Guida grammaticale

Cos'è?

There is e there are si usano per dire che qualcosa esiste o è presente.

Usa there is con:

• una persona o una cosa
• nomi non numerabili

Usa there are con:

• due o più persone o cose

Esempi:

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

La forma abbreviata di there is è there's.

• There's a café near my house.

Quando si usa

Usa there is e there are per:

• introdurre nuove informazioni
• descrivere luoghi
• dire cosa è disponibile
• dire quante persone o cose sono presenti
• parlare di eventi o problemi

Esempi:

• 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.

Struttura

Frasi affermative

Usa:

there is + nome singolare

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

Usa:

there is + nome non numerabile

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

Usa:

there are + nome plurale

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

Frasi negative

Usa:

there is not + nome singolare o non numerabile

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

La forma abbreviata è there isn't.

Usa:

there are not + nome plurale

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

La forma abbreviata è there aren't.

Domande

Usa:

Is there + nome singolare o non numerabile?

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

Usa:

Are there + nome plurale?

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

Risposte brevi

• 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.

Uso di some e any

Usa some principalmente nelle frasi affermative.

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

Usa any principalmente nelle frasi negative e nelle domande.

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

Esempi

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.

Eccezioni

Nel linguaggio informale, there's è talvolta usato prima di un nome plurale.

• There's two people outside.

Questo è comune nella conversazione, ma there are è la forma standard.

• There are two people outside.

La frase there is non significa la stessa cosa di it is.

• There is a café near the station. — Un caffè esiste lì.
• It is near the station. — Una persona o cosa nota è vicino alla stazione.

Usa there was e there were per il passato.

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

Errori comuni

1. Errato: There are a book on the table. Corretto: There is a book on the table. Spiegazione: Usa there is con un nome singolare.

2. Errato: There is two chairs in the room. Corretto: There are two chairs in the room. Spiegazione: Usa there are con nomi plurali.

3. Errato: There are some milk in the fridge. Corretto: There is some milk in the fridge. Spiegazione: Usa there is con nomi non numerabili.

4. Errato: Is there any shops nearby? Corretto: Are there any shops nearby? Spiegazione: Usa are there con nomi plurali.

5. Errato: There isn't no food. Corretto: There isn't any food. Spiegazione: Evita una doppia negazione. Usa any dopo isn't.

6. Errato: Are there a bathroom here? Corretto: Is there a bathroom here? Spiegazione: Usa is there con un nome singolare.

7. Errato: It is a problem with the door. Corretto: There is a problem with the door. Spiegazione: Usa there is per introdurre qualcosa che esiste.

8. Errato: There have many people outside. Corretto: There are many people outside. Spiegazione: Usa there are, non there have, per parlare di persone o cose che sono presenti.