Choose the correct pair of omitted words in the following sentence:
Bill ____ robbed the bank _____ locked the employees in a room.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → not only, but also
Correlative conjunction "not only ... but also":
- Correlative conjunctions come in pairs and join two words or phrases of the same kind (either ... or, neither ... nor, not only ... but also).
- Not only ... but also adds a second, often more striking, fact to the first.
- This sentence: the two actions "robbed the bank" and "locked the employees in a room" are joined: "Bill not only robbed the bank but also locked the employees in a room."
Complete sentence: Bill not only robbed the bank but also locked the employees in a room.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: only, not — Incorrect. "Bill only robbed the bank not locked the employees" is ungrammatical and reverses the meaning. It denies the second action.
Option 3: too, to — Incorrect. "Too ... to" is used with an adjective to show that something is impossible (too tired to walk). "Bill too robbed the bank to locked" makes no sense.
Option 4: never more — Incorrect. It gives only one word for each blank with no joining sense: "Bill never robbed the bank more locked" makes no sense.