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Kooyeen Posted 19 years ago
Grammar

only...

Hi,
I'd like to know where to put the adverb in cases like these. What is ok? What is most common or natural?

I lost interest in spoken English. I even decided to focus only on written English.
I lost interest in spoken English. I even decided to only focus on written English.

In the end I decided to buy only from the sellers I already knew.
In the end I decided to only buy from the sellers I already knew.

I lost interest in English. In the end I decided to study it only to pass the exam, but not because I was still interested.
I lost interest in English. In the end I decided to only study it to pass the exam, but not because I was still interested.

Thanks Emotion: smile
  

Top answer

Kooyeen Hi, I'd like to know where to put the adverb in cases like these. What is ok? What is most common or natural?

— Philip

  • Kooyeen Hi, I'd like to know where to put the adverb in cases like these.
  • What is ok?
  • What is most common or natural?
  • I lost interest in spoken English.
  • I even decided to focus only on written English.
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21 Answers
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KooyeenHi,
I'd like to know where to put the adverb in cases like these. What is ok? What is most common or natural?

I lost interest in spoken English. I even decided to focus only on written English.
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I found it!Emotion: smile

What about..

I lost interest in spoken English. I even decided only to focus on written English. ?
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PuccaI found it!Emotion: smile

What about..

I lost interest in spoken English. I even decided onl
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Hello Philip!Emotion: smile

If I am not wrong it was you the one who said that it was recomendable to put words like 'only' the nearest w
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i dont get it. in the usage. when "only" has to be used? and what is the different between only and just?
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Hi Walrus, welcome to the forums. "Only" and "just" have many meanings... Among all those meanings, "just" can mean "only", yes, so there wouldn't be any difference in certain contexts.

Thanks. Anyway I know it is not true that "only" modifies what's close to it, but it modifies what's stressed with the voice. As for the split infinitives, that's a prescriptive rule, and a lot of native
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This repeats some of what was said above, but it adds another vote.
Use the first of each pair, not the second, if you want to sound natural.

CJ
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Kooyeen Anyway I know it is not true Emotion: surprise that "only" modifies what's close to
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Thank you so much! I understand.

Hi Amy,
well, it is not true, is it? When you say "I only need a few beers", you are not modifying "need"... That "only" could refer to "need", "few" or "beers".
Hmm, then how do you decide what 'only' modifies when a sentence is written rather than spoken?
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Think about this.

Starting with
I need only a few beers,
only crosses only one finite verb form to create
I only need a few beers.

CJ
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