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Giulia Piazzi
What's the difference between "just" and "only"?
Hello!
When should I use "just" and when should I use "only"? I looked for in the dictionary, but I still have many doubts about it when I make sentences in English . Can you help me?
٢٦ أبريل ٢٠١٣ ٠٣:٠٨
الإجابات · 6
3
both 'just' and 'only' have several meanings or uses
1. just = exactly or precisely; no more than; merely; quite; really. it is just the one I want... he is just fast enough to qualify... she is just using a translator
2. only (adjective) = sole: he is the only child
3. only (adverb) = merely solely, no longer ago than, no better than: I can only guess... it was only yesterday... it is only average cooking....
4. only (conjunction) = however, except that, if not: I could give many examples, only it takes too much time
٢٦ أبريل ٢٠١٣
Just
The word “just” has several possible definitions:
1) Recently
Be careful – I just washed the floor, and it’s still wet.
(= I washed the floor a few minutes ago)
He just finished a big project.
(= he finished the project very recently)
2) Only
I have just one brother. (= I have only one brother)
I thought you were hungry, but you ate just half of your sandwich.
(= you ate only half of your sandwich, and no more)
Only
The word “only” can be replaced with “just” in most situations:
Only two students came to class on the day before Christmas.
= Just two students came to class on the day before Christmas.
My kids only use the internet for schoolwork, not for playing games.
= My kids just use the internet for schoolwork, not for playing games.
In the expression “If only…” you can use “just” if you change the structure a little bit:
If only I had studied harder. I would’ve passed the test.
= If I had just studied harder, I would’ve passed the test.
“Only” and “just” are interchangeable with definition 2 of “just,” but not with definition 1.
Definition 2 – Same meaning
We have just one daughter. = We have only one daughter.
Definition 1 – Different meanings
I just washed the floor (a few minutes ago)
I only washed the floor (and I didn’t wash the table)
However, it also depends on the context:
“Did you clean the whole house?”
“No, I just washed the floor” (= I only washed the floor).
“Why is the floor wet?”
“Because I just washed it”
(= I recently washed it. In this case, you can’t use “only”)
Word order
When you use “just,” the word order matters:
I just ate two pieces of pizza. ( = I recently ate two pieces of pizza)
I ate just two pieces of pizza ( = I ate only two pieces, not 3 or 4 or 5)
٢٨ مايو ٢٠١٣
Vou tentar ajudar em alguns exemplos:
Just, é usado numa forma mais simples para algo que se queira naquele momento
Ex: I'm just want to say, hello again. (Eu só queria dizer, olá novamente)
E only, você pode usar para representar uma única coisa
Ex. He has only one son. (Ele só tem um filho/Ele tem um único filho)
Estou aprendendo ainda, espero ter ajudado.
٢١ مايو ٢٠١٣
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Giulia Piazzi
المهارات اللغوية
الإنجليزية, الإيطالية, البرتغالية
لغة التعلّم
الإنجليزية, الإيطالية
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