Not Only...But Also Exercises

Not only...but also joins two connected ideas and gives them extra emphasis. When Not only starts the sentence, English uses inversion in the first clause: the helper verb, modal, or form of be moves before the subject. Compare the normal sentence "She sings beautifully and plays the piano" with the emphatic version "Not only does she sing beautifully, but she also plays the piano." In present simple and past simple, add do, does, or did and keep the main verb in the base form.

The second clause after but normally keeps standard subject-verb order: "but she also plays", not "but also does she play". This is where many learners over-invert. The structure can work with be ("Not only was the service excellent..."), perfect forms ("Not only has she finished..."), and modal verbs ("Not only can he play..."). It is useful in formal writing because it presents two strong points together. In transformations, check the original tense first, choose the correct helper, and keep the second clause natural.