Once upon a time, there...

Hi, subhajit,

@subhajit123 posted:

What are the differences between the following sentences?

1. Once upon a time, a lion lived in the jungle.

2. Once upon a time, there lived a lion in the jungle.

3. Once upon a time, there was a lion who lived in the jungle.

There are no differences in meaning, but in narrative style. (1) is the least usual, because "once upon a time" in initial position is typically followed by anticipatory "there." And (3) is also more usual than (2).

@Gustavo, Co-Moderator posted:

Hi, subhajit,

There are no differences in meaning, but in narrative style. (1) is the least usual, because "once upon a time" in initial position is typically followed by anticipatory "there." And (3) is also more usual than (2).

I don't find the (1) a case of rarity as we can come across many sentences after this fashion to convey one's past habits as in ' once upon a time ,he played cricket all day long but now he can play utmost an hour . The cases with the ancipatory ' there ' are much in evidence only  in granny's fairytale .

@A.Rama krishna posted:

I don't find the (1) a case of rarity as we can come across many sentences after this fashion to convey one's past habits as in ' once upon a time ,he played cricket all day long but now he can play utmost an hour . The cases with the ancipatory ' there ' are much in evidence only  in granny's fairytale .

Hello, A.Rama krishna, and welcome to the Grammar Exchange.

I didn't say that (1) was a rarity but only the least usual of the three sentences, where — unlike in your sentence where there is a definite subject "he" — the subject is indefinite and what is being said about a lion living in the jungle is typically found in children's stories, where the use of "there" at the beginning of the story is so usual to introduce the main character.