In our lesson, we will talk about the ‘There is’ and ‘There are’ structures in English grammar.
‘There is’ and ‘There are’ are phrases we use to talk about the existence of something. Imagine you’re describing what’s in a room or a place. “There is” and “There are” help you talk about the things you see or know are there.
Example Sentences:
- There is a book on the table. (“There is” tells us that one book is on the table.)
- There are three apples in the basket. (“There are” tells us that multiple apples are in the basket.)
Using “There is”
Use “There is” when you’re talking about one thing. It’s like pointing out a single item in a room.
- “There is”: Use “There is” when you’re talking about one thing. It’s like pointing out a single item in a room.
- Example: “There is a book on the table.”
- “There is” tells us that one book is on the table.
- Another example: “There is a cat in the garden.”
- Here, “There is” shows that one cat is in the garden.
- “There are”: Use “There are” when you’re talking about more than one thing. It’s like pointing out a group of items.
- Example: “There are three apples in the basket.”
- “There are” tells us that multiple apples are in the basket.
- Another example: “There are many stars in the sky.”
- Here, “There are” shows that lots of stars are in the sky.
How to Use Them
- Singular: Use “There is” for one item.
- “There is a chair in the room.”
- Plural: Use “There are” for more than one item.
- “There are two chairs in the room.”
Questions and Negatives
- To ask a question, switch the order:
- “Is there a book on the table?”
- “Are there any apples in the basket?”
- To say something isn’t there, add “not”:
- “There is not (isn’t) a book on the table.”
- “There are not (aren’t) any apples in the basket.”
| Phrase | Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|
| There is | Used for singular nouns | There is a cat on the sofa. |
| There is | Used for uncountable nouns | There is milk in the fridge. |
| There are | Used for plural nouns | There are books on the shelf. |
Use “There is” for one item. Use “There are” for more than one item.
Summary
- “There is” is used when talking about one item or something uncountable.
- “There are” is used when talking about more than one item.
Grammar Exercises
Practice online and check your results with answers.