Only的几种特殊用法

李晓梦

在学习英语的过程中，我们常遇到only与其他词或结构搭配来表达不同的意思，现将这些用法总结如下：

一、only引导的词组或句子放在句首作状语时，通常要用倒装结构。如：

Only in this way can you solve the problem.

只有通过这种方式，你才能解决问题。

Only if you study hard can you pass the exam.

只有努力学习才能通过考试。

Only then did I realize my mistake.

直到那时，我才意识到错了。

二、not only...（but also）出现在句首时，如果连接的是两个句子，常用倒装。如：

Not only did we lose all our money，but we also came close to losing our lives.

我们不仅丢了钱，还差点把命丢了。

Not only did he speak correctly，but he also spoke easily.

他不仅说得准确，而且说得很轻松。

三、only放在不定式前面，常表示不愉快或出乎人们意料的结果。如：

I went all the way to his home only to find him out at a meeting.

我直接到他家里去，却发现他出去开会了。

I hurried to the post office only to find it closed.

我匆忙赶到邮局，却发现已经关门了。

She went home only to find her house burglarized.

她回到家，发现家里被盗了。

四、“too...to...”结构表示否定意思，但在“only too...to...”结构中，only too 等同于 very，表示肯定意思。如：

The patient is too weak to walk.

那个病人太虚弱了，走不动。

We are only too willing to do it for you.

我们非常愿意为你做这件事。

I am only too delighted to accept your invitation.

我非常高兴接受你的邀請。

五、在“one of + 复数名词 + 定语从句”结构中，定语从句修饰复数名词，谓语要用复数形式。但在“the only one of + 复数名词 + 定语从句”结构中，定语从句修饰“the only one”，谓语动词要用单数形式。如：

This is one of the best novels that have been published in the past two years.

这是近两年出版的最好的小说之一。

He was the only one of the boys who was given a prize.

他是这些孩子中唯一获得奖励的。

She is the only one of the girls who has been to the US.

她是那些女孩中唯一去过美国的。

六、if only 为虚拟语气的一种，通常表示愿望或一个未实现的条件，多用于感叹句，其主句常常省略。如：

If only he had known about it！

他那时要是知道这件事该多好！

If only you could have been here earlier that day！

要是你那天再早点到这儿就好了。

If only there were forty-eight hours in a day.

要是一天有48个小时就好了。