Question 87·Hard·Form, Structure, and Sense
Because the new policy is expected to reduce emissions by forty percent and require manufacturers to develop more efficient engines, advocates believe it will not only save consumers money but also ______.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
For correlative conjunction questions (like "not only ... but also ..."), first find the helping verb and the word or phrase that follows the first part of the pair. Then make the phrase after the second part match it in grammatical form (noun with noun, base verb with base verb, etc.). Quickly test each option in the sentence, eliminating those that repeat subjects or helping verbs unnecessarily or that switch to a different verb form (like "to" + verb or -ing) that breaks parallelism.
Hints
Look at the structure around the blank
Pay attention to the phrase "will not only save consumers money but also ______." How is the first action after "will" written?
Think about parallel structure
In a "not only ... but also ..." construction, the parts that follow each piece should be in the same grammatical form. What kind of word or phrase comes after "save"?
Check for extra subjects or helping verbs
Ask yourself: do we need to repeat "it will" after "but also," or should the blank simply continue the list of what "it will" do?
Compare verb forms
Compare how each option (base verb, infinitive with "to," -ing form, full clause) fits after "but also" and whether it matches "save" in form.
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the key structure in the sentence
Focus on the part of the sentence after "advocates believe":
"... it will not only save consumers money but also ______."
This is a correlative structure using "not only ... but also ..." and includes the helping verb "will." Whatever fills the blank must work smoothly with this structure.
Match the verb forms for parallel structure
Notice that after "will," the first verb phrase is "save consumers money."
- The pattern is: "will not only save consumers money but also ______."
- For correct parallel structure, the second part after "but also" should use a verb phrase in the same form as "save" (the base form of the verb, with no extra subject or "to").
Test each answer choice for grammar and parallelism
Plug each option into the sentence:
- A) "... will not only save consumers money but also it will improve public health" – repeats the subject and helping verb, breaking the parallel structure.
- C) "... will not only save consumers money but also to improve public health" – "to improve" is an infinitive and does not match the base verb "save."
- D) "... will not only save consumers money but also improving public health" – "improving" is a -ing form (gerund/participle) and does not match "save."
Only one option gives a simple base verb phrase that matches "save" after "will."
Confirm the correct, parallel version of the sentence
Now read the sentence with the remaining option:
"Because the new policy is expected to reduce emissions by forty percent and require manufacturers to develop more efficient engines, advocates believe it will not only save consumers money but also improve public health."
This version is grammatically correct and maintains parallel structure, so the correct answer is B) improve public health.