Introduction / Context:
This item checks two common issues: the correct correlative construction with “not only … but also …” and the spelling of the verb “acquit”. Formal English places an auxiliary before the subject after “not only” when it begins a clause, and “acquit” doubles the “t” in its past forms.
Given Data / Assumptions:
- The sentence begins with “Not only …”.
- Segment A contains “acquited” (misspelling) and lacks the auxiliary inversion.
- Other segments are otherwise acceptable content-wise.
Concept / Approach:
- Correlative pattern (fronted): “Not only did + subject + base verb … but also …”.
- Correct past form: “acquitted”.
- Therefore, Segment A should read: “Not only did the judges acquit …”.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Identify correlative conjunction starting the sentence.Insert the auxiliary “did” and revert the verb to base: “did … acquit”.Fix spelling: “acquitted”.
Verification / Alternative check:
Parallelism test: “not only did they acquit … but they also commended …” — structure is now balanced.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
B and C: Correct objects and participle “levelled”.D: Completes the correlative with “also” appropriately.E: Not valid because A contains clear errors.
Common Pitfalls:
Forgetting inversion after fronted negatives like “not only”.Misspelling “acquitted”.
Final Answer:
Not only the judges acquited
Discussion & Comments