Saying that something exists
We use there is and there are to say that something exists or to introduce something new, usually with a place. There is goes with one thing or an uncountable noun. There are goes with more than one thing.
There is …
- There is a book on the table.
- There is some milk in the fridge.
There are …
- There are two books on the table.
- There are many students here.
| Singular / uncountable | Plural | |
|---|---|---|
| Positive | There is / There’s a cat. | There are three cats. |
| Negative | There isn’t a cat. / There is no cat. | There aren’t any cats. |
| Question | Is there a cat? | Are there any cats? |
| Short answer | Yes, there is. / No, there isn’t. | Yes, there are. / No, there aren’t. |
Rule
Remember
- Use a / an with singular nouns, some in positive sentences and any in negatives and questions.
- The verb agrees with the noun that follows it: There is a pen and two books (often the first noun decides in speech).
- Past forms: there was (singular) and there were (plural).
- Don’t confuse with it is: There is a dog. It is big.
Lots of examples
- There is a park near my house.Singular.
- There are five people in my family.Plural.
- There’s some juice in the fridge.Uncountable.
- There isn’t a bank on this street.Negative.
- There aren’t any chairs in the room.Negative plural.
- Is there a bus stop near here? — Yes, there is.Question and answer.
- Are there any shops nearby? — No, there aren’t.Question and answer.
- There was a good film on TV last night.Past singular.
- There were a lot of people at the party.Past plural.
- How many students are there in your class?How many … are there.
- There is no milk left.There is no = there isn’t any.
- There’s a problem with my laptop.Contraction.
Don’t say / Say
Don’t sayThere is two cats.
SayThere are two cats.Why: Plural → are.
Don’t sayHave a park near my house.
SayThere is a park near my house.Why: Use there is to say that something exists.
Don’t sayIt has a bank in the street.
SayThere is a bank in the street.Why: Not it has.
Don’t sayThere are a book on the desk.
SayThere is a book on the desk.Why: Singular → is.
Don’t sayIs there some shops here?
SayAre there any shops here?Why: Use any in questions and negatives.