Foundation grammar · Unit 37 · A1

there is, there are

There and it

Use there is and there are to say that something exists or is in a place. Use it is for a thing you have already mentioned.

Go to the exercises

A there is (there's) and there are

Use there is for one thing and there are for more than one. It tells the listener that something exists, or that it is somewhere.

There is a cat on the shed roof. There is a bus at 8.45. There are twelve months in a year.

singular plural
positive there is (there's) there are
question is there ... ? are there ... ?
negative there is not (there isn't / there's not) there are not (there aren't)
  • There's a cat on the shed roof.
  • There's a bus to Sheffield at 8.45.
  • There's a good match on telly tonight.
  • "Have you got any change?" "Yes, there's some in my coat pocket."
  • "Excuse me, is there a cashpoint near here?" "Yes, there is." / "No, there isn't."
  • We can't have a barbecue. There isn't any charcoal.
  • There are some lovely old houses on this street.
  • There are a lot of potholes on this road.
  • "Are there any messages for me?" "Yes, there are." / "No, there aren't."
  • The café is very quiet today. There aren't many customers.
  • How many people are there in your family?

B there is and it is

There is tells the listener that something is there. It introduces the thing for the first time.

There's a parcel on the doormat. (not It's a parcel on the doormat.)

It is talks about a thing that the listener already knows about. The word it points back to that thing.

I like this café. It's very friendly. (it = this café)

Compare the two in these pairs. The first sentence brings the thing in; the second says something about it.

  • There's a parcel on the doormat.
  • "What's that noise?" "It's the boiler."
  • There's a bus at 8.45. It's usually late.
  • There's a lot of sugar in this tea. I can't drink it. It's far too sweet.

Exercises

37.1 Brackenford is a small town. Read the information about it and write sentences with There is / There are or There isn't / There aren't.

  1. a cathedral? (No)

    There isn't a cathedral.

    There isn't a cathedral.

  2. any pubs? (Yes, a lot)

    There are a lot of pubs.

    There are a lot of pubs.

  3. a railway station? (Yes)

  4. a museum? (No)

  5. any supermarkets? (Yes, three)

  6. an airport? (No)

  7. any tall buildings? (No)

37.2 Write sentences about your own town, or a town you know well. Use there is / there are / there isn't / there aren't.

  1. (cafés)

    Example answer: There are a few cafés.

  2. (a market)

    Example answer: There's a big market on Saturdays.

  3. (a cinema)

  4. (parks)

  5. (a football ground)

  6. (hotels)

37.3 Put in there is / there isn't / is there / there are / there aren't / are there.

  1. This street is very quiet at night. There aren't any cars.

    This street is very quiet at night. There aren't any cars.

  2. Look! a spider in the bath!

  3. "Excuse me, a chemist near here?" "Yes, next to the post office."

  4. four bedrooms in our house: mine, my brother's, my parents' and a tiny one full of boxes.

  5. "How many singers in your choir?" "About forty."

  6. "Can I make a cup of tea?" "No, any milk in the fridge."

  7. " a train from Leeds to York on Sundays?" "Yes. Every half an hour."

  8. " any questions?" "No, it's all clear."

  9. nowhere to park. any spaces.

37.4 Write sentences with There are ... . Take one word or number from each box.

twelvesixtyfourfifty-twoseveneighty-eightmonthsminutesnationscardscolourskeysa yearan hourthe United Kingdoma packa rainbowa piano

  1. (twelve / months / a year)

    There are twelve months in a year.

    There are twelve months in a year.

  2. (sixty / minutes / an hour)

  3. (four / nations / the United Kingdom)

  4. (fifty-two / cards / a pack)

  5. (seven / colours / a rainbow)

  6. (eighty-eight / keys / a piano)

37.5 Put in there's / is there / it's / is it.

  1. "There's a bus to the coast at 9.15." "Is it a direct bus?"

    "There's a bus to the coast at 9.15." "Is it a direct bus?"

  2. I'm not going to eat this pie. stone cold.

  3. "Why are you limping?" " something in my shoe."

  4. a blue bike by the front gate. yours?

  5. " anything good on the radio tonight?" "Yes, a play at nine o'clock."

  6. "What's that tall building?" " the hospital."

  7. " a lift in this building?" "No, I'm afraid not. The stairs are on the left."

See also