There is / There are

"There is" and "there are" are used to talk about the existence of things.

There is / There are - Exercise and Quiz

These exercises focus on There is / There are

When to Use "There Is" and "There Are"

"There is": Use this when you’re talking about one item (singular noun) or uncountable things.
"There are": Use this when you’re talking about more than one item (plural noun).

Expression	Use With	Example
There is	Singular nouns	There is a dog in the yard.
There is	Uncountable nouns	There is milk in the fridge.
There are	Plural nouns	There are two dogs in the yard.

Examples of "There Is" and "There Are"

Using "There is":

There is a computer on the desk.
There is a lot of information on this topic.
There is an apple in the basket.

Using "There are":

There are three computers on the desks.
There are apples in the basket.
There are many topics to discuss.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Using "There is" for Plural Nouns

Incorrect: There is five books on the shelf.
Correct: There are five books on the shelf.

Using "There are" with Uncountable Nouns

Incorrect: There are milk in the fridge.
Correct: There is milk in the fridge.

Everyday Situations

In everyday conversation, "there is" and "there are" help us describe what’s around us or point out things that exist. For example:

Talking about items in a room:

"There is a TV in the living room."
"There are several chairs in the dining room."

Describing what's available:

"There is a lot of information online."
"There are many places to visit in this city."

Quick Tips for Correct Use

If the noun is singular or uncountable (like "milk," "sugar," "money"), use "there is."**
If the noun is plural, use "there are."

How to Form Questions with "There Is" and "There Are"

To ask questions, we simply switch the order of "there" and "is/are."

Singular and Uncountable Nouns (use "is"):

Is there a book on the table?
Is there any milk in the fridge?
Is there a problem?

Plural Nouns (use "are"):

Are there any books on the table?
Are there any seats available?
Are there many people at the party?

Examples of Questions

Type of Noun	Question Example
Singular	Is there a pen in your bag?
Uncountable	Is there water in the glass?
Plural	Are there any cookies left?

How to Form Negatives with "There Is" and "There Are"

To make negative sentences, we add "not" after "is" or "are," which makes it clear that something does not exist.

Singular and Uncountable Nouns:

There is not (or isn't) a book on the table.
There is not (or isn't) any milk in the fridge.
There isn't a good solution for this problem.

Plural Nouns:

There are not (or aren't) any books on the table.
There are not (or aren't) any seats available.
There aren't many people at the meeting.

Examples of Negatives

Type of Noun	Negative Example
Singular	There isn’t a pen in my bag.
Uncountable	There isn’t any water in the glass.
Plural	There aren’t any cookies left.

Everyday Use: Asking and Denying Existence

In daily conversation, you can use these forms to ask about things that may or may not be present, or to deny the existence of something:

Asking if something exists:

"Is there a restroom nearby?"
"Are there any restaurants open late?"

Saying something does not exist:

"There isn't a restroom nearby."
"There aren't any restaurants open late."

Common Contractions with "There Is" and "There Are"

There’s: This is the contraction of "there is". It’s used for singular or uncountable nouns.

Example: There’s a book on the table. (There is a book on the table.)
Example: There’s water in the fridge. (There is water in the fridge.)

There’re: This is the contraction of "there are". However, it is less common in speech and writing because it can sound awkward. In most cases, people will use "there are" without a contraction for clarity.

Example: There’re two chairs in the room. (There are two chairs in the room.)

Note: In conversational English, many speakers will say "There are" without contraction, as "There’re" can be difficult to pronounce.

Examples of "There’s" and "There’re" in Sentences

Contraction	Full Form	Example Sentence
There’s	There is	There’s a cat on the porch.
There’s	There is	There’s a lot of information here.
There’re	There are	There’re many options to consider.
There’re	There are	There’re people waiting outside.

FAQ

Can I use "there’s" instead of "there is"?

Yes, "there’s" is the contraction for "there is" and is often used in spoken English. But avoid saying "there’s" with plural nouns. For example, say "There are two cats," not "There’s two cats."

Can I use "there are" for uncountable nouns?

No, "there is" is used for uncountable nouns, like "There is sugar on the table."

What’s the difference between "there is" and "it is"?

"There is" shows existence or location, while "it is" describes or identifies something specific. For example, "There is a book on the table" vs. "It is a good book."

Can "there is" and "there are" start questions?

Yes! Examples: "Is there a problem?" or "Are there any questions?"

Can I use "there are" with a list?

Yes, as long as the list items are plural or there is more than one. For example: "There are pens and notebooks on the desk."

Can I use “Is there” and “Are there” in polite requests?

Yes! Use them to politely ask if something exists: "Is there a place to sit?" or "Are there any seats available?"

Is “isn’t” and “aren’t” the same as “there is not” and “there are not”?

Yes, they are contractions. “Isn’t” = “is not,” and “aren’t” = “are not.”

Can I say “There are not” for singular nouns?

No, "There are not" is only for plural nouns. For singular nouns, say "There is not" or "There isn't."

How can I ask about the availability of uncountable items?

Use "Is there any" to check for availability, like "Is there any coffee left?"

Is it okay to use “there’s” and “there’re” in questions?

“There’s” is used in informal questions (e.g., "There’s a seat available, right?"), but “There’re” is rarely used because it can sound awkward. Stick to “Are there” for clarity.

There is / There are