The word only should be written in front of and next to the word or phrase it modifies.
Compare:
- Only David may sleep on the bed. (David and nobody else may use the bed.)
- David may sleep only on the bed. (David may sleep nowhere else.)
- David may sleep on the only bed. (David may sleep on the only bed there is.)
- David may only sleep on the bed. (David may sleep – but do nothing else – upon the bed.)
Position of the word even
The word even should be written in front of and next to the word it modifies.
Read the sentences given below.
- Even Alice could not see the bird in the picture. (Alice, let alone anyone else, could not see it.)
- Alice could not even see the bird in the picture. (Alice could not see other things, let alone the bird.)
- Alice could not see even the bird in the picture. (Alice could not see the bird, let alone the one in the picture.)
