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There Is / There Are: How to Say Something Exists (Present and Past)
There is (singular) and there are (plural) are the two ways to say something exists in English, and they do change based on number.
Written by Bryan López, Profesor de inglés · Updated
There is and there are are used to say that something exists. There is goes with singular (There is a book on the table), there are goes with plural (There are two books on the table). There was and there were are the same forms in the past.
There is / there are (present)
There was / there were (past)
There's exists, there're doesn't
"There is" can be contracted to "there's" (There's a book on the table). "There are" has NO contraction: "there're" isn't a real word and isn't used. The past doesn't contract either, there was and there were are always said in full.
With a list of things, it matches the first one
When you mention several things in a row, there is/are matches the FIRST item in the list, not the total: "There is a book and two pens on the table" (uses "is" because "a book" is singular, even though there are three items in total).
Common mistakes with there is and there are
In some languages, the equivalent of "there is/are" never changes, no matter how many things there are. Because of that, it's common to use "there is" for everything, without switching to "there are" when the noun is plural. In English you do have to switch: there is only for singular, there are for plural.
Questions and negatives
To ask, reverse the order: "Is there a bank near here?" "Are there any tickets left?" For negatives, add not: "There isn't a bank near here." "There aren't any tickets left." With plural and uncountable nouns, the natural partner is "any" in questions and negatives: "Is there any milk?" "There isn't any milk." The positive sentence usually takes "some" or "a lot of."
Practice there is / there are with real audio
Interactive exercises, real pronunciation, and the full lesson taught in English.
There is and there are in all forms
There is versus it is
Learners often mix them up. "There is" introduces something for the first time or says that it exists: "There is a cat on the roof." "It is" gives information about something already known: "It is a black cat." A good way to remember: there is tells us something exists, and it is describes it. The two often appear together: "There is a cat on the roof. It is black."
Examples of there is and there are
- There is a supermarket around the corner.
- There are five people in my family.
- Is there a bathroom on this floor?
- There aren't any clean glasses.
- There were many tourists last summer.
A common mistake with there is and there are
Incorrect
It has a park near my house.
Correct
There is a park near my house.
there is and there are in a real conversation
A: "Is there a good restaurant near here?" B: "Yes, there's an Italian place on Main Street." A: "Are there any vegetarian options?" B: "Of course, there are several, and there's a great pasta."
Comparing there is and have
"There is" says what exists in a place, while "have" says what someone owns or includes. "There are four rooms in the apartment" describes the place. "The apartment has four rooms" describes what the apartment contains. Both are correct, and choosing between them depends on whether the place or the thing is the subject of the sentence.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between there is and there are?
There is is used with singular nouns (There is a cat), there are is used with plurals (There are two cats). Both mean something exists.
How do you use there was and there were?
They're the past of there is/there are: there was for singular (There was a party), there were for plural (There were many people).
Can you say "there're"?
No. "There is" contracts to "there's," but "there are" has no contracted form, it's always said in full.
How do you ask questions with there is/there are?
You invert the order: Is there...? for singular, Are there...? for plural. In the past: Was there...? / Were there...?
How do you make there is/there are negative?
By adding not: there is not (there isn't), there are not (there aren't). In the past: there wasn't, there weren't.
Why do learners mix up there is and there are?
Because in many languages, the equivalent of "there is/are" never changes between singular and plural. In English you have to choose there is or there are based on the noun that follows.
Can I say there's with plural nouns?
In spoken English, yes: "There's two people outside." Many native speakers say it, although formal writing prefers "there are."
How do I use there is with a list?
The verb usually agrees with the first item: "There is a book and two pens on the desk." Some speakers use are when the list is long or the plural is more prominent.
What is the past of there is and there are?
There was (singular) and there were (plural): "There was a storm last night." "There were two accidents."
Practice there is / there are with real audio
Interactive exercises, real pronunciation, and the full lesson taught in English.
Keep learning
- Verb To Be: Am, Is, Are, Was, Were ExplainedThe 8 forms of English's most important verb, explained with examples and contractions.
- Have Got: What It Means and How It's Different from Have"Have got" means exactly the same as "have" (to possess), it just changes the structure of questions and negatives.
- Some vs. Any: When to Use Each OneSome goes in affirmative sentences, any goes in negatives and questions. Both mean "some" or "any amount of."