only

• single; alone
solely; exclusively; merely; just
but, except
you use only to indicate the one thing that is involved or that happens in a particular situation. in written english, `only' is usually placed immediately before the word it qualifies. in spoken english, you can use stress to indicate what `only' qualifies, so its position is not so important.
if you talk about the only thing involved in a particular situation, you mean that there are no others. in written english, `only' is usually placed immediately before the word it qualifies. in spoken english, you can use stress to indicate what `only' qualifies, so its position is not so important.
an only child has no brothers or sisters. in written english, `only' is usually placed immediately before the word it qualifies. in spoken english, you can use stress to indicate what `only' qualifies, so its position is not so important.
you can use only to emphasize that something is unimportant or small. in written english, `only' is usually placed immediately before the word it qualifies. in spoken english, you can use stress to indicate what `only' qualifies, so its position is not so important.
you can use only to emphasize how recently something happened. in written english, `only' is usually placed immediately before the word it qualifies. in spoken english, you can use stress to indicate what `only' qualifies, so its position is not so important.
you can also use only to emphasize a wish or hope. in written english, `only' is usually placed immediately before the word it qualifies. in spoken english, you can use stress to indicate what `only' qualifies, so its position is not so important.
you can use only to add a comment which slightly changes or corrects what you have just said; an informal use. in written english, `only' is usually placed immediately before the word it qualifies. in spoken english, you can use stress to
you can use only to introduce the reason why something is not done; an informal use. in written english, `only' is usually placed immediately before the word it qualifies. in spoken english, you can use stress to indicate what `only' qualifies, so its position is not so important.
you can use only in front of a `to'-infinitive to introduce an event which happens immediately after the previous one, and which is rather surprising or unfortunate. in written english, `only' is usually placed immediately before the word it qualifies. in spoken english, you can use stress to indicate what `only' qualifies, so its position is not so important.
you can use only to emphasize that you think a course of action or type of behaviour is reasonable in a particular situation. in written english, `only' is usually placed immediately before the word it qualifies. in spoken english, you can use stress to indicate what `only' qualifies, so its position is not so important.
you say that one thing will happen only if another thing happens when you want to indicate that it will not happen unless the other thing happens.
you say that something is only just the case to emphasize that it is very nearly not the case.
you use not only to introduce the first of two linked statements when the second is even more surprising or extreme than the first.
if you say that someone has only to do one thing in order to achieve or prove another, you are emphasizing how easily or quickly it can be done.
you use only too to emphasize that something happens to a greater extent than is expected or wanted.