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Ludwig provides contextual example sentences from reliable sources like The New York Times, BBC, and academic publications, helping you understand how words and phrases are used in real-world contexts. This improves both writing fluency and comprehension skills.

Ludwig is trusted by students, teachers, researchers, and professionals worldwide. It's used by top universities including MIT, Stanford, Harvard, and Oxford, as well as professionals in tech companies like Adobe.

What makes Ludwig different from other writing tools?

Ludwig focuses on providing real example sentences from authoritative sources, not just grammar checking. This contextual approach helps users understand not just what's correct, but how language is actually used by native speakers and professional writers.

Used and loved by millions

Since I tried Ludwig back in 2017, I have been constantly using it in both editing and translation. Ever since, I suggest it to my translators at ProSciEditing.

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CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

It was only when
Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "It was only when" is correct and usable in written English
You can use it to express that something happened after a certain event. For example: "It was only when the storm passed that we were able to get back to our camping trip."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Table of contents

Usage summary

Human-verified examples

Expert writing tips

Linguistic context

Ludwig's wrap-up

Alternative expressions

FAQs

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It was only when we reached here we met up".

News & Media

Independent

It was only when switching to neuron that these problems started manifesting itself.

Academia

Yale University

It was only when we found Studioilse [Crawford's firm] that everything clicked into place.

News & Media

The New York Times

It was only when my wife asked him that, for some reason, he changed his mind.

News & Media

The Guardian - Lifestyle

It was only when I was halfway through St Joseph's that corporal punishment was abolished.

News & Media

Independent

It was only when he carried out a terrorist attack that he stood out.

News & Media

The New Yorker

It was only when I had children that any happiness at all returned to my life".

News & Media

The New Yorker

It was only when Malalai took to the battlefield that things changed.

News & Media

The New York Times

It was only when he stopped to reload that bystanders were able to tackle him.

News & Media

The New York Times

It was only when the lights came on that you could see the smoke as well.

News & Media

Independent

It was only when he was with his friends that he seemed perfectly natural and relaxed.

News & Media

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

✓ Best practice

Use "it was only when" to clearly establish a chronological sequence of events, emphasizing that the second event is contingent on the first. For example: "It was only when I reviewed the data that I realized the extent of the problem."

⚠ Common error

Avoid using "it was only when" if you are trying to emphasize the first event. The phrase naturally emphasizes the second event as the outcome. To emphasize the first event, consider phrases like "because of" or "due to".

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it was only when" functions as an adverbial clause introducer. It sets the temporal condition for the main clause, indicating that the event in the main clause occurred solely after the condition specified in the adverbial clause was met. Ludwig AI confirms the validity and broad usage of the phrase.

Expression frequency: Very common

✓ Frequent in

News & Media

62%

Academia

13%

Wiki

⚠ Less common in

Science

Formal & Business

Reference

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "it was only when" is a grammatically sound and highly prevalent construction used to establish a clear temporal relationship between two events. As Ludwig AI confirms, it emphasizes that a particular outcome occurred solely after a specific condition was satisfied. Predominantly found in news and media outlets, the phrase also sees substantial usage in academic writing. While versatile across formality levels, awareness of its inherent emphasis on the second event is crucial to prevent unintended shifts in focus. By considering alternatives like "only after" and "not until" and adhering to best-practice usage, writers can effectively leverage "it was only when" to create precise and impactful sentences.

Alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

only after

This alternative directly replaces "it was only when" with a simpler prepositional phrase to indicate sequence.

not until

This alternative uses negation to emphasize the delay before the event occurred.

it wasn't until

Similar to "not until", this alternative uses a negative construction to highlight the timing.

solely when

This emphasizes that the event happened exclusively under the condition specified.

exclusively when

Similar to "solely when", this highlights the exclusivity of the condition.

it all began when

This alternative introduces a narrative element, suggesting the start of a story.

More alternative expressions(6)

it began only when

it was only where

it was only and

it was only however

it was only then

it was only well

FAQs

How do I use "it was only when" in a sentence?

Use "it was only when" to indicate that something happened after a specific condition or event was met. For example, "It was only when the rain stopped that we went outside".

What can I say instead of "it was only when"?

You can use alternatives like "only after", "not until", or "it wasn't until" depending on the context.

Is "it was only when" formal or informal?

"It was only when" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. It is commonly found in news articles, academic papers, and everyday conversations.

What's the difference between "it was only when" and "only when"?

"It was only when" is a more emphatic way of saying "only when". The inclusion of "it was" adds a stronger sense of realization or discovery. For example, "It was only when I arrived that I understood the situation" carries a heavier emphasis than "Only when I arrived did I understand the situation".

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Table of contents

Usage summary

Human-verified examples

Expert writing tips

Linguistic context

Ludwig's wrap-up

Alternative expressions

FAQs

Source & Trust

88%

Authority and reliability

4.5/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences:

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It was only whenGrammar usage guide and real-world examples

It was only when
Grammar usage guide and real-world examples