http://www.englishforums.com/English/EslGeneralEnglishGrammar-Questions/Forum12.htmAsk your questions on grammar and get your sentence checked. We answer lots of different types of general English grammar questions here. <font color=red>DO NOT post paragraphs and compositions here. Post them in our <a href="http://www.englishforums.com/English/EssayReportCompositionWriting/Forum9.htm"><b>Essay, Report and Composition Writing Forum</b></a>.</font>enXMOD (Build: 3616.28671)http://www.englishforums.com/English/IfOnlyBecause/djcxd/post.htm#303600Tue, 27 Jan 2009 06:03:57 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:303600CalifJim0http://www.englishforums.com/English/IfOnlyBecause/djcxd/post.htm#303600http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-303600.xmlJack ate the last cookie if only because he wanted to wash the plate. Jack ate the last cookie because he wanted to wash the plate. The difference is that the second sentence leaves out the idea that the only reason for eating the cookie was to wash the plate. It also leaves out that certain stylistic 'something' that the first has. The reason in the first sentence has a certain subtractive value, whereas the reason in the second has additive value. In the first sentence, but only because might replace if only because . In the second sentence, one can easily imagine extending the thought with further reasons: because ... and because ... and because ... CJhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/IfOnlyBecause/djcxd/post.htm#303447Tue, 27 Jan 2009 06:03:57 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:303447Marius Hancu1http://www.englishforums.com/English/IfOnlyBecause/djcxd/post.htm#303447http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-303447.xmlLatin wrote: Then, what would be the difference between: Jack ate the last cookie if only because he wanted to wash the plate. Jack ate the last cookie because he wanted to wash the plate. See: ---------- if only used when you want to say how doing something simple would make it possible to avoid something unpleasant: If only she'd listen to what he's saying, I'm sure they could work it out. http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=55497&amp;dict=CALD ---------- thus you should change your example to fit. The way it is, I am reading the 1st: Jack ate the last cookie even though it was just because he wanted to wash the plate. which might not be that bad in the end. (the...http://www.englishforums.com/English/IfOnlyBecause/djcxd/post.htm#303445Tue, 27 Jan 2009 06:03:57 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:303445Klavier2http://www.englishforums.com/English/IfOnlyBecause/djcxd/post.htm#303445http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-303445.xmlThen, what would be the difference between: Jack ate the last cookie if only because he wanted to wash the plate. Jack ate the last cookie because he wanted to wash the plate.http://www.englishforums.com/English/IfOnlyBecause/djcxd/post.htm#295753Tue, 27 Jan 2009 06:03:57 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:295753CalifJim3http://www.englishforums.com/English/IfOnlyBecause/djcxd/post.htm#295753http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-295753.xmlX if only because Y X even if/though the only reason for X is/was that Y Jack ate the last cookie if only because he wanted to wash the plate. He ate the last cookie even though the only reason for doing so was that he wanted to wash the plate. He didn't eat it because he was hungry, or for any other reasons. He just wanted to get rid of it so he could wash the plate. CJhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/IfOnlyBecause/djcxd/post.htm#295644Wed, 27 May 2009 05:03:57 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:295644Grammar Geek4http://www.englishforums.com/English/IfOnlyBecause/djcxd/post.htm#295644http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-295644.xmlWe should all come home for Christmas, if only because it will make our mother happy. It's not the most standard usage - and it's a rather awkward, I think, but you can think of it as "we should do it for this reason, even if you don't otherwise have a good reason to."http://www.englishforums.com/English/IfOnlyBecause/djcxd/post.htm#295638Fri, 27 Feb 2009 06:03:57 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:295638Goodman5http://www.englishforums.com/English/IfOnlyBecause/djcxd/post.htm#295638http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-295638.xmlNot sure what your questions are ...http://www.englishforums.com/English/IfOnlyBecause/djcxd/post.htmMon, 27 Apr 2009 05:03:57 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:295599Anonymous6http://www.englishforums.com/English/IfOnlyBecause/djcxd/post.htmhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-295599.xmlTo me it sounds a bit out of the ordinary bt have learnt it is the correct usage... My Query?? A) Looking forward to learn wat effect does this "IF ONLY Because" phrase renders... B) Under what circumstances do we use it.