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Sentences (1)-(2) below are grammatically/semantically correct.
Sentences (1)-(2) are traditionally explained by deletion of a nominative case relative pronoun. However, in my view, sentences (1)-(2) are constructions of there is＋an independent sentence/finite clause.

(1) There was nothing could be done for him.

(2) There’s only two men in the world of golf can play like that.

What is more, in my view, sentences like (1)-(2) seem to be acceptable in Brithsh English, rather than in American English.

Question：

In what context sentences (1)-(2) are likely to use?

Could you please tell me contexts where it is appropriate to use sentences (1)-(2), or contexts in which sentences (1)-(2) can be used?

GWisdom
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1 Answers1

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Huddleston & Pullum (2002) address this issue, of course (ch. 12, p. 1055). Their example sentence is:

There’s someone at the door wants to talk to you.

They consider such existential statements as a possible exception to the rule that reduced relative clauses require a "that" before a relativized subject.

They say that such sentences "fall at the boundary between very informal and non-standard." I (speaking American English, if it's relevant) share their ambivalence; I think that this construction shows up in informal speech but very rarely in writing.

As they note, there are some dialects that allow this construction much more widely, e.g.:

Anyone wants this can have it.

I'm inclined to think that this construction can be heard in all dialects, but that it's just more common in some dialects than others. Wolfram (2000) notes its occurrence in various Southern US dialects and AAVE, for instance.

alphabet
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    There's a guy works down the chip shop swears he's Elvis. – psmears Aug 01 '23 at 11:18
  • I already know that examples like (1) and (2) are in the boarder between correct English and non-standard English. So I want to know contexts in which (1) or (2) is used appropriately. – GWisdom Aug 02 '23 at 13:22
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    @GWisdom Are you asking whether you should use this construction? That would be a matter of context, taste, and stylistic preference; it's not something we can answer here. – alphabet Aug 02 '23 at 14:57
  • @GWisdom You would be mimicking a regional dialect trait. There are no natural contexts where you would do that. – TimR Aug 02 '23 at 18:41
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    "You’d think it was the room of a man would drive a car for a bishop only for the pictures of women in frames along the shelf above his bed." https://stancarey.wordpress.com/2014/08/22/subject-contact-clauses-in-irish-english/ – TimR Aug 02 '23 at 18:45
  • Could you expand on 'the rule that reduced relative clauses require a "that" before a relativized subject'? Maybe give an example of that. – HippoSawrUs Aug 06 '23 at 17:04
  • The context (3) below seems right.

    (3) "Did you see him skip that ball off the surface of the water trap right into the hole?" － "There are only two men in the world of golf can play like that. Jesus and Jack."

    In the context (3), sentence (2) is used. Is the context (3) right, wrong, or unnatural?

     – GWisdom Aug 07 '23 at 23:15
  • @GWisdom If you have another question, post a separate question. Don't use the comments box. If you aren't a native speaker, ask ELL instead. – alphabet Aug 07 '23 at 23:19