[Grammar] Only if - coma or not?

[Fear not only believe]

On the paper sheet my teacher has given me, there is a sentence :"Only if you serende her, can you win her heart."
Isn't that wrong, isn't it that there should be no coma in this sentence (and in the similar ones as well)?

 

[Boris Tatarenko]

Hello.

As far as I know we should put a comma after "if clause" if the "if clause" comes first.

If he's late, I'll hit him.
I'll hit him if he's late.

Not a teacher nor a native speaker.

 

[Matthew Wai]

"Only if you serende her, can you win her heart."

I think there should be no comma because the subject and the auxiliary are inverted.

Not a teacher.

 

[tedmc]

I agree with Matthew.

And it is "serenade".

not a teacher

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

I think there should be no comma because the subject and the auxiliary are inverted.

Not a teacher.

Right. The sentence is backwards. Diagram it. The more usual way to say it would be: "You can only win her heart if you serenade her."

So it's not an if/then construction. Don't use a comma.

 

[Matthew Wai]

How about 'You can win her heart as long as you serenade her'?

Not a teacher.

 

[tedmc]

Putting the "only if you serenade her.." in front is a form of exhortation to a guy to move into action.
The effect would be different if you put "serenade" at the back.

not a teacher

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

How about 'You can win her heart as long as you serenade her'?

Not a teacher.

It's a different meaning. The idiom as long as does not mean if.

By the way, let's get something clear here:

A COMMA is not a COMA!

Fear Not, please look up both words!

 

[Matthew Wai]

The idiom as long as does not mean if.

But it means 'only if', which might fit the sentence.

Not a teacher.

 

[Fear not only believe]

:roll: I've already done the very same mistake with comma and coma. And have received a funny reply. Serende, on the other hand, is an obvious typo.

 

[Matthew Wai]

done the very same mistake

You have 'made' not 'done' a mistake.

Not a teacher.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

But it means 'only if', which might fit the sentence.

You're right that they are very close. They mean literally the same thing, but the spirit is slightly different:

- Only if is more restrictive, more cautionary: there is only one way to win her heart: by serenading her.

- As long as is permissive, with one qualification: if you just continue serenading her, her heart will be yours.

 

[Fear not only believe]

I would like to know why my post "Then I'd better wear sackcloth and ashes" was deleted. The reason was : Unwarranted sarcastic remark.
I will tell you what I wanted to say: I am ashamed to make such mistakes (coma instead of comma and do a mistake instead of make a mistake) and I thought that idiom perfectly described my feelings. It's obvious now that it was either used in the wrong context or that I got its meaning completely wrong. No sarcasm was intended. If you read my signature (it says ESL student), you should be able to understand that I'm not a native speaker so such mistakes shouldn't surprise you.

 

[Fear not only believe]

I googled that idiom and found this link https://scripturestudyjournal.wordp...oth-and-ashes-the-true-meaning-of-repentance/

Please read the paragraph entitled "Sackcloth" and please try to understand my mistake. Thanks.

 

[Rover_KE]

No sarcasm was intended.

Fair enough, but as a response to Matthew's 'You have "made" not "done" a mistake', 'Then I'd better wear sackcloth and ashes' sounded sarcastic to me. (ESL students are capable of using sarcasm.)

 

[Fear not only believe]

Fair enough, but as a response to Matthew's 'You have "made" not "done" a mistake', 'Then I'd better wear sackcloth and ashes' sounded sarcastic to me. (ESL students are capable of using sarcasm.)

Take it for what you like, but a person with a signature like mine certainly doesn't write in the forum with the intention of making sarcastic remarks. I only hope you don't believe it was sarcasm even after my explanation.
And why not warn people before deleting a comment?

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Take it for what you like, but a person with a signature like mine certainly doesn't write in the forum with the intention of making sarcastic remarks. I only hope you don't believe it was sarcasm even after my explanation.
And why not warn people before deleting a comment?

It's okay, FNOB. No one is angry with you. The moderators try be sure that no one offends anyone. Sometimes they might be too cautious. But that's better than a forum that people avoid because it offends them.

By the way, I liked your sackcloth comment. You have a good sense of humor - and it's hard to express humor in a foreign language!

 

[Matthew Wai]

Fair enough, but as a response to Matthew's 'You have "made" not "done" a mistake', 'Then I'd better wear sackcloth and ashes' sounded sarcastic to me.

Speaking as a learner, not a teacher, I could not find any sarcasm in the OP's response.

(ESL students are capable of using sarcasm.)

Shamefully I am incapable of this.

And why not warn people before deleting a comment?

Moderators have no obligation to do so.

 

[Fear not only believe]

By the way, I liked your sackcloth comment. You have a good sense of humor - and it's hard to express humor in a foreign language!

Now it's obvious how good my English is: my comment was not to be sarcastic or humorous, but one that expresses shame and is to be taken plainly .

 

[Matthew Wai]

I could discern neither sarcasm nor humour in your comment. Perhaps only native speakers could.

Not a teacher.