6
   

To but or not to but

 
 
holty88
 
Reply Thu 20 Feb, 2014 08:35 pm
Hello could somebody please tell me which of the two (if any) are correct. Thanks Will

"Not only is your son extremely talented in the subject, he is also very humble and a pleasure to have in the class room."

"Not only is your son extremely talented in the subject, BUT he is also very humble and a pleasure to have in the class room."
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Type: Question • Score: 6 • Views: 701 • Replies: 15
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contrex
 
  2  
Reply Fri 21 Feb, 2014 01:03 am
Both are correct.
bobsal u1553115
 
  2  
Reply Fri 21 Feb, 2014 07:53 am
Both work, however most authorities prefer smaller buts. Generaly a but is used to contrast clauses. "He's handsome but stupid. In your sentence there is no real contrasting. Like: "He's informed, but narrowly so," Rather than but, use "and" as you are adding to his qualities, " He's informed and modest about it."
contrex
 
  1  
Reply Fri 21 Feb, 2014 08:40 am
@bobsal u1553115,
bobsal u1553115 wrote:

Both work, however most authorities prefer smaller buts.


Your knowledge is as limited as your English. "Not only ... but also ... " is a common English construction.

RedLily
 
  1  
Reply Fri 21 Feb, 2014 12:10 pm
@contrex,
Hi Contrex,

Could you help me to understand the grammatical structure of "Not only is your son.....". Why do we put "is" before "your" but not "Not only your son is.....".

Thanks,
RedLily
bobsal u1553115
 
  1  
Reply Fri 21 Feb, 2014 12:24 pm
@contrex,
My English is not so limited as your limited exposure to it might suggest. I bet you are an authority that prefers big buts. Go back to sleep.
0 Replies
 
bobsal u1553115
 
  1  
Reply Fri 21 Feb, 2014 12:27 pm
@RedLily,
One is preferred to the awkward wording of the other. Ask contrex which one it is.
0 Replies
 
contrex
 
  2  
Reply Fri 21 Feb, 2014 02:00 pm
@RedLily,
RedLily wrote:
Why do we put "is" before "your" but not "Not only your son is....."?

There are a number of situations where the verb (e.g.'is') is placed before the subject (e.g. 'your son'). This is called inversion. One of these situations is in expressions starting with 'only' or 'not only'. You will notice that following these any subject/verb pairs are not inverted.

Only after the meeting did I realize the importance of the subject.

Only after the rain had started did he realise he had no umbrella.

Not only is the cup empty, it is also cracked.

There are plenty of web resources about inversion, and it is a topic in many grammar books. Here is just one of many sites where you can see some other times when it is used:

http://www.learn-english-today.com/lessons/lesson_contents/verbs/inversion.html

A Google search e.g. for "English grammar verb inversion' will find you plenty of others.





Setanta
 
  2  
Reply Fri 21 Feb, 2014 02:13 pm
I like big butts, myself. Each to his own, said the old woman as she kissed the cow.
0 Replies
 
RedLily
 
  1  
Reply Fri 21 Feb, 2014 02:39 pm
@contrex,
Thank you contrex. You are very helpful. I will go to the website and learn more.
0 Replies
 
dalehileman
 
  1  
Reply Fri 21 Feb, 2014 04:57 pm
@holty88,
Use of the BUT Holty probably makes the comma unnecessary
0 Replies
 
izzythepush
 
  0  
Reply Sat 22 Feb, 2014 04:38 am
@holty88,
Humble can have perjorative meanings, like he knows his place, won't take risks, is a bit of a suck up. Polite does not have such negative connotations.
contrex
 
  1  
Reply Sat 22 Feb, 2014 05:32 am
@izzythepush,
izzythepush wrote:
Humble can have perjorative meanings

Like Uriah Heep in Charles Dickens' 'David Copperfield'. His name has become synonymous with being a yes man.

In deferential societies, being humble is how a lower status person behaves towards a higher status person, whereas politeness involves no assumptions of status.
izzythepush
 
  0  
Reply Sat 22 Feb, 2014 06:21 am
@contrex,
Exactly, humble always makes me think of him. Not the band though. I won't post a song because they're crap. I saw them at Newcastle City Hall and spent the entire concert in the bar.
bobsal u1553115
 
  1  
Reply Sun 23 Feb, 2014 10:12 am
@izzythepush,
You need to listen to the live album. Seen them several times with Frampton and without Frampton in the seventies and they were one of the best live bands I've witnessed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZMmV6xXYFw&list=PLUdmMccuxH2HRL1pmRyjgtJ-_tqytedfc&feature=player_detailpage
izzythepush
 
  0  
Reply Sun 23 Feb, 2014 10:53 am
@bobsal u1553115,
Did you not read my post? I saw them live.
0 Replies
 
 

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