A1 Verb Tenses 22 min read Easy

There is / There are (Existence)

Use 'There is/are' to state that something exists or is located somewhere, matching the verb to the noun.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Use 'There is' for one thing and 'There are' for two or more to say something exists.

  • Use 'There is' (or 'There's') for singular nouns: 'There is a cat.'
  • Use 'There are' for plural nouns: 'There are two cats.'
  • Swap the order for questions: 'Is there a cat?' or 'Are there cats?'
There + is/are + 📦 (Object) + 📍 (Location)

Overview

We use there is and there are to say that something exists or is in a place. It's one of the first things you need to learn in English!

There is = for one thing. There are = for two or more things.

One cat sleeping on a bed

There is a cat on the bed.
(one cat)

Three books on a table

There are three books on the table.
(three books)

We use this when we tell someone about something for the first time. It's like saying: "Look! This exists!"

Conjugation Table

Form Singular (one / uncountable) Plural (two or more) Examples
Positive There is (There's) There are There's a cat on the bed.
There are two chairs.
Negative There is not (There isn't) There are not (There aren't) There isn't a bank here.
There aren't any buses.
Question Is there...? Are there...? Is there a toilet here?
Are there any shops nearby?
Short Answer ✅ Yes, there is. Yes, there are. Is there a park? — Yes, there is.
Short Answer ❌ No, there isn't. No, there aren't. Are there any seats? — No, there aren't.

How This Grammar Works

Use 'there'. Then use 'is' or 'are'. It is easy.

The rule is: There + is/are + thing.

'There' means something is here. It does not mean a place.

One dog in a park

There is a dog in the park.
(one dog → is)

Two dogs in a park

There are two dogs in the park.
(two dogs → are)

Count the things. One is 'is'. Two or more is 'are'.

Formation Pattern

✅ Positive (Yes, it exists!)

One thing: There is + a/an + thing.

There is a shop near my house.

There is a shop near my house.

There's an egg in the fridge.

There's an egg in the fridge. (there's)

For water, milk, or money: There is + thing.

There is some water on the floor.

There is some water on the floor.

There's milk in the cup.

There's milk in the cup.

Two or more things: There are + many + things.

There are five chairs in the room.

There are five chairs in the room.

There are many people in the park.

There are many people in the park.

❌ Negative (No, it doesn't exist!)

No thing: There is not + a/an + thing.

There isn't a bank on this street.

There isn't a bank on this street.

There's no internet here.

There's no internet here.

💡 Tip: You can say the same thing two ways:
• There isn't a bank. (isn't + a/an)
• There's no bank. (is + no)
Both are correct! Same meaning. 😊

No water or milk: There is not any + thing.

There isn't any sugar left.

There isn't any sugar left.

There isn't any milk.

There isn't any milk.

No things: There are not any + things.

There aren't any chairs here.

There aren't any chairs here.

There aren't any buses today.

There aren't any buses today.

❓ Questions (Does it exist?)

Put 'is' or 'are' first to ask a question.

One thing: Is there + a/an + thing?

Is there a toilet here?

Is there a toilet here?

Is there a problem?

Is there a problem?

Two or more things: Are there + any + things?

Are there any questions?

Are there any questions?

Are there any shops nearby?

Are there any shops nearby?

Short answers:

Is there a meeting today?

Is there a meeting today?

→ Yes, there is. / No, there isn't.

Are there any seats?

Are there any seats?

→ Yes, there are. / No, there aren't.

When To Use It

Use there is/are when you want to:

1. Tell someone something exists for the first time:
• There is a new student in our class.
• There are three steps to follow.

Say what is in a place. There is a book.

3. Say something is available or not available:
• There isn't any coffee left.
• Are there any vegetarian options?

4. Ask \"how many\":
• How many people are there in your family?
• How many rooms are there in your house?

When Not To Use It

Don't use there is/are in these situations:

Do not say 'There is my friend'. Say 'My friend is here'.

2. When you talk about owning something (use \"have\"):
❌ There is a red car to me.
✅ I have a red car.

❌ There are three children to her.
✅ She has three children.

Do not say 'There is delicious'. Say 'The pizza is delicious'.

Common Mistakes

Confused person making common mistakes

Mistake 1: Using \"is\" with many things (or \"are\" with one thing)
Always look at the word AFTER is/are:
❌ There are a problem. ("a problem" = one thing)
✅ There is a problem.

❌ There is many students. ("many students" = more than one)
✅ There are many students.

'There is' means it exists. 'It is' talks about the thing.

Mistake 3: Using \"there is\" for things you already know
❌ Where is my phone? There is it on the table.
✅ Where is my phone? It's on the table.

❌ There are my keys!
✅ Here are my keys!

Use 'there' in questions. Ask: 'Is there a meeting?'

Memory Trick

Easy way to remember:

is = one thing
is is a short word (2 letters). Think: short word = one thing.
• There is ONE cat.

are = many things
are is a longer word (3 letters). Think: longer word = more things.
• There are FIVE cats.

Quick check: Look at the word after is/are. Can you count more than one?
• Yes → use are
• No (just one, or cannot count it) → use is

Real Conversations

Here is how people really use there is/are every day:

💬 At school

Two students talking in a library

👤 "Hey, are there any good places to study in the library?"
👤 "Not really. There's a long line for the quiet rooms. But there are some free tables near the door."

💬 At a hotel

Guest talking to receptionist in hotel lobby

👤 "Excuse me, is there a pharmacy near here?"
👤 "Yes, there is one two streets away. Also, there are some things you can buy in our gift shop."

💬 With a neighbor

Two neighbors talking over a fence

👤 "I heard there's a market every Saturday morning!"
👤 "Yes! And in summer, there are live music shows too!"

Notice: In speaking, people usually say there's (short) instead of there is. It sounds more natural!

Contrast With Similar Patterns

People make mistakes here. See the difference below.

1. There is/are → something EXISTS

Use this to say something is in a place (for the first time):
• There is a new restaurant in town. (it exists!)
• There are 10 people in the room. (they exist in the room)

2. It is / They are → DESCRIBE something you already know

Use 'it is' or 'they are' to tell us more.

3. I have / She has → you OWN something

Use this to talk about things that belong to someone:
• There is a car in the garage. (a car exists there)
• I have a car. (the car is mine)

'There is' means it is here. 'It is' describes it.

Progressive Practice

A cozy room with furniture
Practice 1: Look around you
Look at the room you are in right now. Describe it!
• There is a window.
• There are two chairs.
• There isn't a TV.
Try to make 5 sentences about your room.

A downtown area with shops
Practice 2: Ask questions
Practice asking questions about places:
• Is there a park near your house?
• Are there any good restaurants in your area?
• Is there a supermarket nearby?
Answer with: Yes, there is. / No, there isn't. / Yes, there are. / No, there aren't.

A cute town with shops and people
Practice 3: Write about your town
Write 5-10 sentences about your town or city:
• In my town, there is a big park.
• There are many shops on the main street.
• There isn't a cinema, but there is a library.

Practice 4: Listen and find
Watch an English video or TV show. Try to hear there is and there are. How many times do you hear it? You'll be surprised — people use it a lot!

Quick FAQ

Always say 'There are' for two or more things.

'There is' means it is here. 'It is' talks about it.

Swap the words for a question. Say 'Is there'?

Q: Can I use "there is" with water, milk, money?
Yes! For things you can't count, always use there is:
• There is water in the bottle.
• There is some money on the table.
Never use there are with these words.

Q: What about the past? "There was" / "There were"?
Yes! For the past:
• One thing: There was a party last night.
• Many things: There were many people.
For the future: There will be a meeting tomorrow.

Present Simple Existence

Type Singular / Uncountable Plural
Affirmative
There is (There's)
There are
Negative
There is not (There isn't)
There are not (There aren't)
Question
Is there...?
Are there...?
Short Answer (+)
Yes, there is.
Yes, there are.
Short Answer (-)
No, there isn't.
No, there aren't.

Common Contractions

Full Form Contraction Usage Note
There is
There's
Very common in speech and informal writing.
There is not
There isn't / There's not
Both are common; 'isn't' is more standard.
There are not
There aren't
Common in speech.
There are
None
Native speakers rarely contract 'There are' in writing.

Meanings

A grammatical structure used to introduce new information or state that something exists in a particular place.

1

Singular Existence

Stating that one person, thing, or place exists.

“There is a new student in our class.”

“There's a fly in my soup!”

2

Plural Existence

Stating that multiple people, things, or places exist.

“There are many books on the shelf.”

“There are three cars in the garage.”

3

Uncountable Existence

Stating the existence of things we cannot count (liquids, concepts, etc.).

“There is some water on the floor.”

“There is a lot of traffic today.”

Reference Table

Reference table for There is / There are (Existence)
Form Structure Example
Singular Affirmative
There is + a/an + noun
There is a lamp.
Plural Affirmative
There are + number/some + noun
There are some pens.
Uncountable Affirmative
There is + some + noun
There is some juice.
Singular Negative
There isn't + a/an + noun
There isn't a TV.
Plural Negative
There aren't + any + noun
There aren't any windows.
Singular Question
Is there + a/an + noun?
Is there a garage?
Plural Question
Are there + any + noun?
Are there any shops?
Short Answer
Yes, there is / No, there isn't
Yes, there is.

Formality Spectrum

Formal
Might I inquire if there is a restroom available?

Might I inquire if there is a restroom available? (Travel/Public spaces)

Neutral
Is there a bathroom here?

Is there a bathroom here? (Travel/Public spaces)

Informal
Is there a toilet?

Is there a toilet? (Travel/Public spaces)

Slang
Any loos around?

Any loos around? (Travel/Public spaces)

The World of 'There'

There is/are

Singular

  • A book There is a book

Plural

  • Two books There are two books

Uncountable

  • Some water There is some water

There is vs. It is

There is
Introducing There is a new car.
It is
Describing It is a red car.

Choosing Is or Are

1

Is the noun singular?

YES
Use 'There is'
NO
Go to next step
2

Is the noun plural?

YES
Use 'There are'
NO
Use 'There is' (Uncountable)

Common Places to use 'There'

🏠

In a Room

  • • Bed
  • • Table
  • • Chair
🏙️

In a City

  • • Park
  • • Bank
  • • Museum
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Examples by Level

1

There is a cat on the sofa.

2

There are four chairs in the kitchen.

3

Is there a bank near here?

4

There are no apples in the bag.

1

There isn't any milk in the fridge.

2

Are there any messages for me?

3

There is a lot of noise outside.

4

There are some people waiting for you.

1

There was a big storm last night.

2

There will be a meeting at 10 AM.

3

There have been many changes recently.

4

Is there going to be a party?

1

There seems to be a misunderstanding.

2

There is likely to be some opposition to the new law.

3

There happened to be a doctor on the plane.

4

There is no point in arguing about it.

1

There remains much to be done before we can launch.

2

There exists a fine line between genius and madness.

3

There followed a period of great economic growth.

4

There arose a sudden shout from the crowd.

1

Should there be any further delays, please notify us immediately.

2

There is said to be a hidden treasure in these mountains.

3

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.

4

Were there to be a crisis, we would be well-prepared.

Easily Confused

There is / There are (Existence) vs It is vs. There is

Learners use 'It is' to introduce things because their native language uses one word for both.

There is / There are (Existence) vs Have vs. There is

Learners use 'have' to say something exists in a place.

There is / There are (Existence) vs They are vs. There are

The words sound similar, leading to spelling and usage errors.

Common Mistakes

✗

It is a book on the table.

✓

There is a book on the table.

Use 'There is' to introduce existence. 'It is' is for describing something already mentioned.
✗

There is two dogs.

✓

There are two dogs.

You must use 'are' because 'dogs' is plural.
✗

There is a park near here?

✓

Is there a park near here?

In English questions, the verb must come before the subject.
✗

There are some milks.

✓

There is some milk.

Milk is uncountable, so it uses 'is' and no 's'.
✗

There aren't some chairs.

✓

There aren't any chairs.

Use 'any' instead of 'some' in negative sentences.
✗

There is many people.

✓

There are many people.

People is a plural noun, even though it doesn't end in 's'.
✗

Is there any apples?

✓

Are there any apples?

Apples is plural, so the question must start with 'Are'.
✗

There have many problems.

✓

There are many problems.

Don't use 'have' for existence. 'Have' is for possession.
✗

There was many people at the party.

✓

There were many people at the party.

The past tense must also agree with the plural noun.
✗

There remains many questions.

✓

There remain many questions.

Even with formal verbs like 'remain', the verb must agree with the plural subject that follows.

Sentence Patterns

There is a ___ in the ___.

There are some ___ on the ___.

Is there a ___ near here?

There isn't any ___ left.

Real World Usage

Checking into a hotel very common

Is there a safe in the room?

Ordering at a restaurant very common

Are there any nuts in this salad?

Job Interview common

There are several skills I can bring to this role.

Texting a friend constant

There's a cool party tonight, you coming?

Reporting a problem common

There is a leak in the bathroom ceiling.

Social Media very common

There are so many beautiful places in this city! 😍

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💡

The 'First Item' Rule

If you are making a list, use 'There is' if the first item is singular, even if there are more items later. Example: 'There is a sofa and two chairs.'
⚠️

Avoid 'It is' for Existence

Never start a sentence with 'It is' to show where something is for the first time. Use 'There is' instead.
🎯

Contractions are King

In speaking, always use 'There's'. It makes you sound much more natural and fluent than saying 'There is'.
💬

Polite Questions

When asking for something in a shop, 'Is there...?' is a very polite way to start. 'Is there any bread left?' sounds better than 'Do you have bread?'

Smart Tips

Use 'There is' for the furniture and 'It is' for the color.

It is a bed in my room. The bed is big. → There is a bed in my room. It is big.

Always look at the very first word after 'There'. If it's singular, use 'is'.

There are a pen and some papers. → There is a pen and some papers.

Start with 'Is there...?' to be more polite.

Do you have milk? → Is there any milk?

Always use 'are'. 'People' is the most common plural noun that doesn't end in 's'.

There is a lot of people. → There are a lot of people.

Pronunciation

/ðɛərz/

The 'There's' Contraction

In the contraction 'There's', the 's' sounds like a /z/ sound.

/ðɛərɑːr/

Linking 'There are'

When saying 'There are', the 'r' in 'there' links to the 'a' in 'are'.

Rising Intonation for Questions

Is there a ↗️ bank?

Indicates a yes/no question.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

IS is for ONE (I is like the number 1). ARE is for MANY.

Visual Association

Imagine pointing your finger at one object and saying 'There is...'. Then imagine opening both arms wide to point at many objects and saying 'There are...'.

Rhyme

One thing here? There is a cat. Two things there? There are two hats.

Story

You walk into a dark room. You turn on the light. First, you see one thing: 'There is a box.' Then you look inside: 'There are five gold coins!' You are rich!

Word Web

ThereIsAreAnySomeAAnNo

Challenge

Look around your room right now. Say 3 sentences using 'There is' and 3 sentences using 'There are' out loud.

Cultural Notes

Native speakers often use 'There's' even for plural nouns in very casual speech (e.g., 'There's two cars'). However, this is considered grammatically incorrect in exams and formal writing.

In the UK, it is very common to use 'There is' with collective nouns like 'team' or 'staff', but sometimes they use 'There are' if they think of the members as individuals.

In some dialects, you might hear 'There's' used for almost everything, or even 'It's' used in place of 'There's'.

The use of 'there' as a dummy subject dates back to Old English, where 'þær' was used to introduce sentences.

Conversation Starters

“

Is there a good restaurant in your neighborhood?

“

Are there any famous landmarks in your city?

“

Is there anything interesting in your bag right now?

“

If you could change your city, what is one thing there should be more of?

Journal Prompts

Describe your dream house. What rooms are there? What is in the garden?
Write about your favorite city. What landmarks are there? Are there many parks?
Describe a busy market or festival you visited. What was there to see and do?
Discuss the problems in modern cities. Are there enough resources for everyone?

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

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Test Yourself

Choose the correct form of the verb. Multiple Choice

There ___ a big window in the office.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: is
'Window' is singular, so we use 'is'.
Choose the correct form of the verb. Multiple Choice

There ___ many people at the bus stop.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: are
'People' is a plural noun.
Fill in the blank with 'is' or 'are'.

Is there ___ any milk in the fridge?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: is
Milk is uncountable, so we use 'is'.
Correct the mistake in the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

There are a cat on the roof.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: There is a cat
A cat is singular, so 'are' is wrong.
Put the words in the correct order. Sentence Reorder

Arrange the words in the correct order:

All words placed

Click words above to build the sentence

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Are there any eggs?
In questions, 'Are' comes first.
Match the singular and plural forms. Match Pairs

Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: There is... a book
Matching singular/plural logic.
Translate to English. Translation

Hay tres manzanas.

Answer starts with: The...

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: There are three apples.
Use 'There are' for plural existence.
Negative form check. Multiple Choice

There ___ any cars in the park.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: aren't
'Cars' is plural, so use 'aren't'.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises
Choose the correct form of the verb. Multiple Choice

There ___ a big window in the office.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: is
'Window' is singular, so we use 'is'.
Choose the correct form of the verb. Multiple Choice

There ___ many people at the bus stop.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: are
'People' is a plural noun.
Fill in the blank with 'is' or 'are'.

Is there ___ any milk in the fridge?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: is
Milk is uncountable, so we use 'is'.
Correct the mistake in the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

There are a cat on the roof.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: There is a cat
A cat is singular, so 'are' is wrong.
Put the words in the correct order. Sentence Reorder

any / there / Are / eggs / ?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Are there any eggs?
In questions, 'Are' comes first.
Match the singular and plural forms. Match Pairs

Match the start to the end.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: There is... a book
Matching singular/plural logic.
Translate to English. Translation

Hay tres manzanas.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: There are three apples.
Use 'There are' for plural existence.
Negative form check. Multiple Choice

There ___ any cars in the park.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: aren't
'Cars' is plural, so use 'aren't'.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

8 exercises
Fill in the blank Fill in the Blank

____ there any sugar in this tea?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Is
Reorder the words to make a sentence Sentence Reorder

no / there / milk / is / left

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: There is no milk left
Translate to English Translation

Hay muchos coches en la calle.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: There are many cars on the street.
Match the singular and plural forms Match Pairs

Match correctly:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: There is -> a car
Which one is correct for 0 items? Multiple Choice

Choose the negative sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Both are correct.
Fix the mistake Error Correction

There are a bug in the app.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Both 'is a bug' or 'are bugs' would work.
Fill in the blank Fill in the Blank

____ there any questions?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Are
Which is more natural in speaking? Multiple Choice

Choose the most common spoken form:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: There's a fly in here.

Score: /8

FAQ (8)

In very casual speech, native speakers often do this (e.g., 'There's two dogs'). However, in exams and formal writing, you must use 'There are'.

Use `There is` to introduce something for the first time. Use `It is` to describe that thing later. Example: 'There is a bird. It is blue.'

Usually, we look at the first item. If the first item is singular, we use `There is`. Example: 'There is a bed and two chairs.'

Just swap the words: `Is there...?` or `Are there...?` and add a question mark at the end.

Uncountable nouns always use the singular form: `There is some water.`

Yes! Both are correct. `There are no apples` is slightly more emphatic than `There aren't any apples`.

It is a contraction of 'There are', but it is very rare in writing because it is hard to say. It's better to write 'There are'.

Because it doesn't have a real meaning in the sentence; it just fills the subject position so the real subject can come after the verb.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

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In Other Languages

Spanish moderate

Hay

English changes the verb for plural (is vs are), Spanish does not.

French moderate

Il y a

French is a fixed phrase; English must agree with the noun's number.

German low

Es gibt

German uses the verb 'give' and the accusative case; English uses 'be' and the nominative.

Japanese low

Arimasu / Imasu

Japanese focuses on whether the subject is alive; English focuses on whether it is singular or plural.

Arabic high

Hunaka (هناك)

English requires the verb 'is' or 'are', while Arabic often omits it in the present.

Chinese low

Yǒu (有)

English strictly separates possession (have) from existence (there is).

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
The Verb 'To Be' (am, is, are)
Next
Matching Subjects and Verbs: The 'S' Rule (Subject-Verb Agreement)

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