English Grammar: Correlative Conjunctions Explained

Understanding Correlative Conjunctions in English

Correlative conjunctions are pairs of conjunctions that work together to connect two words, phrases, or clauses in a sentence. These pairs always appear together and are used to create a balanced sentence structure. A very common pair of correlative conjunctions is "not only...but also". This pair is used to show that two pieces of information are true or that two actions happened, often emphasizing the second piece of information.

When using "not only...but also," it is crucial to maintain parallelism. This means that the grammatical structure following "not only" must be the same as the grammatical structure following "but also."

Analyzing the Sentence: "He was not only accused of theft_______of conspiracy."

The given sentence begins with "He was not only accused of theft," which sets up the first part of a correlative construction. The blank needs to be filled with the second part of this construction to complete the thought logically and grammatically. The phrase "accused of theft" is parallel in structure to "of conspiracy."

• The phrase "not only" introduces the first accusation: "of theft."
• We need a phrase to introduce the second accusation: "of conspiracy," which must maintain parallelism with the first.

Evaluating the Options for Sentence Completion

Let's examine each option to determine the best fit for the blank, ensuring the sentence remains grammatically correct and coherent.

• Option 1: rather

  If we use "rather," the sentence becomes: "He was not only accused of theft rather of conspiracy." The word "rather" typically implies a preference or an alternative, often used in constructions like "would rather" or "rather than." It does not complete the "not only" correlative pair and makes the sentence grammatically awkward and illogical in this context.

• Option 2: but also

  If we use "but also," the sentence becomes: "He was not only accused of theft but also of conspiracy." This is the correct and standard correlative conjunction pair with "not only." It clearly indicates that he was accused of two things: theft and conspiracy. The phrase "of theft" is a prepositional phrase, and "of conspiracy" is also a prepositional phrase, maintaining perfect parallelism.

• Option 3: but even

  If we use "but even," the sentence becomes: "He was not only accused of theft but even of conspiracy." While "but even" can sometimes be used to add emphasis, it is not the standard or grammatically correct completion for the "not only" construction. The established correlative pair is "not only...but also." Using "but even" here makes the sentence less formal and deviates from the expected grammatical structure for this specific type of emphasis.

• Option 4: rather than

  If we use "rather than," the sentence becomes: "He was not only accused of theft rather than of conspiracy." Similar to "rather," "rather than" indicates an alternative or preference, meaning "instead of." This completely changes the meaning of the sentence from two concurrent accusations to one being preferred over the other, which is not what the "not only" structure implies.

Conclusion on the Correct Correlative Conjunction

Based on the analysis of correlative conjunctions and the requirement for parallelism, "but also" is the only option that correctly completes the "not only" construction. The completed sentence "He was not only accused of theft but also of conspiracy" correctly conveys that he was accused of both theft and conspiracy, with an emphasis on the second accusation.