Sign in
There is / there are, part 1 of 4
There Is and There Are: Saying What Exists
Use there is for one thing and there are for more than one: there is a bank, there are two banks.
The idea
What there is / there are means
It says that something exists or is in a place. It changes with the number: is for one thing, are for more than one.
- One thing. There is a bakery here.
- More than one. There are three bakeries.
- Something you cannot count. There is bread.
When to use it
To say what is in a place, describe your home or your neighborhood, and count things. These expressions go with it:
In your neighborhood
- there is a pharmacy
- there are two parks
- there is a bus stop
With things you cannot count
- there is time
- there is some coffee
- there is a lot of traffic
With there's
- there's a problem
- there's a call for you
- there's no hurry
- there's a sale
Examples
- What is on your street
There is a market on my street.
- Counting things
There are four rooms upstairs.
- Something you cannot count
There is rice in the pot.
- A lot of people
There are a lot of people at the beach.
- In speech
There's a spider on the wall!
How to build it
3 steps
- Look at what comes nextOne thing or more than one?a spoon / three spoons
- Choose is or areIs with one thing or something you cannot count; are with more than one:There are three spoons
- Finish with the placeIt usually goes at the end:There are three spoons in the drawer.
One thing
- ThereThere
- isis
- a / an + thinga cat
- placeon the roof.
More than one
- ThereThere
- areare
- two or moretwo cats
- placeon the roof.
The rule
Is or are: look at what comes next
| What comes next | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| one thing (a, an, one) | there is | There is an egg. |
| something you cannot count | there is | There is milk. |
| two or more | there are | There are six eggs. |
There is, it is, and have
| Idea | English | When |
|---|---|---|
| something exists | There is a park. | To say that something exists |
| describing it | It is big. | To describe something you already named |
| who has it | My city has a park. | With have, the owner is the subject |
How to pronounce it
there is
/ðɛr ɪz/The th is voiced /ð/, and the s in is sounds like /z/.
there are
/ðɛr ɑr/Are is one syllable: /ðɛr ɑr/.
there's
/ðɛrz/One syllable, with /z/ at the end.
Check
(blank) a lot of cars on the street. Which one goes in the blank?
Don't confuse it with have
There is a pool.
Something exists
The hotel has a pool.
Who has it
There is says that something exists. Have says who owns it, and the owner is the subject.
Have and hasIn real life
If you are not sure, look at what comes right after: a, an, or one, there is; two, three, many, or a lot of with a plural, there are.
Frequently asked questions
There is or there are with a lot of?
It depends on what follows: a lot of people takes there are; a lot of water takes there is.
How do you contract there is?
There's, and people use it all the time: There's a problem. There are is almost always written in full.
Which one goes with a list of things?
In speech, look at the first one: There is a table and two chairs. If the first one is plural: There are two chairs and a table.
In short
- One thing: there is.
- More than one: there are.
- Things you cannot count (milk, time): there is.
- In speech it gets shorter: there's a problem.