Available and left

Question

I know that the meaning of the two sentences is the same: There are two available tables in the restaurant and There are two tables available in the restaurant. Then, how about these?, There are two people left now and There are two left people now. I know each adjective has each different property. So what I would like to know that  "available" is possible to modify nouns in front and behind without making meaning difference but "left" is not. Am I right? Thank you as usual and have a good day.

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

There are two people left now -- I think this is bordering on the passive voice, but you are right that this is how it is used. 'Left people' is not right, but for instance 'left item' (as on a bus) is used.

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you. So you agree that both ways are fine for "available" but "left" has different cases? Thank you so much.

Anonymous · Answer

The problem is apparently that the word "available" is an adjective; adjectives tend to have considerable freedom of movement in a sentence, as can be seen in the first two sentences.

The word "left" is an adverb in the third sentence; adverbs typically have less freedom of movement in a sentence. So if used as an adv. left can have only this position in the sentence. In the fourth sentence the word "left" is the past participle of the verb leave and is used adjectivally - this sentence is actually okay, although a little offbeat. Thus you have two different grammatical situations here which really aren't comparable.

Available and left

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