correction

Question

I walked out of the elevator and to my right, there's a man painting the hallway. I continued searching for the classroom down the spacious hallway, where two young men were practicing baseball catching skills. All of a sudden, the baseball buzzed past my ear and hit the painting man.

Any mistakes in the above sentences?

Thanks in advance!

Whl626 · Accepted Answer

It seems that the sentence is fine.

Clive · Answer

Hi,

I walked out of the elevator and to my right, there's say 'there was'

a man painting the hallway. I continued searching for the classroom down the spacious hallway, where two young men were practicing

baseball catching skills. This phrase is very unidiomatic. Better is something like 'playing catch'

All of a sudden, the baseball buzzed past my ear and hit the painting man. More natural would be 'hit the painter' or 'hit the man who was painting'

Best wishes, Clive

Whl626 · Answer

Hi Clive,

There's can be ' there is ' or ' there was ' right ?

Clive · Answer

Hi,

The story is about past events. Why do you think you can say 'there is'?

Clive

CalifJim · Answer

In Clive's absence, let me say that there's can only mean there is.

The words was and were never occur in contractions.

CJ

Hey, Clive! Did I read the time wrong? It seemed that it was hours ago that you last posted in this thread. I thought you'd gone to dinner!

CJ

Clive · Answer

Still here, Jim, but dinner is imminent. Grammar makes me hungry.

Clive

Lovek323 · Answer

There's can mean there is or there was. There is nothing wrong with the sentence. It is, as has been pointed out, not idiomatic.

Whl626 · Answer

Yeah, it can mean either there is or there was in my country.

Clive · Answer

Hi,

That's interesting. I wouldn't say it can mean 'There was' in Canada, at least in my experience. What country are you in?

Best wishes, Clive

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