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Navitasan Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

Open the front door only

1-We only did not open the front door.
Is this sentence correct and does it mean:
We did everything else, but we did not open the front door.
Or: We opened all the doors except the front door.

2-We did not open the front door only.
Is this sentence correct and does it mean:
We opened doors other than the front door as well.

Gratefully,
Navi.
  

Top answer

The first sentence could mean one of three things, depending on what 'only' modifies. ), then it means that the only thing you did was not open the front door, meaning that you did nothing. ), then it means that you did everything except open the front door.

— Anonymous

  • The first sentence could mean one of three things, depending on what 'only' modifies.
  • ), then it means that the only thing you did was not open the front door, meaning that you did nothing.
  • ), then it means that you did everything except open the front door.
  • ), then it means that you opened everything (not every door) except the front door.
  • Regardless of what 'only' modifies, the construction is awkward.
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1 Answers
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The first sentence could mean one of three things, depending on what 'only' modifies.
If it modifies 'did' (We [only did] not open the front door.), or the entire phrase (We [only did not open the front door].), then it means that the only thing you did was not open the front door, meaning that you did nothing.
If it modifies 'did not (We [only did not open] the front door.), then it mean
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