we were only able to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'we were only able to' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use the phrase when you want to express the idea that something was possible, but still difficult. For example, "We were only able to scrape together enough money for a small wedding."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

We were only able to communicate by sight".

The New York Times

We were only able to get the body".

The Guardian

Unfortunately, we were only able to model the bubbles for our final project.

Stanford University

Couples without Children: We were only able to accommodate guaranteed students and high priority students.

Stanford University

Of the samples available, we were only able to obtain those of the LGA or QFN package.

Cornell University

We were only able to implement three detection zones instead of eight as in our final project proposal.

Cornell University

First, we were only able to consider men.

IZA Journal of Labor Policy

We were only able to examine hippocampus tissue and not other regions involved in cognition.

Clinical Phytoscience

However, we were only able to identify low significant relationships with the other citation-based indicators.

Business Research

Therefore, we were only able to give an image of diving accidents of our region.

International Journal of Emergency Medicine

We were only able to do a small percentage of what our mission was.

Los Angeles Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "we were only able to", ensure the context clearly explains why the limitation existed. Providing this context adds clarity and strengthens your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "we were only able to" when a greater achievement was possible. Ensure the phrase accurately reflects a genuine constraint, not a lack of effort or resources.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "we were only able to" functions as a limitation indicator. It modifies the verb that follows, specifying the extent of an action or result. The Ludwig examples illustrate how it restricts what could be accomplished due to certain circumstances.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

70%

News & Media

15%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "we were only able to" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression to indicate limitations or constraints on actions or achievements. As Ludwig AI also indicates, it is useful for expressing that something was possible, but difficult or restricted. Predominantly found in scientific and academic writing, it also appears in news media. When using this phrase, providing context regarding the reason for the limitation enhances clarity. While alternatives such as ""we could only"" and ""we were limited to"" offer similar meanings, "we were only able to" maintains a neutral register suitable for diverse contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

we could only

This alternative uses a more concise verb form ("could") to convey the same limitation.

we were limited to

This phrase emphasizes the external constraints that restricted the possibilities.

we were restricted to

Similar to "limited to", this emphasizes external restrictions.

we managed to only

This suggests an effort was made, but the outcome was still limited.

we were just able to

Implies a narrow margin of success within the limitation.

our capabilities were limited to

This shifts the focus to the inherent limitations of the actors involved.

the most we could do was

This highlights that the achieved outcome was the maximum possible.

we were capable of only

Focuses on the inherent capabilities as the limiting factor.

the extent of our abilities was

This phrase is more formal and emphasizes the scope of abilities.

all that we were able to do was

This emphasizes the totality of the limitation.

FAQs

How to use "we were only able to" in a sentence?

Use "we were only able to" to indicate a constraint or limitation on what was achievable. For example, "Due to budget cuts, "we were only able to" hire two new staff members this year."

What can I say instead of "we were only able to"?

You can use alternatives like "we could only", "we were limited to", or "we were restricted to", depending on the specific context.

What's the difference between "we were only able to" and "we were able to"?

"We were able to" indicates an ability or accomplishment. "We were only able to" indicates that while something was achieved, it was less than desired or expected due to limitations.

Is it correct to say "we only were able to"?

No, the correct phrasing is "we were only able to". The word "only" should be placed before "able" to correctly modify the extent of the ability.