CEFR A1Recommended grades: 4–6

There is / There are

01 · Quick explanation

We use there is for one thing and there are for more than one thing to say that something exists: There is a cat in the garden. There are two books on the table.

02 · Full explanation

There is/are describes what exists or is present in a place. Use there is (there's) with singular and uncountable nouns: There is a book on the desk. There is some water in the glass. Use there are with plural nouns: There are three chairs in the room. The negative is there isn't / there aren't, and questions start with Is there…? / Are there…?

Saying what exists in a placeDescribing rooms, towns or picturesAsking about quantity or existence

03 · Formula

+There is + singular/uncountable noun · There are + plural noun

−There isn't / There aren't + noun

?Is there / Are there + noun?

04 · Affirmative

+ There is + singular/uncountable noun · There are + plural noun

There is a park near my house.
There are many students in the classroom.

05 · Negative

− There isn't / There aren't + noun

There isn't any milk in the fridge.
There aren't any chairs here.

06 · Question

? Is there / Are there + noun?

Is there a shop near here?
Are there any apples in the bag?

07 · Examples

ENThere is a cat under the table.
KZҮстелдің астында мысық бар.
RUПод столом есть кошка.
ENThere are five pens in my bag.
KZМенің сөмкемде бес қалам бар.
RUВ моей сумке пять ручек.
ENThere isn't any bread in the kitchen.
KZАсүйде нан жоқ.
RUНа кухне нет хлеба.
ENThere aren't any students in the classroom.
KZСыныпта оқушы жоқ.
RUВ классе нет учеников.
ENIs there a bank near here?
KZОсы жерде банк бар ма?
RUЗдесь поблизости есть банк?
ENAre there any windows in this room?
KZБұл бөлмеде терезе бар ма?
RUВ этой комнате есть окна?
ENThere is a big park in our city.
KZБіздің қалада үлкен саябақ бар.
RUВ нашем городе есть большой парк.
ENThere are three bedrooms in our flat.
KZБіздің пәтерде үш жатын бөлме бар.
RUВ нашей квартире три спальни.
ENThere is some juice in the fridge.
KZТоңазытқышта аздап шырын бар.
RUВ холодильнике есть немного сока.
ENHow many people are there in your family?
KZСенің отбасыңда қанша адам бар?
RUСколько человек в твоей семье?

08 · Signal words

there isthere arehow manya lot ofsomeany

09 · Common mistakes

✗ There is two books on the table.
✓ There are two books on the table.
Two books is plural, so use there are.
✗ There are a cat in the garden.
✓ There is a cat in the garden.
A cat is singular, so use there is.
✗ There isn't any chairs here.
✓ There aren't any chairs here.
Chairs is plural, so use there aren't.

10 · Compare with similar grammar

There is vs There are

There is is used with singular and uncountable nouns. There are is used with plural nouns.

There is a book on the shelf.

There are two books on the shelf.

There is some water in the bottle.

There are many bottles on the table.

11 · Interactive exercises

Answer each task and press Check. Type answers in English.

0 / 10 · 0 checked

1. Choose the correct answer:
___ a dog in the yard.
2. Choose the correct answer:
___ many books on the shelf.
3. Choose the correct answer:
___ any apples in the basket?
4. Fill in the gap:
___ (there / be) a park near my school.
5. Fill in the gap:
___ (there / be) three chairs in the room.
6. Fill in the gap:
___ (there / not / be) any milk in the fridge.
7. Fill in the gap:
___ (there / be) a shop near here?
8. Correct the sentence:
There is many students in the class.
9. Correct the sentence:
There are a book on the table.
10. Correct the sentence:
There isn't any apples in the bag.

12 · Mini test

Question 1 / 5

Which sentence is correct?

13 · Practice

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