Which is the best answer?

Question

Hi,I'm Vietnamese. Today I had an English exam which had the following question (choose the closest meaning):He spent all his money. He even borrowed some from me.A. Not only did he spend all his money but also borrowed some from me.B. Hardly had he borrowed some money from me, he spent it all.C. Not only did he spend all his money but he borrowed some from me.D. As soon as he borrowed some money from me, he spent it all.I don't know what the best selection was. Some people answered A, others chose C, and the others said that question was wrong. Please help me and explain.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

The correct answer is A because this is the inversion of the "not only ... but also" sentence structure.

Clive · Answer

A. Not only did he spend all his money but also borrowed some from me.

No. If you want to say it like this, word it thus. He not only spent all his money but also borrowed some from me.

B. Hardly had he borrowed some money from me, he spent it all. This is not correct English, but the main concern is it adds the idea of 'hardly', which is not in the original sentences. Nor is the idea that he spent all the money he borrowed said explicitly in the original.

C. Not only did he spend all his money but he borrowed some from me. Correct. It could also be written as Not only did he spend all his money but he also borrowed some from me.

D. As soon as he borrowed some money from me, he spent it all. This does not say he spent his own money. It also adds the idea of 'as soon as', which is not in the original sentences. Nor is the idea that he spent all the money he borrowed said explicitly in the original.

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