How to use 'Only'?
Only: (adjective) sole, single. alone.Only: (adverb) solely, exclusively.
Only: (conjunction) but, except.
Read the following sentences:
1. The old woman lost her only son.
2.Your son is only leaving now for the front.
In the sentence 1, the word 'only' means that the old woman had no other son except the son referred to.
In the sentence 2, the word 'only' emphasizes that the son is leaving now and did not leave earlier.
Some more uses of 'Only':
(A) In the sense of 'exclusively' :
I want to buy only the latest edition of this book.
The TV is to be used for only educational purposes.
(B) In the sense of 'just', 'merely' :
He is only a child; how can he understand such a complex issue?
(C) When 'only' is used after 'can' or 'could', it stresses that there is no other option available than what has been said:
I can only sympathise with you.
We can only feel sorry for him.
(D) "Only' is used to emphasize the appropriateness of a certain course of action or behaviour:
Ramesh is your close friend. It is only natural that he rejoices at your victory.
Note:-
'Only' should be used immediately before the word that it modifies or refers to. Care should be taken in the use of 'only', else one may be misunderstood. Look at the following sentences:
1. Only Ram promised to give me a book. (i.e., Ram and nobody else.)
2. Ram only promised to give me a book.( i.e. Ram did not give it away.)
3. Ram promised to give me only a book. ( i.e. a book and nothing else.)
Some more examples -
Only Sita promised to help me.
Sita only promised to help me.
Only I saw her yesterday.
I saw only her yesterday.
I saw her only yesterday.
