Learn English – the correct visualization of “first left down the hallway”

directionexpressionsmeaningusage

I hear a lot of native speakers say something like this:

  • Once in the arena take first left down the hallway
  • Take your first left down the hallway.
  • When you come to the second floor, make a left and then take your first left down the hallway.

I am confused by such sentences because I am not sure if, when speakers say "first left down the hallway", they mean this:

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or that:

enter image description here

In other words, do they mean "take a left into the hallway and go down"(first picture) or "take left out of the hallway"(second picture)?

Best Answer

Once in the arena, take the first left down the hallway would usually be taken to mean

Once you are inside the arena, go down the hallway and then take first left.

but

Once in the arena, take the first left, down the hallway would be taken to mean

Once in the arena, go straight ahead until you come to the first left, which leads down the hallway. Go down the hallway.

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