Complex sentence

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Hi,Is this right in past tense: He believed that the best way to succeed was to do things methodically, upon which the job would not only have become easier but also given him many rewards. (since he believes in this method and hasn't actually done it, I am assuming it is conditional. My problem is with 'not only, but also.' Here, it is 'not only have'... how will the second clause work?)Regards,

AlpheccaStars · Accepted Answer

Anon:
The pattern not only... but also is very common.

..the job would (not only) have become easier, but also (the job would have) given him many rewards.

It is similar to:

... the job would have become easier and given him many rewards.

The conjunction (but or and) joins the past participles - become and given. This fragment is one clause with one subject and two verbs.

Here's another example of the not only...but also pattern. In this case it joins two nouns.

He stayed at home today. He not only had a bad cold, but also a migraine headache.

Hope this helps!

Anonymous · Answer

Thanks, AS, for the detailed explanation. Is my original sentence then right? I mean, am I right in assuming that it is in the conditional form?

AlpheccaStars · Answer

A conditional would have either an if- clause or an unless-clause.

Anonymous · Answer

I see, thanks. But what of the original sentence? Do I have to change it in some way? I assumed it was conditional, so I had 'would have' in the second clause. Do I know change it 'would' because it refers to future?

AlpheccaStars · Answer

Well, there are improvements that you could make. First, the "upon which" does not have a clear antededent. I would make two sentences, or connect them with a semicolon.

He believed that the best way to succeed was to do things methodically. The job would not only have become easier but also given him many rewards.

Indeed, would is a future reference, a more polite form of will. In your sentence, it is not necessary. There are several ways to write this in the present (reported speech in the past).

If a person wants to succeed, he believed, they have to do all jobs methodically.
If a person wants to succeed, he believed, they will have to do all jobs methodically.
If a person wants to succeed, he believed, they would have to do all jobs methodically.

In the past;
If a person wanted to succeed, they would have to do all jobs methodically.
(In this case, would refers to the future relative to a point in past time)

Conditionals:
If he had done the job methodically, he would have succeeded. (He had a choice on how to do the job, and he did not succeed.)

If he had done the job methodically, it would have been easier.

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