Only modifying where
A. Mark and remove wood only where limbs are bending least.
Q1) Is "only" modifying "where limbs are bending least"? Or "where" which one? Would you please clarify it?
Q2) Is sentence A correct?
My instinct tells me that only does modify where or "where limbs are bending least", not the verb "Mark and remove" or even the noun "wood", because the way of reading makes the sentence sound natural.
Top answer
fire1 Is "only" modifying "where limbs are bending least"? Or "where" "Where". fire1 Would you please clarify it?
- fire1 Is "only" modifying "where limbs are bending least"?
- Or "where" "Where".
- fire1 Would you please clarify it?
- That is just the natural way of interpreting such a sentence.
- I had to try hard to read it any other way.
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fire1Is "only" modifying "where limbs are bending least"? Or "where"
"Where".
fire1Would you please clarify it?
That is just the natural way of interpreting such a sentence. I had to try hard to read it any other way.
fire1Q2) Is sentence A correct?
Yes.
0fire1where limbs are bending least
This is a subordinate clause of place. It's essentially adverbial.
'only' applies to the whole adverbial.
Consider this equivalent statement:
Mark and remove wood where limbs are bending most, but not anywhere else.
Compare with Mark and remove wood [ [here] but not [there] ].
C
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