Not only ______ an extraordinary command of classical languages, but she was also a pioneering epigrapher.
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: B. did the scholar possess
- Step 1: When the negative correlative 'not only' begins an independent clause, subject-auxiliary inversion is mandatory. The past auxiliary 'did' precedes the subject 'the scholar', paired with 'but she was also' in the following clause. Answer: did the scholar possess. Why not the others: "the scholar possessed vast knowledge of texts" fails to invert the auxiliary and subject after the initial negative correlative 'not only'; "possessed the scholar" inverts the lexical verb directly without an auxiliary, violating modern English syntax; "has the scholar owned" uses present perfect which clashes with the simple past 'was' in the parallel clause.
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More Advanced Inversion and Subjunctive Mood questions
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