ESL General English Grammar Questions

Re: only to find

New2grammar — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 03:08:46 GMT

LOL...I guess having a cat wouldn't help to scare those giant rats.

Re: only to find

CalifJim — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 03:05:13 GMT

New2grammar
I never unplug my washing machine

Me neither. Must have been the rats that unplugged it.

Re: only to find

New2grammar — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 02:59:19 GMT

Yeah...I think MH did point out the element of surprise earlier but it wasn't strong enough for me. "A little bit of chance".

I guess it helps to exaggerate to get the message across :)

Thanks, CJ. Ummm...I never unplug my washing machine

Re: only to find

CalifJim — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 02:54:10 GMT

Would "Goodness me!" or "Oh Golly!" help as well?

I spent an hour trying to figure out why my washing machine was not working, only to find that I hadn't plugged it in!

= I spent an hour trying to figure out why my washing machine was not working, finally discovering (Golly gosh! Oh, my goodness!) that I hadn't plugged it in!

Re: only to find

New2grammar — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 02:44:03 GMT

Thanks, CJ. I'm starting to feel the meaning. "Surprise" helps.

Re: only to find

CalifJim — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 02:41:03 GMT

New2grammar
I tried so hard looking for her whereabouts only to find it on a site that I haven't visited in years.

Does it mean that I finally found it after searching for a long time?

No. It just means "and then ( surprise! ) I found it on a site ... ( hadn't visited ... )"

When Magellan went around the world, he kept going in the same direction, only to find himself back in the same place he started.

Re: only to find

New2grammar — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 23:28:16 GMT

I have seen and heard this usage many times which is why I thought "only to find" was an idiom. But I still don't quite understand it. Maybe another expert could help me interpret the meaning better.

Re: only to find

Marius Hancu — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 23:16:22 GMT

No, but I won't insist. Read more examples at Google books and find the meaning yourself.

Re: only to find

New2grammar — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 23:04:05 GMT

Marius Hancu
much less effort and a bit of chance

This sounds like the opposite of what comes before.

I sense that only works like in constrast. Am I right?

Re: only to find

Marius Hancu — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 22:56:47 GMT

> Does it mean that I finally found it after searching for a long time?

Not necessarily, but it could. What is shows is that the alternative showed up with much less effort and a bit of chance.

Re: only to find

New2grammar — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 22:52:31 GMT

Does it mean that I finally found it after searching for a long time?

Re: only to find

optilang — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 13:07:40 GMT

I tried so hard looking for her whereabouts only to find it on a site that I haven't visited in years.

Yes you used it correctly.

Re: only to find

New2grammar — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 11:29:18 GMT

I thought the phrase was an idiom. I just looked it up in my dictionary and only has the same definition as yours.

With the final result; nevertheless: received a raise only to be laid off.

However, I'm not sure I know how to apply it, especially when my understanding of nevertheless is not very good.

Did I use it correctly in my original example?

Re: only to find

Marius Hancu — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 11:19:42 GMT

Use this dictionary, I gave you already the right free access

only

Function: adverb

b : with nevertheless the final outcome or result <won a great deal, only to lose it all later on>

http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com

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only to find

New2grammar — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 07:32:08 GMT

What's the meaning of 'only to find"?

Is the following correct?

I tried so hard looking for her whereabouts only to find it on a site that I haven't visited in years.

Does it mean that I finally found it after searching for a long time?
Thanks.