GV

There Is / There Are

Introducing existence: There is a book. There are many people.

beginner

When to Use There Is / There Are

  • •Introducing something exists: There's a problem. There are many options.
  • •Describing what's in a place: There's a cat in the garden.
  • •Talking about availability: There's no milk left.
  • •With different tenses: There was/were, There will be, There has been.
  • •Questions: Is there...? Are there...?

How to Form There Is / There Are

Affirmative (+)

There + is/are + noun (+ place/time)

Negative (-)

There + isn't/aren't + noun; There's no + noun

Question (?)

Is/Are + there + noun?

💡 There is + singular/uncountable. There are + plural. In speech, 'there's' often used with plural too.

Examples of There Is / There Are

✓There are many students in the class.

✗There is many students in the class.

Are with plural nouns.

✓Is there any milk?

✗Has there any milk?

Use is/are, not has/have.

✓There's no time left.

✗There isn't no time left.

There's no = There isn't any.

Common Mistakes with There Is / There Are

💡 Practice Tips for There Is / There Are

  • • There is + singular: There's a book on the table.
  • • There are + plural: There are books on the table.
  • • Questions: Is there...? Are there...?
  • • Negative: There isn't/aren't... or There's no...
Quick Quiz
  1. 1.There   many students in the class.
  2. 2.Which question form is correct? 
  3. 3.Which sentence is correct? 
  4. 4.Choose the correct negative. 
  5. Question 5: Fill in: blank ___ a book on the table. (singular, contracted)
    5.Fill in: ___ a book on the table. (singular, contracted)
  6. Question 6: Make a question: There is a meeting tomorrow. → blank ___ a meeting tomorrow?
    6.Make a question: There is a meeting tomorrow. → ___ a meeting tomorrow?
  7. Question 7: Make negative: There are some chairs. → There blank ___ chairs.
    7.Make negative: There are some chairs. → There ___ chairs.
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