not only are

USAGE SUMMARY

'not only are' is correct and can be used in written English.
It is used to emphasize that two or more things are true. For example, "Not only are the plants beautiful, but they are also very fragrant."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

55 human-written examples

Not only are Democrats more conservative.

Independent

Not only are they keen on texting.

The Economist

"Not only are these candidates well-funded.

The New York Times

"Not only are we a credible competitor," Mr. Ruiz said.

The New York Times

Not only are these profits obscene, so is executive pay.

The Guardian - Opinion

And not only are journalists kidnapped: so are their stories.

The Guardian - Books

Not only are you selling seeds, you're selling out democracy.

The Guardian - Opinion

Not only are they unwelcome; they are aberrant.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

3 human-written examples

Not only is this exhausting.

The Economist

Not only was it Presidential.

The New Yorker

Not only is "Duck!

The New York Times - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Ensure that the second part of the "not only... but also..." construction provides a logical and meaningful complement to the first part. This strengthens the overall argument or description.

Common error

Avoid omitting the "but also" part of the construction. While sometimes implied, explicitly stating "but also" enhances clarity and avoids potential ambiguity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "not only are" functions as an emphatic introductory phrase in a sentence. It is used to introduce the first element in a correlative construction (typically followed by "but also"), emphasizing that more than one thing is true or applicable. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase introduces additional information.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

93%

Wiki

4%

Science

1%

Less common in

Formal & Business

1%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "not only are" is a versatile and frequently used phrase that serves to emphasize multiple aspects of a subject. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it is grammatically sound and commonly employed in various writing styles, especially in news and media. When using "not only are", it's crucial to ensure the subsequent "but also" clause is present (either explicitly or implicitly) to provide a complete and meaningful message. Be aware of the context and tone you want to set, as the surrounding words will have to be adapted accordingly.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

not just are

Replaces "only" with "just", slightly weakening the emphasis on the exclusivity of the initial point.

not merely are

Substitutes "only" with "merely", adding a subtle nuance of something being more than initially suggested.

not simply are

Uses "simply" instead of "only", implying ease or straightforwardness in addition to the initial point.

not solely are

Replaces "only" with "solely", focusing on the uniqueness of the aspect being described.

not exclusively are

Substitutes "only" with "exclusively", highlighting that something is not limited to the initial point.

in addition to being

Rephrases the entire structure to focus on the additive nature of the information.

besides being

Similar to "in addition to being", but slightly more informal.

as well as being

Emphasizes the equal importance of the additional point.

furthermore, they are

Introduces the additional point with a formal connector.

moreover, they are

Similar to "furthermore, they are", but with a slightly stronger emphasis on the additional point.

FAQs

How to use "not only are" in a sentence?

Use "not only are" to introduce the first of two related pieces of information. For example, "Not only are they skilled, but they're also dedicated".

What's the correct structure: "not only are... but also" or "not only... but also are"?

The correct structure is "not only are... but also..." where the "are" applies to both parts being connected. For example, "Not only are the students intelligent, but they are also hardworking".

What can I say instead of "not only are" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, you could use "in addition to being" or "furthermore, they are" instead of "not only are".

Is it always necessary to include "but also" after "not only are"?

While sometimes the "but also" can be implied, including it explicitly makes the sentence clearer and more emphatic. Omitting it can sometimes make the sentence sound incomplete.