There Is or There Are? Say What Exists

You use there is and there are to say that something exists or is present. There is a bus at six tells the listener that a bus exists. There are two shops on this street tells the listener what you can find here. You are not describing an action. You are announcing that something is in the world.

English needs the empty there at the front because every sentence needs a subject. In There is milk in the fridge, the real topic is milk. The word there holds the subject place so milk can come later. It has no meaning here. It does not point to a place like there in put it there.

This small choice causes a lot of errors. You have to look to the right, not to the left, to choose the verb. You have to change the verb for past and future. And you have to resist copying it has from your first language. Once you see the pattern, the choice takes one second.

Say that something exists before you describe it

Use this structure when the listener does not know the thing yet. You present it first, then you add detail. There is a new doctor in our building presents the doctor. She speaks Spanish and English then describes her. The order matters. The new information comes after there is.

Do not start with the noun itself when you mean to announce it. A taxi is outside sounds like you and the listener already know the taxi. There is a taxi outside sounds like news. Taxi drivers, hosts, and receptionists use this form all day. There is a table for you by the window is news for the guest.

The empty there never changes. It stays singular in form even when the meaning is plural. There are three letters for you still starts with there. Only the verb changes. Think of there as a signpost that says, look to the right for the real subject.

• There is a problem with your ticket. You announce the problem before you explain it.
• There are road works near the station. You tell the listener what exists on the way.
• Is there a bank near here. You ask if such a thing exists, with no person as the subject.

Match the verb to the noun behind it

Look to the right of the verb to choose is or are. If the noun after the verb is singular, use is. There is a chair in the kitchen is correct because a chair is one thing. If the noun is plural, use are. There are two chairs in the kitchen is correct because two chairs is more than one.

This feels strange because there comes first. Your brain wants to agree with the first word. Do not agree with there. Agree with the noun that follows. Say to yourself, what is the thing. One book gives There is a book on the shelf. Three books give There are three books on the shelf.

Uncountable nouns always take there is. Milk, water, rice, money, and information have no plural form in English. You say There is milk in the fridge. You say There is a lot of traffic today. You never add s and you never use are. If you can count it, choose by number. If you cannot count it, choose is [1].

Count a list by its first word in speech

Lists follow the same rule, with one spoken exception. In careful writing, the verb agrees with the first item. There is a chair and two tables in the room is standard because a chair is singular and comes first. There are two tables and a chair in the room is standard because two tables is plural and comes first.

In speech, most people use there is before any singular first item and keep it even with a mixed list. You will hear There is a pen and two notebooks in my bag all day. Exams still expect agreement with the first item. In writing for school or work, change the order or repeat the verb if it sounds odd. There are two notebooks and a pen in my bag sounds smooth and safe.

Practise by flipping the list around. Put the plural item first when you can. There are two boys and a teacher in the hall is easier than There is a teacher and two boys in the hall. Both are heard. The first one passes every test.

Move the same room through time

You change is and are for time, just like other verbs. For the past, use there was with singular and uncountable nouns. Use there were with plurals. There was a queue at the bank means one queue yesterday. There were five people ahead of me means five people yesterday.

For the future, use there will be for both singular and plural. The number still shows in the noun. There will be a meeting at ten promises one meeting. There will be ten people at the meeting promises ten people. For the perfect, use there has been with singular and uncountable nouns. Use there have been with plurals. There has been a mistake points to one recent mistake with a result now. There have been three mistakes points to three.

British and American English agree on all these forms. The difference is only in how often people shorten them in speech. The full forms are always safe in writing.

Choose there is, not it is or it has

Many learners say it is or it has where English needs there is. Spanish, French, Portuguese, Turkish, and many other languages use a form like it has to say something exists. English does not. It has a book on the table means someone owns a book. It does not announce that a book is on the table.

Use it is only when you describe a thing the listener already knows. There is a stain on your shirt announces the stain. It is near the collar then describes that same stain. The first sentence presents. The second sentence points back. If you start with It is a stain on your shirt, the listener wonders which stain you mean.

Copy this pair until it feels automatic. There is a pharmacy on Main Street announces the shop. It is open until ten tells more about that shop. Present with there. Describe with it.

• There is a taxi waiting outside. You announce news. It is waiting outside alone would leave the listener asking what you mean.
• There are two files missing. You report what exists. They are missing then refers back to those files.
• There has been an accident on Main Street. You report news with a present result. It has blocked the road then explains the effect.

Say no and shorten it naturally

Shorten there is to there is in speech and in informal writing. You say There is a bus in ten minutes in full. You say There is a bus in ten minutes in a text to a friend. Do not shorten there are to there are in writing. Say the full form in emails and exams.

Deny with not or with no. There is not a problem and There is no problem both deny, but no sounds stronger and shorter. There are not many seats left reports the facts. There are no seats left reports zero. Use any in questions and negatives with plural and uncountable nouns. Are there any buses after midnight. There are not any buses after midnight.

Learn the negatives as chunks. There is not becomes there is not. There are not becomes there are not. There was not becomes there was not. There will not be stays full in most writing. Keep the full form when you stress the denial. There is no excuse hits harder than there is not an excuse.

Fix five errors before they stick

These five errors mark your English at once. Each one has a fast fix. Read the wrong version, say the right version out loud, then write one true sentence about your home.

1. "There are a book on the table." A book is singular, so the verb must be singular. Say There is a book on the table.
2. "There is two chairs in the kitchen." Two chairs is plural, so the verb must be plural. Say There are two chairs in the kitchen.
3. "It has a hole in my sock." English never uses has to announce existence. Say There is a hole in my sock.
4. "There have a problem with the printer." Have alone cannot start this structure. Say There is a problem now or There has been a problem recently.
5. "There is no buses today." No does not change the rule. A plural noun still needs are. Say There are no buses today.
6. "There is a lot of noise last night." Past time needs a past verb. Say There was a lot of noise last night.

In speech you will hear There is two things I want to say. Native speakers say this every day, in both Britain and the United States. In writing, teachers and employers still count it as wrong. Write There are two things I want to say in every email, test, and application.

Conclusion

There is announces one thing or something you cannot count. There are announces more than one. The verb always follows the noun behind it, and it moves to was, were, and will be for time. Present with there, then describe with it. Practise on your own flat and street until the right form comes without thought.

Frequently asked questions

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