Guide de grammaire

Qu'est-ce que c'est ?

There is et there are sont utilisés pour dire que quelque chose existe ou est présent.

Utilisez there is avec :

• une personne ou une chose
• les noms indénombrables

Utilisez there are avec :

• deux personnes ou choses ou plus

Exemples :

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

La forme contractée de there is est there's.

• There's a café near my house.

Quand utiliser

Utilisez there is et there are pour :

• introduire de nouvelles informations
• décrire des lieux
• dire ce qui est disponible
• dire combien de personnes ou de choses sont présentes
• parler d'événements ou de problèmes

Exemples :

• 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

Phrases affirmatives

Utilisez :

there is + nom singulier

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

Utilisez :

there is + nom indénombrable

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

Utilisez :

there are + nom pluriel

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

Phrases négatives

Utilisez :

there is not + nom singulier ou indénombrable

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

La forme contractée est there isn't.

Utilisez :

there are not + nom pluriel

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

La forme contractée est there aren't.

Questions

Utilisez :

Is there + nom singulier ou indénombrable ?

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

Utilisez :

Are there + nom pluriel ?

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

Réponses courtes

• 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.

Utilisation de some et any

Utilisez some principalement dans les phrases affirmatives.

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

Utilisez any principalement dans les phrases négatives et les questions.

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

Exemples

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

Dans le langage informel, there's est parfois utilisé devant un nom pluriel.

• There's two people outside.

C'est courant dans la conversation, mais there are est la forme standard.

• There are two people outside.

L'expression there is ne signifie pas la même chose que it is.

• There is a café near the station. — Un café existe là-bas.
• It is near the station. — Une personne ou une chose connue est près de la gare.

Utilisez there was et there were pour le passé.

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

Erreurs courantes

1. Incorrect : There are a book on the table. Correct : There is a book on the table. Explication : Utilisez there is avec un nom singulier.

2. Incorrect : There is two chairs in the room. Correct : There are two chairs in the room. Explication : Utilisez there are avec des noms pluriels.

3. Incorrect : There are some milk in the fridge. Correct : There is some milk in the fridge. Explication : Utilisez there is avec des noms indénombrables.

4. Incorrect : Is there any shops nearby? Correct : Are there any shops nearby? Explication : Utilisez are there avec des noms pluriels.

5. Incorrect : There isn't no food. Correct : There isn't any food. Explication : Évitez la double négation. Utilisez any après isn't.

6. Incorrect : Are there a bathroom here? Correct : Is there a bathroom here? Explication : Utilisez is there avec un nom singulier.

7. Incorrect : It is a problem with the door. Correct : There is a problem with the door. Explication : Utilisez there is pour introduire quelque chose qui existe.

8. Incorrect : There have many people outside. Correct : There are many people outside. Explication : Utilisez there are, pas there have, pour parler de personnes ou de choses qui sont présentes.