Grammar Guide

What is it?

There is and there are are used to say that something exists or is present.

Use there is with:

• one person or thing
• uncountable nouns

Use there are with:

• two or more people or things

Examples:

• There is a book on the table.
• There is some milk in the fridge.
• There are three chairs in the room.

The short form of there is is there’s.

• There’s a café near my house.

When to use

Use there is and there are to:

• introduce new information
• describe places
• say what is available
• say how many people or things are present
• talk about events or problems

Examples:

• There is a bank next to the station.
• There are two bathrooms in the apartment.
• There is some food in the kitchen.
• There are many people outside.
• There is a problem with the computer.

Structure

Positive sentences

Use:

there is + singular noun

• There is a shop nearby.
• There is one window in the room.

Use:

there is + uncountable noun

• There is some water in the bottle.
• There is a lot of traffic today.

Use:

there are + plural noun

• There are two shops nearby.
• There are several windows in the room.

Negative sentences

Use:

there is not + singular or uncountable noun

• There is not a pharmacy nearby.
• There is not much time.

The short form is there isn’t.

Use:

there are not + plural noun

• There are not enough chairs.
• There are not any shops nearby.

The short form is there aren’t.

Questions

Use:

Is there + singular or uncountable noun?

• Is there a bathroom here?
• Is there any coffee left?

Use:

Are there + plural noun?

• Are there any questions?
• Are there two bedrooms?

Short answers

• Is there a bank nearby? — Yes, there is.
• Is there any milk? — No, there isn’t.
• Are there any tickets left? — Yes, there are.
• Are there many people? — No, there aren’t.

Using some and any

Use some mainly in positive sentences.

• There is some bread.
• There are some apples.

Use any mainly in negative sentences and questions.

• There isn’t any bread.
• Are there any apples?

Examples

1. There is a supermarket near my house.
2. There are two cats in the garden.
3. There is some coffee in the kitchen.
4. There isn’t a bus stop on this street.
5. There aren’t any clean cups.
6. Is there a hotel near the airport?
7. Are there any messages for me?
8. There is a lot of traffic this morning.
9. There are several books on the desk.
10. There’s a meeting at three o’clock.

Exceptions

In informal speech, there’s is sometimes used before a plural noun.

• There’s two people outside.

This is common in conversation, but there are is the standard form.

• There are two people outside.

The phrase there is does not mean the same as it is.

• There is a café near the station. — A café exists there.
• It is near the station. — A known person or thing is near the station.

Use there was and there were for the past.

• There was a problem yesterday.
• There were many people at the event.

Common mistakes

1. Incorrect: There are a book on the table. Correct: There is a book on the table. Explanation: Use there is with a singular noun.

2. Incorrect: There is two chairs in the room. Correct: There are two chairs in the room. Explanation: Use there are with plural nouns.

3. Incorrect: There are some milk in the fridge. Correct: There is some milk in the fridge. Explanation: Use there is with uncountable nouns.

4. Incorrect: Is there any shops nearby? Correct: Are there any shops nearby? Explanation: Use are there with plural nouns.

5. Incorrect: There isn’t no food. Correct: There isn’t any food. Explanation: Avoid a double negative. Use any after isn’t.

6. Incorrect: Are there a bathroom here? Correct: Is there a bathroom here? Explanation: Use is there with a singular noun.

7. Incorrect: It is a problem with the door. Correct: There is a problem with the door. Explanation: Use there is to introduce something that exists.

8. Incorrect: There have many people outside. Correct: There are many people outside. Explanation: Use there are, not there have, to talk about people or things that are present.