Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[strielka.]

Dear Teachers,

Could you paraphrase this sentence using 'if only'

It would be great if we could spend our holidays at the seaside.
If only...


thanks in advance.

[bud]

If only we could spend our holidays at the seaside, it would be great.

The original is much more natural for that thought, though. Usually the second clause would be more significant for an "if only" construction. For example, the second clause might point to a probably different result:

If only we could spend our holidays at the seaside, then all of the family could come. (Maybe it is more centrally located, or maybe there is more room, or whatever. The sentence implies that if we don't spend the holidays at the seaside, then probably not everyone will come. If we do, then probably everyone will come.)

[strielka.]

Thank you very much! bud

[bud]

My pleasure.

[admiral]

If only I could be a friend of my girl, I would give my life to her.
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If I say "I love you" to someone, then I also have to say "I love inside you everyone else. I love the whole world because of you. I also love myself inside you"