"There Is" vs. "There Are" – Making Sense of What’s Around You
When you want to talk about something that exists or is present in a place, two tiny phrases come to your rescue: "there is" and "there are." They’re like the guides of English, pointing out what's here, there, or anywhere. Let's break them down in a way that's easy and even a little fun.
1. "There Is" – Talking About One Thing
Use "there is" when you're talking about a single object or something uncountable in a place.
Example 1: "There is a cat on the sofa." 🐈
Example 2: "There is water in the glass." 💧
Fun Tip: Think of "there is" as your go-to for one thing or stuff that you can't count, like "milk," "love," or "air." It's like pointing to one thing and saying, "Hey, look at this!"
2. "There Are" – Talking About More Than One Thing
Use "there are" when you're talking about plural objects—basically, when there’s more than one of something.
Example 1: "There are three books on the table." 📚
Example 2: "There are people waiting outside." 👥
Fun Tip: Picture a crowd. If you’re seeing multiple things—whether they’re apples, chairs, or dogs—it’s time to switch to "there are." It’s all about numbers!
3. Asking Questions with "Is There" and "Are There"
"Is there" asks about one thing:
"Is there a problem with the internet?" 🌐
"Are there" asks about multiple things:
"Are there any cookies left?" 🍪
Pro Tip: When in doubt, think about how many things you’re talking about. Singular? Use "is there." Plural? Use "are there."
4. Negatives – What’s NOT There?
For one thing:
"There isn’t a pen on the desk." 🖊️
For more than one thing:
"There aren’t any chairs in the room." 🪑
Fun Tip: Notice the switch from "isn't" to "aren't"? Singular gets "isn't," plural gets "aren't." It’s all about sticking to the rules, but they’re simple once you get the hang of it.
Quick Summary
"There is" = Singular or uncountable.
"There is a dog in the yard." 🐕
"There is water in the bottle." 💧
"There are" = Plural.
"There are two dogs in the yard." 🐕🐕
"There are bottles on the table." 🍼🍼
Bonus Tip: Practice by describing things around you right now! Look around and try saying:
"There is…" for one thing.
"There are…" for more than one thing.
An Image That Describes The Word
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