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/BecauseCorrectUsage/2/jlzg/Post.htm#688331Wed, 18 Mar 2009 21:33:25 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:688331Anonymous0http://www.englishforums.com/English/BecauseCorrectUsage/2/jlzg/Post.htm#688331http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-688331.xmlThe expression If only because is functioning as a subordinating conjunction in a dependent clause. The usage sounds awkward; however, it is correct. Best wishes, Sallyhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/BecauseCorrectUsage/2/jlzg/Post.htm#560162Wed, 27 May 2009 07:17:07 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:560162Anonymous1http://www.englishforums.com/English/BecauseCorrectUsage/2/jlzg/Post.htm#560162http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-560162.xmlI think so. They argue for its necessity if only because average salaries for women are still considerably lower They argue for its necessity, if there is only a reason, because average salaries for women are still considerably lowerhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/BecauseCorrectUsage/2/jlzg/Post.htm#558994Fri, 27 Mar 2009 08:17:07 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:558994Anonymous2http://www.englishforums.com/English/BecauseCorrectUsage/2/jlzg/Post.htm#558994http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-558994.xml&quot;If only because&quot; = even if there is no better reason than The saying serves to either make light of the reason given, or add special importance to it.http://www.englishforums.com/English/BecauseCorrectUsage/2/jlzg/Post.htm#538872Wed, 27 May 2009 07:17:07 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:538872Anonymous3http://www.englishforums.com/English/BecauseCorrectUsage/2/jlzg/Post.htm#538872http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-538872.xmlThank you guys! I am reparing GMAT too. Thank you for the help!http://www.englishforums.com/English/BecauseCorrectUsage/2/jlzg/Post.htm#439022Fri, 27 Feb 2009 08:17:07 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:439022Clive4http://www.englishforums.com/English/BecauseCorrectUsage/2/jlzg/Post.htm#439022http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-439022.xmlHi, If at all, only because.. . Doesn't it work, too? This is OK, although it sounds like it introduces one of those sentence fragments that we often use in speech. Can you find a way to use it in a complete sentence? Best wishes, Clivehttp://www.englishforums.com/English/BecauseCorrectUsage/2/jlzg/Post.htm#438956Fri, 27 Feb 2009 08:17:07 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:438956Teleostomi5http://www.englishforums.com/English/BecauseCorrectUsage/2/jlzg/Post.htm#438956http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-438956.xmlIf at all, only because.. . Doesn't it work, too?http://www.englishforums.com/English/BecauseCorrectUsage/2/jlzg/Post.htm#406123Mon, 27 Apr 2009 07:17:07 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:406123Teleostomi6http://www.englishforums.com/English/BecauseCorrectUsage/2/jlzg/Post.htm#406123http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-406123.xmlIf (asked about the reason, I'd say it's) only because...http://www.englishforums.com/English/BecauseCorrectUsage/jlzg/post.htm#337922Tue, 27 Jan 2009 08:17:07 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:337922Anonymous7http://www.englishforums.com/English/BecauseCorrectUsage/jlzg/post.htm#337922http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-337922.xmlMaybe we can think of 'if only because' as an abbreviation of this: 'if no particular reason for that, then just because...', can't we?http://www.englishforums.com/English/BecauseCorrectUsage/jlzg/post.htm#47505Wed, 27 May 2009 07:17:07 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:47505CalifJim8http://www.englishforums.com/English/BecauseCorrectUsage/jlzg/post.htm#47505http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-47505.xmlNow you understand the usage if only because you have discussed it and thought about it for a while!http://www.englishforums.com/English/BecauseCorrectUsage/jlzg/post.htm#47502Tue, 27 Jan 2009 08:17:07 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:47502sharad9http://www.englishforums.com/English/BecauseCorrectUsage/jlzg/post.htm#47502http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-47502.xmlThanks a lot. Now I do get the usage of "if only because".http://www.englishforums.com/English/BecauseCorrectUsage/jlzg/post.htm#47501Wed, 27 May 2009 07:17:07 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:47501CalifJim10http://www.englishforums.com/English/BecauseCorrectUsage/jlzg/post.htm#47501http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-47501.xmlYes. It does mean that. However, there is just one more slight nuance of meaning in "if only because" which I feel your "translation" does not capture. I clean the kitchen floor once a month for no better reason than that I've gotten into the habit. The sentence just above seems to capture the meaning just a slight bit better, to my ear. _________ Another related idiomatic pattern with "if" is as follows: If I clean the floor, it's because I'm obsessive. We could almost call this "non-conditional if ", because it really is just a fancier way of saying "I clean the floor because I'm obsessive." It certainly doesn't mean "If I clean the floor, I'm obsessive" nor "If I'm obsessive, I clean the floor."http://www.englishforums.com/English/BecauseCorrectUsage/jlzg/post.htm#47499Tue, 27 Jan 2009 08:17:07 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:47499sharad11http://www.englishforums.com/English/BecauseCorrectUsage/jlzg/post.htm#47499http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-47499.xmlJim, I am bothering you one more time. I clean the kitchen floor once a month if only because I've gotten into the habit. Does this mean : If I clean the kitchen floor once a month, it would be only because I've gotten into the habit. ?? thanks, Sharad.http://www.englishforums.com/English/BecauseCorrectUsage/jlzg/post.htm#47493Fri, 27 Mar 2009 08:17:07 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:47493CalifJim12http://www.englishforums.com/English/BecauseCorrectUsage/jlzg/post.htm#47493http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-47493.xmlYes. "if only because" is purely idiomatic. I clean the kitchen floor because it's dirty. = I do the cleaning for this reason: The floor is dirty at that time. I clean the kitchen floor only because it's dirty. = I do the cleaning for this reason, and only this reason; I don't do it for any other reason: The floor is dirty at that time. I clean the kitchen floor once a month if only because I've gotten into the habit. = I do the cleaning for no really good reason. I do not do the cleaning because the floor is necessarilydirty, for example. Maybe IF I do the cleaning, the real reason is ONLY/simply/just BECAUSE I'm in the habit of doing so, whether the floor is dirty or not.http://www.englishforums.com/English/BecauseCorrectUsage/jlzg/post.htm#47492Mon, 27 Apr 2009 07:17:07 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:47492sharad13http://www.englishforums.com/English/BecauseCorrectUsage/jlzg/post.htm#47492http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-47492.xmlHi Jim, Thanks. I somehow feel that IF and BECAUSE can't go togethor. Here, IF means 'on the condition'. So why do we need 'because' ? Usage of 'because' means 'for the reason' and reason being already true. I still did not understand the usage of "if only because". However, I do understand your translated sentence. Little more explanation and few examples will help. Also, let me know whether "if only because" is an idiom ?? thanks, Sharadhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/BecauseCorrectUsage/jlzg/post.htm#47491Mon, 27 Apr 2009 07:17:07 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:47491CalifJim14http://www.englishforums.com/English/BecauseCorrectUsage/jlzg/post.htm#47491http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-47491.xml"if only because" is correct, yes. Proponents of the equal rights amendments argue for its necessity and perhaps they do so for the sole reason that average salaries for women are still considerably lower than those for men with comparable jobs and work experience.http://www.englishforums.com/English/BecauseCorrectUsage/jlzg/post.htmTue, 27 Jan 2009 08:17:07 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:47487sharad15http://www.englishforums.com/English/BecauseCorrectUsage/jlzg/post.htmhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-47487.xmlDear members, According to Kaplan (GMAT tutor) the following sentence is correct in GMAT land . Kaplan has not given an explanation for how "if only because" makes sense in this statement. Proponents of the equal rights amendments argue for its necessity if only because averge salaries for women are still considerably lower than those for men with comparable jobs and work experience. I would appreciate your comments. Thanks, Sharad.