SN4 ""

No	Pattern	Freq
1	was the only [noun sg]	1030
2	[was/were] the only way	163
3	were the only [noun sg]	85
4	[was/were] the only person	80
5	[was/were] the only thing	61
6	[was/were] the only time	45
7	[was/were] the only man	31
8	[was/were] the only place	30
9	[was/were] the only child	18
10	[was/were] the only girl	15
11	[was/were] the only party	14
12	[was/were] the only part	12
13	[was/were] the only occasion	11
14	[was/were] the only reason	11
15	[was/were] the only option	11
16	[was/were] the only country	10
17	[was/were] the only woman	10
18	[was/were] the only day	9
19	[was/were] the only source	8
20	[was/were] the only sound	7
21	[was/were] the only member	7
22	[was/were] the only boy	7
23	[was/were] the only area	7
24	[was/were] the only group	7
25	[was/were] the only company	7
26	[was/were] the only witness	7
27	[was/were] the only piece	7
28	[was/were] the only son	6
29	[was/were] the only survivor	6
30	[was/were] the only player	6