http://www.englishforums.com/English/EslGeneralEnglishGrammar-Questions/Forum12.htmAsk your questions on grammar and get your sentence checked. We answer lots of different types of general English grammar questions here.enXMOD (Build: 3598.39794)http://www.englishforums.com/English/NotOnlyButAlso/2/hwjgv/Post.htm#629821Thu, 08 Jan 2009 13:33:52 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:629821Verb_aTIM0http://www.englishforums.com/English/NotOnlyButAlso/2/hwjgv/Post.htm#629821http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-629821.xmlHappy New Year! And the best of the wishes to you all. When Tuongvan wrote the following post at Tue, Dec 30 2008 : "He not only doesn't buy my goods but also disparrage them." I answered him with a parallel in an schematic way, this is, a pattern where is easier for a statement to be visualized. He not only doesn't buy my goods but also disparages them. (Subject ) ( Parallel Pattern ) (Verb ) (Complement ) As you can see, in both sentences of the Statement, the Predicate has a verb that heads them. The samehttp://www.englishforums.com/English/NotOnlyButAlso/2/hwjgv/Post.htm#628723Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:33:52 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:628723Lcwang1http://www.englishforums.com/English/NotOnlyButAlso/2/hwjgv/Post.htm#628723http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-628723.xmlThank you, Yankee.http://www.englishforums.com/English/NotOnlyButAlso/2/hwjgv/Post.htm#628717Fri, 08 May 2009 12:33:52 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:628717Yankee2http://www.englishforums.com/English/NotOnlyButAlso/2/hwjgv/Post.htm#628717http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-628717.xmlHi Lcwang Mister Micawber is not online at the moment, but here is my input: I would not begin your sentence with "Not only", and I'd say that's because the meaning is much to close to being the same for both verbs: doing something fluently in English. I would say that an introductory "Not only" would generally refer to the entire clause -- not just the verb. Thus, beginning your sentence with "Not only" would force you to repeat the words "English fluently". You can avoid unneccesary repetition by using "not only" elsewhere -- so that it refers only to the verb. Not only does he speak but also write English fluently . No Not only does he speak English fluently but also he...http://www.englishforums.com/English/NotOnlyButAlso/2/hwjgv/Post.htm#628669Thu, 08 Jan 2009 13:33:52 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:628669Lcwang3http://www.englishforums.com/English/NotOnlyButAlso/2/hwjgv/Post.htm#628669http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-628669.xmlHi, Mister Micawber: Is it correct to say: Not only does he speak but also write English fluently . Or verb/subject inversion occurs only when "not only....but also" connects two complete clauses, such as: Not only does he speak English fluently but also he writes English fluently. In other words, which of the following is correct: Not only does he speak but also write English fluently . Not only does he speak English fluently but also he writes English fluently. He not only speaks but also writes English fluently.http://www.englishforums.com/English/NotOnlyButAlso/2/hwjgv/Post.htm#628510Sun, 08 Feb 2009 13:33:52 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:628510Avangi4http://www.englishforums.com/English/NotOnlyButAlso/2/hwjgv/Post.htm#628510http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-628510.xml- Not only do you not do your homework, but you also copy it from the classmates. Yes indeed! This is the one! I don't know what I could have been thinking. Sorry about the spelling. I thought it looked weird! (I got "parallel" right!)http://www.englishforums.com/English/NotOnlyButAlso/hwjgv/post.htm#628405Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:33:52 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:628405Yankee5http://www.englishforums.com/English/NotOnlyButAlso/hwjgv/post.htm#628405http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-628405.xmlJust a couple of additional comments: Please note that this word contains only one R: disparage I don't know why we need to put "does" before dispa r ages? Basically, you should never use "does" with "disparage s ". It is possible to use "does disparage" to form a question, for example. However, as Avangi pointed out in his post, the use of "does disparage" would not be idiomatic in this particular sentence. The wording/word order in both of the following sentences would be OK (but my personal preference would be the first one): - Not only do you not do your homework, but you also copy it from the classmates. - Not only don't you do your homework, but you also copy it from...http://www.englishforums.com/English/NotOnlyButAlso/hwjgv/post.htm#628333Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:33:52 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:628333Avangi6http://www.englishforums.com/English/NotOnlyButAlso/hwjgv/post.htm#628333http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-628333.xmlNote that TIM does not put "does" before "disparrages" (which would be a correct optional form of the simple present), he puts "do" before "disparrage," without the "s," which is a plural form of the verb: " We do disparrage them." " They do disparrage them." The sentence calls for singular: " He does disparrage them." The "do" is required in negative statements, and in questions, and may be used in positive statements for emphasis: "Do you disparrage them?" "I do not disparrage them!" "I do repudiate my sins." I have always been taught to say, "Not only don't you do your homework, but you also copy it...http://www.englishforums.com/English/NotOnlyButAlso/hwjgv/post.htm#628309Sun, 08 Feb 2009 13:33:52 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:628309myeung7http://www.englishforums.com/English/NotOnlyButAlso/hwjgv/post.htm#628309http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-628309.xmlhi all, i don't know why we need to put "does" before disparrages? Also, as my teacher said before, the important one had to put in second. For example , Not only you don't do your homework, but also you copy it from the classmates.Is she right?http://www.englishforums.com/English/NotOnlyButAlso/hwjgv/post.htm#628257Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:33:52 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:628257Avangi8http://www.englishforums.com/English/NotOnlyButAlso/hwjgv/post.htm#628257http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-628257.xmlTuongvan Can I say like this?: He not only doesn't buy my goods but also disparrage them. As long as you follow the parralel construction pattern, you are right. He not only doesn't buy my goods, but also (do) disparrage them. (do you mean, "the verb, to do" ? - Nona took your solution to be "does disparrage." What's your intention? I take it as meaning the user may choose between "he do disparrage" and "he disparrage." (Parallel) (Both phrases headed by a verb.). TIM Hi, Tim. This seems thoughtful enough, but a bit manque. The devil is in the details. It seems to me the details of your parallel are not correct. I would put it: &nbshttp://www.englishforums.com/English/NotOnlyButAlso/hwjgv/post.htm#627480Sun, 08 Mar 2009 13:33:52 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:627480nona the brit9http://www.englishforums.com/English/NotOnlyButAlso/hwjgv/post.htm#627480http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-627480.xmlAre you suggesting this would be ok? He not only doesn't buy my goods but also does disparage them. I suppose so...but it isn't a very natural way to express this.http://www.englishforums.com/English/NotOnlyButAlso/hwjgv/post.htm#627323Sun, 08 Feb 2009 13:33:52 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:627323Verb_aTIM10http://www.englishforums.com/English/NotOnlyButAlso/hwjgv/post.htm#627323http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-627323.xmlTuongvan Can I say like this?: He not only doesn't buy my goods but also disparrage them. As long as you follow the parralel construction pattern, you are right. He not only doesn't buy my goods, but also (do) disparrage them. (Parallel) (Both phrases headed by a verb.). TIMhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/NotOnlyButAlso/hwjgv/post.htm#627208Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:33:52 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:627208Tuongvan11http://www.englishforums.com/English/NotOnlyButAlso/hwjgv/post.htm#627208http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-627208.xmlThank you Mister Micawbwe very muchhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/NotOnlyButAlso/hwjgv/post.htm#626688Fri, 08 May 2009 12:33:52 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:626688Mister Micawber12http://www.englishforums.com/English/NotOnlyButAlso/hwjgv/post.htm#626688http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-626688.xmlAlmost. Not only does he not buy my goods , but he also disparages them. .http://www.englishforums.com/English/NotOnlyButAlso/hwjgv/post.htmThu, 08 Jan 2009 13:33:52 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:626658Tuongvan13http://www.englishforums.com/English/NotOnlyButAlso/hwjgv/post.htmhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-626658.xmlDear teachers, Can I say like this?: He not only doesn't buy my goods but also disparrage them. Thank you in advance