it only contains

USAGE SUMMARY

"it only contains" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when describing the contents of something. For example: "This box only contains a few pieces of candy."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Apple issued a statement to AllThingsD, but it only contains its boilerplate response to these requests, which is essentially a non-committal 'we make acquisitions but we don't talk about them' comment.

TechCrunch

The radial basis function (RBF) was selected because of its promising performance and simplicity as it only contains one adjustable parameter and has been successfully applied (Ahmadi 2015; Keerthi and Lin 2003; Reihanian et al. 2011).

Petroleum Science

It only contains two adjustable parameters and can be combined with any TMF life assessment model.

International Journal of Fatigue

Far Cry 3 also has a PG-13 approach to consequence - i.e. it only contains mild peril.

The Guardian - Tech

It only contains four lenses with two aspheric and two diffractive surfaces, resulting in solutions with reducing overall size and weight, as well as enhancing performance characteristics.

Optik - International Journal for Light and Electron Optics

The photoautotrophic prokaryote cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 represents a promising host for biosynthesis of d-lactate from CO2 as it only contains d-lactate dehydrogenase.

Process Biochemistry

They're part of a tortured introductory voiceover that seems to last for several months, even though it only contains 108 words.

The Guardian - Film

Written in German, it only contains 71 entries, although some elements crop up twice, including relative atomic masses for elements predicted to exist but not yet discovered – such as hafnium, which was discovered in 1923.

The Guardian

Each of the back queues maintains the following invariants: (i) it is non-empty while the crawl is in progress and (ii) it only contains URLs from a single host.

Stanford University

Netanyahu claims that the International Atomic Energy Agency's report of Nov. 8 does not reveal the full scope of the Iranian nuclear threat, as it only contains information that the agency can independently verify.

The New York Times

When I was first given the very small collection of Bãbã Padamanjí (so small in fact, that it only contains one book), to process I wasn't sure if I would find much information about a Hindu man born in May 1831 in Belgaum, India.

Columbia University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "it only contains", ensure the subject is clearly defined to avoid ambiguity about what is being described. For example, instead of saying "It only contains errors", specify "This report only contains errors".

Common error

Avoid using "it only contains" when a more inclusive term is appropriate. For instance, if something primarily contains X but also has trace amounts of Y, saying "it only contains X" would be misleading. Opt for "it primarily contains X" or "it mostly contains X" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it only contains" primarily functions as a restrictive descriptor. It limits the scope of what something includes, specifying that nothing else is present besides what is mentioned. Ludwig AI confirms this usage through numerous examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

61%

News & Media

23%

Academia

7%

Less common in

Wiki

2%

Formal & Business

2%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "it only contains" is a grammatically sound and very common expression used to specify the limited components of something, as validated by Ludwig AI. It functions primarily as a restrictive descriptor, emphasizing exclusivity. While the register is generally neutral, its usage spans from formal academic writing to news reports. When employing this phrase, ensure clarity and avoid being overly restrictive if the subject may contain trace elements not explicitly mentioned. Consider using alternatives such as "it solely includes" for slight variations in emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it solely includes

Replaces "contains" with "includes" and "only" with "solely" emphasizing exclusivity.

it exclusively comprises

Uses "comprises" to suggest composition and "exclusively" to highlight the limited nature.

it exclusively encompasses

Uses "encompasses" to define the scope of content and "exclusively" to limit it.

it merely holds

Emphasizes the simplicity of the contents using "merely" and "holds" instead of "contains".

its content is limited to

Restructures the phrase to focus on the limitation of the content itself.

it simply features

Uses "features" to imply a presentation of content and "simply" to denote the lack of complexity.

it specifically incorporates

Highlights that only specified content is included, using "specifically" and "incorporates".

it narrowly consists of

Highlights the restrictive composition using "narrowly" and "consists of".

the sole component is

Indicates the single element or part of something using "sole component".

it is restricted to

Indicates a limitation on what is included.

FAQs

How can I use "it only contains" in a sentence?

Use "it only contains" to specify the limited components or elements within something. For example, "The recipe only contains three ingredients: flour, water, and salt."

What are some alternatives to saying "it only contains"?

You can use alternatives like "it solely includes", "it exclusively comprises", or "its content is limited to" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "it only contains" or "it contains only"?

Both "it only contains" and "it contains only" are grammatically correct, but "it only contains" is generally more common and natural-sounding in contemporary English. The choice often depends on stylistic preference.

What's the difference between "it only contains" and "it also contains"?

"It only contains" indicates a restriction; there are no other elements besides what is specified. "It also contains" suggests that in addition to some elements, there are others present.