Welcome to "There is / There are"!
Hello! Today, we are going to learn a very useful way to describe what we see. Have you ever wanted to tell your friend what is inside your school bag or what is in the park? We use There is and There are to show that something exists or is in a certain place.
Don’t worry if this seems a bit new—it is actually quite simple once you know the secret rule!
1. The Golden Rule: One or Many?
The most important thing to remember is to count what you are talking about. Is it just one thing, or is it more than one?
A. There is (For ONE thing)
We use There is when we talk about one person, animal, or object. This is called a singular noun.
We often use the words a or an after There is.
Examples:
- There is a teacher in the classroom.
- There is an apple on the table.
- There is a cat under the chair.
B. There are (For MANY things)
We use There are when we talk about two or more people, animals, or objects. These are plural nouns.
We often use numbers (two, three, ten) or words like some or many after There are.
Examples:
- There are three pens in my pencil case.
- There are some birds in the sky.
- There are many children in the playground.
Quick Review Box:
\(There + is \implies\) 1 thing
\(There + are \implies\) 2+ things
2. Using "There is" with Uncountable Nouns
Sometimes, we talk about things we cannot easily count, like water, milk, or rice. For these things, we always use There is.
Examples:
- There is some milk in the fridge.
- There is some water in the bottle.
Note: To learn more about what we can and cannot count, you can look at the chapter on "Countable & Uncountable Nouns".
3. Making Questions
If you want to ask a question, you just need to swap the first two words! It’s like a little dance.
Asking about one thing:
Instead of "There is...", say: "Is there...?"
- Question: Is there a ruler in your bag?
- Answer: Yes, there is. / No, there isn't.
Asking about many things:
Instead of "There are...", say: "Are there...?"
- Question: Are there any sweets in the jar?
- Answer: Yes, there are. / No, there aren't.
4. Common Mistakes to Avoid
Even the best students sometimes make these mistakes! Keep an eye out for them:
Mistake 1: Using "Have" instead of "There is"
- ❌ Incorrect: Have a dog in the garden.
- ✅ Correct: There is a dog in the garden.
(Remember: In English, we use "There is/are" to show something exists in a place.)
Mistake 2: Mixing up Is and Are
- ❌ Incorrect: There is five ducks.
- ✅ Correct: There are five ducks.
(Always look at the noun first. "Five ducks" is more than one, so use are!)
5. Short Forms (Contractions)
When we speak or write to friends, we often make the words shorter to go faster.
- There is becomes There's.
- There is not becomes There isn't.
- There are not becomes There aren't.
Example: There's a big spider on the wall! Don't worry, there aren't any spiders in your bed.
6. Summary Key Takeaways
How to choose?
- Count the items: If you see 1, use There is.
- Count the items: If you see 2, 3, 4..., use There are.
- Look for "s": Most plural words end in -s (like books, dogs, toys). If you see the -s, you usually need There are!
- Asking questions: Put Is or Are at the very front.
Did you know?
We use "There is" for the weather too! We can say "There is a lot of rain today" or "There is some sunshine." It's a great way to start a conversation!