To only see or to see only

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COUME

#28590 Mon, 26 Apr 04 11:54 AM

Hello,

I use this sentence, which is IMHO correct by my friend tells me that it is not... Could you tell me which form is correct?

a specific access to only see the data of ...

or

a specific access to see only the data of ...

Should "only" be before or after the verb?

thanks in advance
Ludo

COUME

Joined on Thu, Apr 8 2004

French in the UK

Full Member (121)

Verbs

Timbo

#28593 Mon, 26 Apr 04 12:16 PM

Hi,

It depends on the context of the sentence or paragraph. Please show at least the whole sentence Smile [:)]

Timbo

Joined on Sun, Apr 11 2004

Somewhere over the rainbow

Junior Member (88)

Paragraphs

COUME

#28608 Mon, 26 Apr 04 01:48 PM

Hello

Here is the entire sentence:
xxxx allows you to split your audience per country to only see the data of the chosen country.

btw, I hope the sentence means something :p

Ludo

COUME

Timbo

#28613 Mon, 26 Apr 04 02:33 PM

Hi Coume,

xxxx allows you to split your audience per country to see ONLY the data of the chosen country.

In this case the adverb goes after the verb.

Yup, it does mean something Wink [;)]

Timbo

Verbs, Adverbs

COUME

#28622 Mon, 26 Apr 04 04:29 PM

Thxs timbo Smile [:)]

In what case do we have to put the adverb before then? In which situation??

Ludo

COUME

Verbs, Adverbs

Guest

#28729 Wed, 28 Apr 04 01:14 AM

"To see only..." is preferable.

"To only see" is an example of what is known as a split infinitive. I.e. the infinitive form of the verb ("to see") is interrupted by the insertion of an adverb.

The most famous (or infamous) example of this is the mission statement from the popular Star Trek TV series: "To boldly go where no man has gone before."

To be strictly grammatically correct, this should be: "To go boldly..." or "Boldly to go..."

BUT, the rule against split infinitives is no longer as strictly adhered to as it once was. In my opinion, it generally sounds more elegant if you can avoid splitting the infinitive. But discretion is allowed. You will find some instances where keeping the verb intact makes the whole sentence so tortuous that it would be preferable to split it.

TM

Guest