1. He is looking for the key in the room.
2. He is looking for the key which is in the room.
3. In the room, he is looking for the key.
[Does #1 mean #2 or #3? Are both okay? It is ambiguous, isn't it?]
4. Look at the boy in the shop.
5. Look at the boy who is in the shop.
6. In the shop, look at the boy.
[Does #4 mean #5 or #6? Are both okay? It is ambiguous, isn't it?]
1, 2, and 3 mean the same thing. #1 is simpler and better stated.
4 and 5 mean the same thing. #6 could mean something slightly different. It could mean WHEN YOU ARE IN the shop at the same time the boy is. 4 and 5 mean that you could be looking into the shop from outside the shop or looking at a picture of the shop; looking at the shop without being inside the shop.
Really, 4, 5, and 6 mean much the same thing. I would interpret 6 to mean to look at the boy when I, too, am in the shop.
Yes, both sentences in each set can be interpreted differently based on the placement of the prepositional phrase "in the room" (set 1) or "in the shop" (set 2). Let's break down the possible interpretations for each set:
Set 1:
1. "He is looking for the key in the room." This sentence implies that the key is somewhere in the room, and the person is searching for it.
2. "He is looking for the key which is in the room." This sentence explicitly states that the key is located in the room, and the person is searching for it.
3. "In the room, he is looking for the key." This sentence emphasizes that the person is searching for the key specifically in the room, but it doesn't specify whether the key is actually in the room or not.
In set 1, the meaning can be somewhat ambiguous, especially between sentence 2 and 3.
Set 2:
4. "Look at the boy in the shop." This sentence suggests that there is a boy present in the shop and is asking someone to direct their attention towards him.
5. "Look at the boy who is in the shop." This sentence clarifies that the boy being referred to is currently located inside the shop, and the speaker wants someone to look at him.
6. "In the shop, look at the boy." This sentence emphasizes that the person needs to look at the boy specifically in the shop, but it doesn't explicitly state whether the boy is actually in the shop or not.
In set 2, the meaning can also be somewhat ambiguous, particularly between sentence 4 and 6.
Overall, the interpretations may vary based on the context and the writer's intention.