There Is or There Are: Mastering Subject-Verb Agreement in English Grammar

There Is and There Are — See the Pattern

Look at these sentences. Can you see when we use there is and when we use there are?

• There is a book on the table.
• There are three books on the table.
• There is a problem with the car.
• There are many students in the class.

Did you see it? When we talk about one thing, we use there is. When we talk about more than one, we use there are.

Here is the full pattern:

When to Use There Is and When to Use There Are

Look at the word after “there is” or “there are.” That word tells you which one to use.

Use there is with:

• One thing: There is a cup on the table.
• A singular noun with a or an: There is a new message for you.
• Things you cannot count (water, milk, sugar): There is some water in the glass.

Use there are with:

• Two or more things: There are five people in the room.
• Many or lots of + a plural noun: There are many shops on this street. Compare: There is lots of water. Water is uncountable.
• Some + plural: There are some eggs in the fridge.

Short forms: We often say there’s for there is. For beginner writing, use the full form there are with plurals. You may hear there’s before a plural in informal speech, but use there are in formal writing and in these exercises.

Easy way to remember: Look at the noun. One cat or some milk → there is. Two cats → there are.

How to Use There Is and There Are in Everyday English

• There is a good film on TV tonight. (one film — use there is)
• There are two eggs in the fridge. (two eggs — use there are)
• There is a bus stop near my house. (one bus stop — use there is)
• There are lots of people at the park today. (many people — use there are)
• There is some milk in the bottle. (you cannot count milk — use there is)

You are doing great. Now let us look at the mistakes many learners make.

Three Mistakes to Avoid With There Is and There Are

Even advanced learners mix up there is and there are sometimes — so if you get confused, you are not alone.

Mistake 1: Using “there is” with plural words

If the word after “there” means more than one, you need there are.

How to remember: “Many” always means more than one. More than one = there are.

Mistake 2: Using “there are” with things you cannot count

When water, milk, sugar or money names an amount rather than separate items, it is uncountable and takes there is.

How to remember: We normally count containers or portions: one glass of water, two glasses of water. Compare There is some water with There are two glasses of water.

Mistake 3: Mixing up “there”, “their”, and “they’re”

These three words sound the same, but they mean different things. Only “there” is used to say something exists.

How to remember: “There” points to a place or says something exists. “Their” means “belonging to them.” “They’re” means “they are.”

Test Yourself: There Is or There Are?

Choose an answer to see your feedback immediately. Your first answer counts towards your score.

Keep Going — You Are Building Something

You have practised there is and there are. Write one sentence about a single object, one about several objects, and one about an amount of water or food.

Use the examples above to practise this pattern. When you are ready, choose your next topic below.

Related Lesson for Review: Is or Are? 3 Simple Tips to Always Get It Right

Source

1. Origin of there

2. Origin of the verb is

3. Definition of is

Reference: Cambridge Grammar — There is, there’s and there are.

Khamis Maiouf

I’m Khamis Maiouf. I’m studying Health and Social Care and have completed Functional Skills Level 2 in English and Level 3 Hairdressing. I have taught ESOL in my community and helped students with GCSE English. I run English Teacher Site to help people learn and practise English.