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Jackson6612 Posted 15 years ago
Grammar

I'll be only a moment.

Hi

In a movie I was watching one character says to the other that he will be back in a moment by using this sentence "I'll be only a moment". I'm not saying it's incorrect but to me it looks so. I would have said instead something like "I'll be away only a moment", or "I will be back in a moment". Please help me. Thanks.
  

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8 Answers
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Hi.i am an english teacher from Iran.I think we use such sentences in our languages too, in informal occasion or when the hearer knows what we mean,we do not use complete sentences.We just omit them for no exact matter.thanks
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(Please wait, ) I'll only be a moment is a very common expression, especially when someone is talking on the phone, and needs to attend to something else for a short period of time.
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Hi

"I'll be only a moment" sounds fine to me

In UK English, you might find "be" and "only" the other way round ..

- I'm just going to see if the kids are OK: I'll only be a moment

Best regards, Dave
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These all have the same basic meaning.

I'll only be a [moment / second / minute].

I'll be back in a [moment / second / minute].

This will only take a [moment / second / minute].

The word order "I'll be only a moment" is a little odd to my ear.

CJ
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Hi

When I started posting on EF, I would sometimes get a ton of bricks if I didn't acknowledge an americanism

But here, Alphecca and Jim seem to agree with me, so I think the only right way to say it is..

- I'll only be a moment

Regards, Dave
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Thank you very much, everyone.

Actually I heard this line in the movie The Age of Innocence (1993) and have checked it again just now. I don't know why they used the un-idiomatic version. The movie is based on a novel of same title which was written in 19th century.

Regards

Jackson
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Hi

I've googled it and there's a US author (and film-writer), Edfrid A Bingham, early twentieth-century, who wrote a book - "The Heart of Thunder Mountain" (1916) and that has..

- "Here, Williams!" Haig said shortly. "Hold my team, will you! I'll be only a few minutes."

So, yes, the "be" can definitely go before the "only" around that time

Nowadays, I don't thin
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dave_anon
Hi

I've googled it and there's a US author (and film-writer), Edfrid A Bingham, early twentieth-century, who wrote a book - "The Heart of Thunder Mountain" (1916) and that has..

- "Here, Williams!" Haig said shortly. "Hold my team, will you! I'll be only a few minutes."

So, yes, the "be" can definitely go before the "only" around t
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