"it has only been" vs "it has been only"

Question

"it has only been" vs "it has been only"

Both "it has only been" and "it has been only" are correct, but they are used in different contexts. "It has only been" is commonly used to emphasize the short duration of a period of time, while "it has been only" is used to emphasize the limited nature of something. The placement of "only" changes the emphasis and meaning of the sentence.

Last Updated: March 15, 2024

This phrase is used to emphasize that a specific period of time has been short or limited. It is often used to express surprise or to highlight the brevity of a situation.

Examples:

It has only been a week since we last saw each other.
It has only been a few minutes since the movie started.
It has only been a month since I started my new job.
It has only been a year since they got married.
It has only been a day since the accident happened.

Alternatives:

It has been only
It has been just
It has been merely
It has been solely
It has been exclusively

This phrase is used to emphasize that something has been limited or restricted in some way. It is often used to express a sense of exclusivity or uniqueness.

Examples:

It has been only a few people who have completed the task.
It has been only a small group of students who passed the exam.
It has been only two companies that have achieved this level of success.
It has been only a handful of individuals who know the truth.
It has been only a select few who have been invited to the event.

Alternatives:

It has only been
It has just been
It has merely been
It has solely been
It has exclusively been

Answer 1

it has only been

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to emphasize the short duration of a period of time.

Answer 2

it has been only

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to emphasize the limited nature of something.

"it has only been" vs "it has been only"

it has only been

it has been only

Related Comparisons