In the sentence "She is not only a great singer but also an exceptional dancer", which type of conjunction is used?

Introduction / Context:
Conjunctions are words that join words, phrases, or clauses. In English grammar, they are grouped into several types such as coordinating, subordinating, and correlative conjunctions. The paired expression "not only ... but also" is widely used to emphasise two related qualities or actions. This question asks learners to identify which type of conjunction this pair belongs to when used in a sentence that describes a person as both a great singer and an exceptional dancer.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The sentence given is "She is not only a great singer but also an exceptional dancer".
- The key joining expression is "not only ... but also".
- The options include several types of conjunctions: phrasal, subordinating, correlative, coordinating, and conjunctive adverb.
- We assume basic school level definitions of each category.

Concept / Approach:
Correlative conjunctions are pairs of conjunctions that work together to join equal grammatical elements. Common examples include "either ... or", "neither ... nor", "both ... and", and "not only ... but also". In the given sentence, "not only" introduces the first quality, "a great singer", and "but also" introduces the second, "an exceptional dancer". These two parts balance each other and are connected by a correlative pair. The approach is to recognise this pair and match it with the correct category, ignoring options that describe single word conjunctions or other grammatical functions.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the joining words or phrases in the sentence: "not only" and "but also". Step 2: Notice that these two elements come as a pair and link two similar structures: "a great singer" and "an exceptional dancer". Step 3: Recall that such paired conjunctions that appear together and connect equal elements are called correlative conjunctions. Step 4: Check option C, "Correlative conjunction", which fits this description exactly. Step 5: Option B, "Subordinating conjunction", would apply to words like "because", "although", or "when" that introduce dependent clauses, which is not the case here. Step 6: Option D, "Coordinating conjunction", refers to single words like "and", "but", or "or" that join equal parts, not a paired structure like "not only ... but also". Step 7: Option A, "Phrasal conjunction", and option E, "Conjunctive adverb", are not standard labels for this specific paired form. Step 8: Therefore, the correct answer is that "not only ... but also" is a correlative conjunction.

Verification / Alternative check:
An easy verification method is to list common correlative conjunctions: "either ... or", "neither ... nor", "both ... and", "not only ... but also". The pattern of two linked parts separated in the sentence is clear. In the example sentence, if we reduce the structure, we get "She is not only X but also Y", where X and Y are of the same type. This is exactly how correlative conjunctions function. By contrast, subordinating conjunctions join a main clause and a subordinate clause, which is not happening here, and coordinating conjunctions typically appear as single words joining similar elements.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Phrasal conjunction: This term is not commonly used in basic grammar categories and does not specifically refer to paired structures like "not only ... but also".
Subordinating conjunction: These link dependent clauses to main clauses and include words like "because", "although", and "if", not the pair in the sentence.
Coordinating conjunction: These are single words such as "and" or "but", not paired conjunctions that work together across a sentence.
Conjunctive adverb: Words like "however", "therefore", and "moreover" fall into that category, and they are not used as a pair in the given way.

Common Pitfalls:
Some learners see the word "but" and quickly choose "coordinating conjunction" without noticing the full paired structure "not only ... but also". Others may not recall the term "correlative" even though they recognise the pattern. To avoid these errors, it is helpful to memorise the list of correlative pairs and remember that they always appear in two parts that balance each other. Whenever a question shows one of these pairs, the safe answer is "correlative conjunction".

Final Answer:
In the sentence given, the expression "not only ... but also" is a correlative conjunction pair.