Example sentences of "[noun pl] [was/were] [pron] but [art] " in BNC.

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1 And so the words turned back on themselves , phrases reappeared , seeming to confirm other phrases , merely repeating themselves , clicking into place with a semblance of logic which nicely disguised the truth that all these words were nothing but a glittering fabric which hovered above the ground , unwinding endlessly , slipping between the fingers , beguiling like a mirage , taking on whatever shape the conjuror wanted , and leading nowhere .
2 The hand had the warmth of personal feeling , whereas the theatrical sigh with which she said her last words was nothing but an actressy trick from a bad radio play .
3 A SELF-STYLED showbiz entrepre-neur 's widely-publicised claims for a brand-new TV soap to rival Coronation Street and EastEnders were nothing but a load of froth .
4 I had a glimpse of a fair-haired girl staring wide-eyed and terrified from a tennis court , her racket held loose by her side and tennis balls scattered at her feet and , though the trees and buildings and gardens were nothing but a high-speed blur , my mind nevertheless registered with a startling clarity that the girl had been completely naked .
5 Indeed , one had only to go to Rhodesia to see the ample supply of consumer goods in the shops from every part of the world to realise that sanctions were nothing but an empty farce , and that the claim that they were going to bring Mr Ian Smith to his knees was a total fraud .
6 It was possible that these men were nothing but a strong feint designed to draw the allies towards Charleroi while the real French thrust , fuelled by the Emperor 's presence , attacked twenty-five miles to the west at Mons.
7 People were impostors and children were nothing but the promise of broken bones .
8 The island for these tourists was nothing but a sun-tan and duty free shopping .
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