There is/There are

1. Forms of “There is/There are”

We use “there is” for singular nouns and “there are” for plural nouns. These structures are used in the affirmative, negative, and interrogative forms.

A. Affirmative Form

Structure: There is + singular noun / There are + plural noun

Examples:

• 🐱 There is a cat on the roof.
• 🚗 There are two cars in the garage.
• 📚 There is a book on the table.
• 🍎 There are five apples in the basket.
• 🏡 There is a beautiful garden behind the house.
• 🖥️ There are three computers in the classroom.
• 📺 There is a television in the living room.
• 🍽️ There are several chairs around the dining table.
• 🌳 There is a big tree in the park.
• 🌟 There are many stars in the sky tonight.

B. Negative Form

Structure: There is not (isn’t) + singular noun / There are not (aren’t) + plural noun

Examples:

• 🐱 There is not a cat on the roof. (There isn’t a cat on the roof.)
• 🚗 There are not any cars in the garage. (There aren’t any cars in the garage.)
• 📚 There is no book on the table.
• 🍎 There are no apples in the basket.
• 🏡 There isn’t a garden behind the house.
• 🖥️ There are no computers in the classroom.
• 📺 There isn’t a television in the living room.
• 🍽️ There aren’t any chairs around the dining table.
• 🌳 There is no tree in the park.
• 🌟 There aren’t any stars in the sky tonight.

C. Interrogative Form

Structure: Is there + singular noun? / Are there + plural noun?

Examples:

• 🐱 Is there a cat on the roof?
• 🚗 Are there two cars in the garage?
• 📚 Is there a book on the table?
• 🍎 Are there any apples in the basket?
• 🏡 Is there a garden behind the house?
• 🖥️ Are there three computers in the classroom?
• 📺 Is there a television in the living room?
• 🍽️ Are there any chairs around the dining table?
• 🌳 Is there a big tree in the park?
• 🌟 Are there many stars in the sky tonight?

2. Usages of “There is/There are”

The “there is/there are” structure is used to introduce or mention the existence and location of people, objects, or events. Here are some common contexts:

A. Describing a Room or Place

• 🏠 There is a sofa in the living room.
• 🖼️ There are several paintings on the wall.
• 📚 There is a bookshelf in the study.
• 💡 There are many lights in the hallway.
• 🚪 There is a red door at the entrance.
• 🛏️ There are two beds in the guest room.
• 🍽️ There is a dining table in the kitchen.
• 🌳 There are big trees in the backyard.
• 📺 There is a TV in the family room.
• 🖥️ There are computers in the school lab.

B. Introducing People or Animals

• 👨‍🎓 There is a student waiting outside.
• 👩‍🏫 There are two teachers in the staff room.
• 🐶 There is a dog in the park.
• 🐱 There are three cats in the neighborhood.
• 👶 There is a baby in the crib.
• 🧑 There are several children playing in the yard.
• 👨 There is an old man sitting on the bench.
• 👩 There is a woman reading a book in the cafe.
• 👫 There are many friends at the party.
• 👥 There are several family members at the reunion.

C. Talking About Quantities and Numbers

• 🔢 There is one apple on the table.
• 🍎 There are five apples in the basket.
• 🚗 There is a car in the driveway.
• 🚕 There are three taxis waiting outside.
• 🚌 There are ten students in the class.
• 📦 There are several boxes in the attic.
• 🍽️ There are four chairs around the table.
• 📚 There are many books on the shelf.
• 🎈 There are lots of balloons at the party.
• 💡 There are numerous ideas in the meeting.

D. Describing Events or Situations

• 🎉 There is a celebration at the school today.
• 📅 There are many meetings scheduled for this week.
• 🎬 There is a movie screening at the cinema tonight.
• ⚽ There are several soccer matches this season.
• 🎤 There is a concert in the park tomorrow.
• 🏆 There are awards being given at the ceremony.
• 🍿 There is a film festival in the city this weekend.
• 🎭 There are several plays being performed at the theater.
• 🏖️ There is a beach party on Saturday.
• 📢 There are many announcements at the conference.

3. Common Mistakes and Tips

• Remember to use “there is” for singular nouns and “there are” for plural nouns.
• Do not invert the order: always begin with “there is/there are” rather than the noun.
• Use the negative form correctly: “there isn’t” or “there aren’t” instead of “there is not” in casual speech.
• When asking a question, invert the subject and “is/are”: “Is there…?” or “Are there…?”
• Practice by writing and saying sentences about your environment to reinforce the structure.