The end of the street

Question

Hi,Is the sentence below natural?The cathedral is the second building from the end of the street on the right.The highlighted part is supposed to mean: There's some building at the end of the street on the right. The cathedral is next to this building.Thank you in advance.

Nona the brit · Accepted Answer

Yes.

Marius Hancu · Answer

The original sentence is OK.

For the translation, I'd say:
There's a building at the end of the street on the right. The cathedral is next to this building.
some might be too casual.

Pastsimple · Answer

Thanks.

Is there any way I could use the word "before" to describe the same situation? I'm thinking about something similar to the phrase "the page before last". Well, I don't think it's possible but I may be wrong.

Also, I think that the some in There's some building at the end of the street stresses the fact that I don't know what kind of building it is. I may be wrong there as well.

Marius Hancu · Answer

PastsimpleThanks.

Is there any way I could use the word "before" to describe the same situation? I'm thinking about something similar to the phrase "the page before last". Well, I don't think it's possible but I may be wrong.

I don't see anything easy:

You'll reach the end of the street first, then it's the 2nd building on the right.

The original sentence is direct enough.

Also, I think that the some in There's some building at the end of the street stresses the fact that I don't know what kind of building it is. I may be wrong there as well.

A isn't too specific either in that respect.

Nona the brit · Answer

The cathedral is the second building from the end of the street on the right.

That version is fine. Although as it's a cathedral and not exactly easy to miss do you have to be so specific anyway? The cathedral is near the end of the street on the right. The cathedral is on the right, just before the corner .

Pastsimple · Answer

Nona The BritThe cathedral is the second building from the end of the street on the right.

That version is fine. Although as it's a cathedral and not exactly easy to miss do you have to be so specific anyway? The cathedral is near the end of the street on the right. The cathedral is on the right, just before the corner .

Point taken. You're right, it wasn't exactly wise to choose a cathedral as the example building. Something smaller would have been better. E.g. some shop.
On second thoughts, one doesn't have to be specific even though the building is small. Near the end of the street is indeed sufficient.

The reason why I was asking was the fact that my mother tongue, unlike English, has a single word for "second from the end".

J Lewis · Answer

Nobody has suggested "next to last" so far, so I'm suggesting it!

Pastsimple · Answer

J LewisNobody has suggested "next to last" so far, so I'm suggesting it!

Sounds good. How would you fit it in the sentence, please?

The cathedral is the second building from the end of the street on the right.

J Lewis · Answer

The cathedral is the next to last building in the street, on the right.

Marius Hancu · Answer

J LewisNobody has suggested "next to last" so far, so I'm suggesting it!

Yes, a natural

The end of the street

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