# Grammar for exiting a building



## Lorna (Aug 21, 2012)

Hi, does anybody know which of these ways of describing leaving a building from a third person limited viewpoint is correct?

1) He exited his quarters and headed to the pub.
2) He exited *from* his quarters and headed to the pub. 

I'm not great on grammatical rules but the first puts me more in the viewpoint character's head. In the second the 'from' makes me think I'm watching him exiting from an omniscient perspective. When I'm exiting my house I don't see myself as exiting 'from' it. Actually, I see myself as leaving my house. 

Maybe 

3) He left his quarters and headed to the pub

Would be the best bet?


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## Steerpike (Aug 21, 2012)

I'd go with number three, of the examples you posted. Of the first two, I'd use number one. The "from" in example two seems like a needless additional word.


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## JonSnow (Aug 21, 2012)

Grammatically, any of them work. #2 has the word "from" which is completely unnecessary. I'd go with #3.


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## Anders Ã„mting (Aug 21, 2012)

Lorna said:


> 3) He left his quarters and headed to the pub



This one. No need to complicate it. 

Nobody actually uses the word "exited", anyway. It's: "Elvis has _left _the building," or "I _left_ the hotel at 9.30, making sure to bring my sword-cane along just in case."


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## T.Allen.Smith (Aug 21, 2012)

They all seem okay as far as POV is concerned. Although I do agree that "from" is an unnecessary word.


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## Benjamin Clayborne (Aug 21, 2012)

The entire reference to his quarters is unnecessary, unless the pub is also in his quarters. Tell the reader

_He went to the pub._

and they'll assume he exited his quarters to do so.


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## Jared (Aug 21, 2012)

Benjamin Clayborne said:


> The entire reference to his quarters is unnecessary, unless the pub is also in his quarters. Tell the reader
> 
> _He went to the pub._
> 
> and they'll assume he exited his quarters to do so.



I'd probably go with this. And if you wanted to add some character voice or imply relative location, you could add a modifier like up, down, over, across, etc.


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## Lorna (Aug 21, 2012)

Thanks everybody. 

@Benjamin Clayborne



> He went to the pub.



Duh! Why do I have a habit of making a meal out of everything?


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## Anders Ã„mting (Aug 21, 2012)

Benjamin Clayborne said:


> The entire reference to his quarters is unnecessary, unless the pub is also in his quarters. Tell the reader
> 
> _He went to the pub._
> 
> and they'll assume he exited his quarters to do so.



Well, what if something stops him on the way to the pub? Then it's incorrect to say he went to the pub, and saying he went towards the pub when he's been established to be in his quarters sounds kinda weird.


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## Zero Angel (Aug 21, 2012)

I think Benjamin's got the ticket. Unless as Anders pointed out, the fellow is stopped on the way. 

From the OP, I'd go with the third option as well. 

Finally, although "exited" is rare, if this is your style then #1 would be the choice I'd go with.


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## Benjamin Clayborne (Aug 21, 2012)

Anders Ã„mting said:


> Well, what if something stops him on the way to the pub? Then it's incorrect to say he went to the pub, and saying he went towards the pub when he's been established to be in his quarters sounds kinda weird.



Well, yes, if something different happens, then you have to write something else.


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