Find the part of the sentence that contains an error: The reforms being recommended by the panel (1) / are not only intended to s…

Question

Find the part of the sentence that contains an error:

The reforms being recommended by the panel (1) / are not only intended to streamline administrative functions (2) / but also addressing the asymmetries in resource allocation (3) / that have long plagued rural districts. (4)

1. A. (1)
2. B. (2)
3. C. (3) (Correct answer)
4. D. (4)

Correct Answer

Option C — (3)

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is part (3).

Key Points

• The sentence uses the correlative pair not only … but also, and the structures following each half must match.
• Part (2) reads "are not only intended to streamline administrative functions", so what follows *but also* must continue the same infinitive pattern.
• Part (3) has "but also addressing the asymmetries", switching from an infinitive to a gerund and breaking the parallel.
• The correction is "but also to address the asymmetries".

Additional Information

• Correlative pairs requiring matched structures: not only … but also, either … or, neither … nor, both … and, whether … or, not … but.
• The elements joined must be grammatically alike — two nouns, two infinitives, two clauses — and the pair must also be correctly placed, sitting immediately before the elements they join.
• Whenever *not only* appears in an error-detection sentence, go straight to the *but also* half; this is one of the most reliably planted errors in the paper.