Fill in the blank with the most appropriate option:
His critique of the narrative was not only grounded in textual exegesis but also ____ by a broader philosophical framework.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
Correct Answer: buttressed
Explanation
• The sentence follows the correlative conjunction structure not only... but also, which requires parallel grammatical forms.
• The auxiliary verb was governs both parts of the predicate in the passive voice: was not only grounded... but also [was] buttressed.
• Therefore, the past participle form buttressed (meaning strengthened or supported) is grammatically and contextually correct.
Quick Tip: Ensure parallelism when using correlative conjunctions. Here, the past participle grounded balances with the past participle buttressed.