There is / There are use
There is / There are is used to say that something exists, is present, or is located somewhere. This structure helps introduce a person, thing, or object into the conversation.
There is / There are Form
The form depends on whether we are talking about one thing / an uncountable noun or more than one thing.
There is + singular noun / uncountable noun
There are + plural noun
There is / There are Rule
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There is is used with a singular noun, and there are is used with a plural noun.
✅ There is a lamp near the bed.✅ There are two lamps near the bed.
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With uncountable nouns, we usually use there is.
There is enough time.
There is some information in the email.
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After the structure, we often add a place or other detail: on the table, in the room, at school.
There is a cat under the chair.
There are many people at the bus stop.
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In affirmative sentences, we often use some, and in questions and negatives we often use any.
✅ There are some cookies in the box.✅ Are there any cookies in the box?✅ There aren’t any cookies in the box.
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In spoken English, there is is often shortened to there’s. For there are, the full form is usually preferred.
✅ There’s a message for you.✅ There are several mistakes in this text.
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If a list comes after the structure, the verb often agrees with the first noun in the list.
✅ There is a sofa and two chairs in the living room.✅ There are two chairs and a sofa in the living room.
There is / There are Negation
Negation is formed with not: there is not / there isn’t and there are not / there aren’t.
There is not + singular noun / uncountable noun
There are not + plural noun
There is / There are Questions
In questions, is or are comes before there.
Is there + singular noun / uncountable noun?
Are there + plural noun?
Wh-word + is / are + there ...?