there was

[navi tasan]

Which are correct:

1) There stood a dresser in the corner of the room.

2) There danced a tall woman in the middle of the dance hall.

3) There was dancing a tall woman in the middle of the dance hall.

4) There ate a couple in the middle of the restaurant.

5) There were eating a couple in the middle of the restaurant.

I think they get worse as we go down the list! I don't think '4' and '5' work. The others do, although they sound a bit literary.

Gratefully,
Navi.

 

[bhaisahab]

You are right about them getting worse as we go down the list. They are all unnatural, though.

 

[emsr2d2]

Which are correct:

1) There stood a dresser in the corner of the room.
There was a dresser in the corner of the room.
A dresser stood in the corner of the room.

2) There danced a tall woman in the middle of the dance hall.
A tall woman danced/was dancing in the middle of the dance hall.

3) There was dancing a tall woman in the middle of the dance hall.
A tall woman danced/was dancing in the middle of the dance hall.

4) There ate a couple in the middle of the restaurant.
A couple ate/was eating in the restaurant.

5) There were eating a couple in the middle of the restaurant.
A couple ate/was eating in the restaurant.

I think they get worse as we go down the list! I don't think '4' and '5' work. The others do, although they sound a bit literary.

Gratefully,
Navi.

I have put natural versions under yours (in red).

The originals are all unnatural. I even find "in the middle of the restaurant" fairly odd. Unless it's really relevant, we rarely refer to someone's position inside a restaurant, with the exception of "upstairs/downstairs/at a table in the window".

 

[alsp]

Not a teacher

1) There stood a dresser in the corner of the room.
There was a dresser in the corner of the room.

2) There danced a tall woman in the middle of the dance hall.
A tall woman danced at the dance hall.

3) There was dancing a tall woman in the middle of the dance hall.
There was a tall woman dancing in the middle of the dance floor.

4) There ate a couple in the middle of the restaurant.
A couple sat in the middle of the restaurant. (This sounds better if you want to include the position of the couple.)

5) There were eating a couple in the middle of the restaurant.
There was a couple eating at the restaurant.

These sound more natural. I hope this helps.