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Direction: In this section two sentences are given and you are required to find the correct sentence which combines both the sentences. Choose the correct response 1), 2), 3) or 4) and indicate on the Answer Sheet accordingly.

Which is the correct combination of the given two sentences?

He is hard-working. He is honest too.

This question was previously asked in
CDS I 2020 Elementary Mathematics Previous Year Paper (02-Feb-2020)
The correct answer is

He is not only hard-working, but also honest.

Let's analyze the given task and the provided options to find the correct way to combine the two sentences:

Original Sentences:

  • He is hard-working.
  • He is honest too.

The goal is to combine these two simple sentences into a single, grammatically correct sentence that preserves the original meaning. The word "too" in the second sentence indicates that being honest is an additional quality to being hard-working.

Analyzing Sentence Combination Options

We will examine each option provided to see which one correctly combines the two positive attributes mentioned in the original sentences.

  • Option 1: He is not only hard-working, but also honest.

    This option uses the correlative conjunction structure "not only... but also". This structure is used to connect two related ideas, emphasizing that the second idea is in addition to the first. It perfectly fits the meaning of the original sentences, which list two qualities the person possesses.

  • Option 2: He is only hard-working and honest.

    The word "only" restricts the qualities mentioned. This changes the meaning from stating that he *is* hard-working and honest (among potentially other qualities) to stating that these are the *only* qualities he possesses. This is not implied by the original sentences.

  • Option 3: He is hard-working but honest too.

    The conjunction "but" is typically used to show contrast or opposition. There is no contrast between being hard-working and being honest; they are both positive traits. Using "but" here makes the sentence awkward and grammatically incorrect in this context. While "too" correctly implies addition, the incorrect conjunction "but" makes the overall structure faulty.

  • Option 4: He is not hard-working but also honest.

    This sentence contains a negative statement ("He is not hard-working") which directly contradicts the first original sentence ("He is hard-working"). Therefore, this option does not correctly combine the sentences.

Determining the Correct Combined Sentence

Based on the analysis, Option 1 correctly and effectively combines the two sentences, expressing that the person possesses both the quality of being hard-working and the quality of being honest, with the latter being an addition to the former.

The structure "not only... but also" is the standard and appropriate way to express this kind of additive relationship between two parallel elements (in this case, the adjectives "hard-working" and "honest").

Therefore, the correct combination is:

He is not only hard-working, but also honest.

Revision Table: Key Grammar Concepts

Concept Explanation Example
Correlative Conjunctions Pairs of conjunctions that work together to join words or groups of words. not only... but also, either... or, neither... nor, both... and
"Not only... but also" Used to emphasize that something is true or happens in addition to something else. Connects two parallel elements. She is not only intelligent but also kind.
Conjunction "But" Used to introduce a statement that contrasts with what has just been said. He is tall, but he is slow.

Additional Information: Combining Sentences Effectively

Combining sentences is an important skill in writing. It helps create flow and variety in paragraphs. Here are some ways sentences can be combined:

  • Using coordinating conjunctions (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so).
  • Using subordinating conjunctions (because, although, while, if, when, etc.) to create complex sentences.
  • Using conjunctive adverbs (however, therefore, moreover, etc.) with a semicolon.
  • Using correlative conjunctions (like "not only... but also").
  • Using relative pronouns (who, whom, whose, which, that) to create relative clauses.
  • Using participial phrases.
  • Using appositives.

Choosing the correct method depends on the relationship between the ideas you want to connect. In this case, the "not only... but also" structure best conveys the additive nature of the two qualities mentioned.

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