Indicates a situation is nearing certainty, often used to manage or set expectations.

Expectation Setting

Adds drama or emphasis in storytelling, common in novels or descriptive language.

Literary Flair

Can express resignation or a sense of inevitability about a negative outcome.

Emphasizes the one thing that's excluded from a complete set, often to stress its significance.

Signals that something is one step away from being finished or fully accomplished.

Used to create a strong contrast and highlight the exception in a list or series.