Position of the words only and even

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.)

See also

Common mistakes in the use of nouns
Common mistakes in the use of nouns | Exercise 1
Common mistakes in the use of nouns | Exercise 2
Common mistakes in the use of nouns | Exercise 3

More CBSE English Grammar worksheets

Passive voice worksheet | Simple past tense
Passive voice worksheet | Past continuous tense
Passive voice worksheet | Simple future tense
Passive voice worksheet | Future perfect tense