can only see vs only can see

Both "can only see" and "only can see" are correct, but they are used in different contexts. "Can only see" is the more common and natural construction in English, where the modal verb 'can' is followed by the adverb 'only' and the main verb 'see'. On the other hand, "only can see" is less common and may sound awkward to native speakers, as it disrupts the typical order of modal verbs and main verbs in English sentences.

Last updated: March 19, 2024 • 1464 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

"can only see"

This phrase is the standard word order in English, where the modal verb 'can' is followed by the adverb 'only' and the main verb 'see'. It indicates the limitation of the ability to see something.

Examples:

I can only see a few stars in the sky.
She can only see the truth when it's right in front of her.
We can only see the tip of the iceberg in this situation.
He can only see the good in people, even when they disappoint him.
They can only see the world through their own experiences.

Show examples from the web [+]

Jul 25, 2012 ... The little boy who is blinded by the light: Toddler can only see in black and ... Harvey can only see black, white and shades of grey due to a rare ...
How can I make my profile so the public can only see my prof... How an I make my profile COMPLETELY PRIVATE?? I want to lock my profile pic so that only my ...
How do I make it so the public can only see my profile and t... How do I set my profile so friends can only see mutual friends · How do I make it so that only friends ...
Related Questions; How do I set my friends so that you other can only see mutua. .. I want to lock ... How do you set it so people can only see your mutual friends?

Alternatives:

can see only
can see just
can see nothing but
can see solely
can see merely

This phrase is correct but less common in English.

"only can see"

While grammatically correct, this phrase disrupts the typical order of modal verbs and main verbs in English sentences. It may sound awkward to native speakers and is less frequently used.

Show examples from the web [+]

... is grey out! are you working on the system? Alex lj, 10/28/15 2:35 AM. i only can see 1st slide ...everything is grey out! are you working on the system?
Jan 1, 2012 ... As for me, I not only can see colours, but I got an immediate perfect score on the 100 shade hue test: and I couldn't make out anything in the first ...
Aug 30, 2015 ... Adults Only Can See G.V.Prakash Kumar's Trisha Illana Nayanthara. PluzMedia Tamil. SubscribeSubscribedUnsubscribe 40,58940K. Loading.
But I only can see myself. Lyric Meaning. This is a reference to the 1988 novel The Crystal Palace by Phyllis Eisenstein. In this novel, a sorcerer crafts an ...

Alternatives:

can only see
can see only
can see just
can see nothing but
can see solely

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can only see vs only can see

"can only see"

"only can see"

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