Discussion Groups / English Usage / November 2006

*"with his hand putting in his pockets" is dead wrong.

There is no need for the "put" here, and because it says "pockets"
and not "pocket", it should be "hands", not "hand".

The best way would be "with his hands in his pockets", unless there
is some need to indicate mood, tone, feeling, or something else
necessary for the narrative, in which case it might be one of the
following:

"with his hands hidden in his pockets"
"with his hands thrust in his pockets"
"with his hands deep in his pockets"

or something like one of these.

The gloria0402@gmail.com entity posted thusly:

Incorrect. You can say  any of the following.

1. "... with his hands in his pockets."
2. "... with his hand in his pocket."
3. "... with his hands in his pocket."

Ignoring the first part of the sentence, because it would not make
sense with the following...

4. "... (he was) putting his hands in his pockets."
5. "... (he was) putting his hand in his pocket."
6. "... (he was) putting his hands in his pocket."

7. (he put)  his hands in his pockets.
8. (he put)  his hand in his pocket.
9. (he put)  his hands in his pocket.

3, 6 and 9 imply a large pocket suitably placed to allow both hands to
be put into it.

Because put is an action. You put something somewhere.

Besides the various options others have mentioned, there is the
possibility that the writer meant something like:

"The old man kept walking back and forth outside the door, putting his
hands in his pockets."

*If so* (by no means assured), that would suggest a nervous energy, an
agitation, since to repeatedly put his hands in his pockets he would,
by necessary implication, also be repeatedly taking them out again.

Just another possibility . . . .