Syntax: Properly Placing “Only”

Does plaintiff’s claim only get her so far? Or does her claim get only so far?

Changing Sentence Meaning by Changing the Placement of “Only”:

1. Only Before the Verb: The defendant only admitted to the theft.
   1. Interpretation: The defendant did nothing except admit to a theft.
2. Only After the Verb: The defendant admitted only to the theft.
   1. Interpretation: Out of several potential accusations or charges, the defendant admitted solely to theft (perhaps he has an assault charge as well).
3. Only Before a Noun: Only the defendant’s lawyer spoke to the judge.
   1. Interpretation: No one else spoke to the judge except the defendant’s lawyer.
4. Only Before an Adjective: The contract is only valid for 30 days.
   1. Interpretation: The validity of the contract is limited to thirty days and no longer.
5. Only Before a Prepositional Phrase: The evidence is admissible only in federal court.
   1. Interpretation: This evidence would not be admissible in any other court besides federal court.

General Rule: Only should be placed before the limitation or contrast you’re describing.

• Rule of Thumb: Put “only” where you’d put “but only.”
  • Example Sentence: “He said he would contribute to his son’s IRA only if he continued to maintain a 4.0 GPA.”
  • Check with “but only”: “He said he would contribute to his son’s IRA, but only if he continued to maintain a 4.0 GPA.”

Takeaway: Improperly placing only can create ambiguities and alter the meaning of a given sentence or clause, so always place only carefully! Now here are a few practice problems to try.