate and the second sentence is wrong. They should be changed to: 1. Sitting up late last night, Tom read not only the assignment but also many poems by his favorite poet. Sitting up late last night, Tom read not only the assignment but also many poems by his favorite poet. 2. Not only the students but also the teacher was invited. Not only the students were invited, but the teacher was also invited. Let’s talk about some things to pay attention to when using this phrase correctly and its common variations. Form.
1. Several points to note when using not only … but also …:
1. The parts of speech of the words connected to not only and but also must be equivalent:
(1) Frankin was considered not only an inventor, but also a statesman.
(2) The nurse was not only competent but also kind. (3) They not only broke into his office and stole his books, but also tore up his manuscripts. Not only you but also she has to attend the ceremony. Not only you but also she has to attend the ceremony.
< p> (5) In production, we should always keep an eye not only on quantity but also on quality. In production, we should always keep an eye not only on quantity but also on quality.(6) They completed the project not only punctually but also perfectly. They not only completed the project on time, but also completed it well. 2. not only can only be used together, but also can be used together or separately: a. He speaks not only English, but also French. He not only spoke English, but also French. b. Television is not only boring, but it also wastes a lot of time. Television is not only boring, but it also wastes a lot of time. c. She was not only compelled to stay at home ,but she was also forbidden to see her friends. Not only was she forced to squat at home, but she was also forbidden to see her friends. 3. The number of the predicate verb should be consistent with the number of the subject after but also: Not only you but also Mr Zhang Not only you, Teacher Zhang also teaches in this college.
4. Not only is placed at the beginning of the sentence, and the inverted structure should be used when following the sentence:
( 1) Not only should proletarians emancipate themselves but also the whole mankind.
(2) Not only does television appeal to those who can read but to those who can't. Television not only attracts people who read, but also people who can't read.
(3) Not only was everything Albert Einstain had taken away but also his citizenship was deprived of. love Not only had Einstein's property been robbed, but his German citizenship was also deprived of him.
(4) Not only had the poor man been fined, but also he had been sent to prison. This poor man had been sent to prison. People were not only fined, but also sent to prison. 2. Several common variations of not only, but also:
1. Variations of not only: Common variations are not just, not merely, not simply, not solely, etc.
(1) Such work is not just devalued in that country, its nature is widely misunderstood. The nature of the work has also been misunderstood by many people.
(2) There is not merely concision in these lines but also elegance. These lines are written not only multiplicatively, but also elegantly.
(3 ) Not simply did he teach school, but he wrote novels.
(4) This novel is not solely suitable for us in studying modern fiction but can also be used in the teaching. This novel is not only suitable for our study of modern novels, but also can be used for teaching.
2. Variations of but also: a: omit also, leaving only but; b: omit but, Only leave also; c: but…as well; d: but also omit all.
(1) Scarlett quaked lest she and Frank lose not only their freedom but the house, the store and mill. Scarlett quaked lest she and Frank lost not only their freedom but the house, the store and mill. Trembling with fear, lest she and Frank would not only lose their freedom, but also their house, shop, and sawmill.
(2) She's not only an excellent housewife also a first class mathematician. She's not only an excellent housewife also a first class mathematician. An excellent housewife, and also a first-class mathematician.
(3) Not only does he write the words to the songs, but he composes the music as well. He not only writes the words to the songs, but he composes the music as well. , also compose music.
(4) Such a change would improve not only his social image but his health as well. Such a change would not only improve his social image but his health as well. < /p>
(5) Not only did I hear the car, I actually saw it crash. I not only heard the sound of the car, but also saw the car crash with my own eyes.