Only for emphasizing that clause
A. We had been told only that something was wrong with her liver.
It looks like "only" is used for emphasizing "that something was wrong with her liver".
Q1) Like in A, can "only" be used for emphasizing "that-clause" in a sentence?
Q2) Is sentence A correct?
Q3) Without the word "only", is the meaning of sentence A changed?
Top answer
Hi 'Only', there, is not really an emphasizer - its an ordinary adverb meaning 'just this one thing': Q1,Q2) The sentence is good - it means that the liver problem is the one thing that you were told about Q3) The sentence implies that there are other things that you could have been told about that were relevant, but you were only told the one thing. Without the word 'only', it's quite possible that there were other things that you were told. So, yes, it does make a difference Hope this helps Dave PS In very slang London English, 'only' is sometimes used as an emphasizer: - Oh no, he's only gone and crashed the car again However, I can't recommend that at all: I mention it only in case you happen to see it.
- Hi 'Only', there, is not really an emphasizer - its an ordinary adverb meaning 'just this one thing': Q1,Q2) The sentence is good - it means that the liver problem is the one thing that you were told about Q3) The sentence implies that there are other things that you could have been told about that were relevant, but you were only told the one thing.
- Without the word 'only', it's quite possible that there were other things that you were told.
- So, yes, it does make a difference Hope this helps Dave PS In very slang London English, 'only' is sometimes used as an emphasizer: - Oh no, he's only gone and crashed the car again However, I can't recommend that at all: I mention it only in case you happen to see it.
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Hi
'Only', there, is not really an emphasizer - its an ordinary adverb meaning 'just this one thing':
Q1,Q2) The sentence is good - it means that the liver problem is the one thing that you were told about
Q3) The sentence implies that there are other things that you could have been told about that were relevant, but you were only told the one thing. Without the word 'only',
0fire1Q1) Like in A, can "only" be used for emphasizing "that-clause" in a sentence?
"only" isn't emphasising anything here, it means that you weren't told anything else, other than the fact that something was wrong with her liver.
fire1Q2) Is sentence A correct?
Yes.
fire1Q3) With
0
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