WREN & MARTIN's English grammar-10 MCQs on the Usage of "Not Only…But Also" and "As Well As"

 

10 MCQs on the Usage of "Not Only…But Also" and "As Well As"


1. "She is not only a brilliant scientist but also an accomplished musician." — What is the grammatical function of "not only…but also" in this sentence?

  • A) It is a subordinating conjunction showing contrast
  • B) It is a correlative conjunction joining two parallel ideas
  • C) It is a coordinating conjunction showing cause and effect
  • D) It is a preposition showing addition

Answer: B) It is a correlative conjunction joining two parallel ideas ("Not only…but also" connects two parallel noun phrases — "a brilliant scientist" and "an accomplished musician" — it functions as a correlative conjunction emphasising that both qualities are equally true.)


2. "He speaks not only English but also French, Spanish, and Mandarin fluently." — What rule applies to subject-verb agreement here?

  • A) The verb agrees with the subject following "but also"
  • B) The verb agrees with the nearest subject only
  • C) The verb agrees with the subject preceding "not only"
  • D) The verb agrees with both subjects equally

Answer: C) The verb agrees with the subject preceding "not only" ("Not only…but also" as a correlative conjunction takes its verb agreement from the subject that precedes "not only" — in this case "he" determines the verb form.)


3. "The new policy will affect not only the employees but also the management of the company." — What is the function of "not only…but also" here?

  • A) It introduces a subordinate clause of reason
  • B) It shows contrast between two opposing ideas
  • C) It emphasises the inclusion of both elements mentioned
  • D) It introduces a conditional clause

Answer: C) It emphasises the inclusion of both elements mentioned ("Not only…but also" stresses that both "the employees" and "the management" are affected — it functions as a correlative conjunction that adds emphasis to the second element while affirming the first.)


4. "She not only completed the project on time but also exceeded all the expectations of her team." — What rule of parallelism applies here?

  • A) Both parts of the correlative conjunction must be followed by different grammatical structures
  • B) Both parts of the correlative conjunction must be followed by parallel grammatical structures
  • C) The second part must always be longer than the first
  • D) The first part must always contain a noun phrase

Answer: B) Both parts of the correlative conjunction must be followed by parallel grammatical structures ("Not only" is followed by the verb phrase "completed the project on time" and "but also" is followed by the verb phrase "exceeded all the expectations" — both are parallel verb phrases maintaining grammatical balance.)


5. "Not only did he apologise for his mistake but he also promised to make amends." — What grammatical feature is observed in this sentence?

  • A) The subject comes before the auxiliary verb as in a normal statement
  • B) Subject-verb inversion occurs after "not only" when placed at the beginning
  • C) The verb is omitted after "not only" at the beginning of the sentence
  • D) "Not only" at the beginning always requires the simple past tense

Answer: B) Subject-verb inversion occurs after "not only" when placed at the beginning ("Not only" placed at the beginning of a sentence triggers subject-verb inversion — "did he apologise" instead of "he apologised" — this is a rule of fronting that creates emphasis and a formal tone.)


6. "She is hardworking as well as talented in everything she undertakes." — What is the grammatical function of "as well as" in this sentence?

  • A) It is a subordinating conjunction showing contrast
  • B) It is a preposition showing exclusion
  • C) It is a correlative conjunction showing cause and effect
  • D) It is a conjunction showing addition of a similar quality

Answer: D) It is a conjunction showing addition of a similar quality ("As well as" connects "hardworking" and "talented" — it functions as an additive conjunction meaning "in addition to" and introduces a second quality that supplements the first.)


7. "The principal, as well as the teachers, is responsible for the welfare of the students." — What rule of subject-verb agreement applies here?

  • A) The verb agrees with the noun following "as well as"
  • B) The verb agrees with both nouns equally
  • C) The verb agrees with the main subject preceding "as well as"
  • D) The verb always takes a plural form with "as well as"

Answer: C) The verb agrees with the main subject preceding "as well as" ("As well as" does not create a compound subject — the main subject is "the principal" which is singular, so the verb "is" remains singular — this is a key grammatical rule distinguishing "as well as" from "and.")


8. "He completed the assignment as well as helped his classmates with their work." — What is the function of "as well as" here?

  • A) It introduces a subordinate clause of contrast
  • B) It connects two parallel verb phrases showing addition
  • C) It introduces a conditional clause
  • D) It shows cause and effect between two actions

Answer: B) It connects two parallel verb phrases showing addition ("As well as" connects "completed the assignment" and "helped his classmates" — both are parallel verb phrases and "as well as" functions as an additive conjunction showing that he performed both actions.)


9. "The new bridge will benefit not only the local residents but also the thousands of daily commuters." — What is the effect of using "not only…but also" instead of simply using "and"?

  • A) It reduces the importance of the second element mentioned
  • B) It shows contrast between the two groups mentioned
  • C) It adds greater emphasis and stress to both elements especially the second
  • D) It indicates that only one of the two groups will benefit

Answer: C) It adds greater emphasis and stress to both elements especially the second ("Not only…but also" is stronger and more emphatic than a simple "and" — it highlights that the benefit extends beyond what might be expected, with particular stress placed on the second element introduced by "but also.")


10. "She sings as well as she dances which makes her a truly complete performer." — What is the function of "as well as" in this sentence?

  • A) It is used as a preposition of comparison
  • B) It introduces a subordinate clause of reason
  • C) It functions as a conjunction of manner comparing two abilities equally
  • D) It shows contrast between singing and dancing

Answer: C) It functions as a conjunction of manner comparing two abilities equally ("As well as" here introduces an adverbial clause of manner comparing the degree to which she sings with the degree to which she dances — it indicates that both skills are of an equal and high standard.)

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

7 Common Causes of Joint Pain in Seniors

Fall Prevention Tips Every Senior Should Know

How to Improve Sleep After 65: Simple Tips for Better Health and Rest