GMAT Question of the Day – 5/1/2021

ANSWER SELECTION

(A) but he is the captain of the lacrosse team

(B) but he was the captain of the lacrosse team

(C) also he is the captain of the lacrosse team

(D) but he is also the captain of the lacrosse team (THIS IS CORRECT!)

(E) but he is also the captain of the lacrosse team as well

ANSWER EXPLANATION

The error in this sentence hinges around the idiomatic not only … but also construction. The sentence as written does not include “also,” so (A) is incorrect.

A quick scan to group the answers reveals that (C), (D), and (E) use “also,” while (B) does not; (B) can therefore be eliminated.

Now consider the remaining three choices. (C) includes “also” but eliminates “but,” leaving an equally incorrect not only … also structure. (D) correctly includes the not only … but also phrase, completing the sentence as required. Choice (E) also includes the not only … but also phrase, but this choice adds “as well,” creating redundancy.

(D) is correct.

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