"we only have" vs "we have only"

Question

"we only have" vs "we have only"

Both "we only have" and "we have only" are correct, but they are used in different contexts. "We only have" is more commonly used and emphasizes the limitation or scarcity of something, while "we have only" is used to emphasize the quantity or number of items. The choice between them depends on the emphasis you want to convey.

Last Updated: March 17, 2024

Use "we only have" when you want to emphasize that the quantity or availability of something is limited or restricted.

Examples:

We only have two tickets left.
We only have one hour to finish the project.
We only have a few options to choose from.
We only have a small budget for this event.
We only have one chance to make a good impression.

Alternatives:

we have only
we have just
we possess only
we are limited to having
we are restricted to having

Use "we have only" when you want to emphasize the quantity or number of items without focusing on limitation or scarcity.

Examples:

We have only three apples left.
We have only two days to complete the task.
We have only a few minutes before the meeting starts.
We have only one copy of that book.
We have only a couple of options to consider.

Alternatives:

we only have
we possess only
we are limited to having
we are restricted to having
we just have

Answer 1

we only have

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to emphasize the limitation or scarcity of something.

Answer 2

we have only

This phrase is correct and used to emphasize the quantity or number of items.

"we only have" vs "we have only"

we only have

we have only

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