The Lonely Only

I've been working on a little training project and came across this from my files. It came from an old AP writing guide. Merrill Perlman uses this or something similar in her excellent ACES workshops.

It matters where you put the adverb.

Only I hit him in the eye yesterday.
I only hit him in the eye yesterday.
I hit only him in the eye yesterday.
I hit him only in the eye yesterday.
I hit him in the only eye yesterday.
I hit him in the eye only yesterday.
I hit him in the eye yesterday only.

Merrill Explains All

Merrill Perlman, director of copy desks at The New York Times, is taking questions.