Introduce what exists or is available
The expression there is or there are presents something as existing or being present. It often answers a practical question such as what a room contains or what services a neighborhood offers. The first word is a grammatical introduction, not necessarily a location meaning over there. You can therefore say There is a café here without contradiction. The actual place appears in another part of the sentence. English does not normally use it is for this introductory function. First decide whether you are announcing an item or describing an item that is already identified.
There is a café near the station.
Introduce a café that exists near the station.
The expression introduces a singular countable place to the listener. The indefinite article signals that the café is being brought into the conversation. The location phrase tells where it is, independently of the introductory word at the beginning.
There are two chairs in the room.
Report that the room contains two chairs.
The number makes the noun phrase plural, so the introductory construction takes the plural verb. The sentence presents the chairs as part of the room’s contents. It is not simply identifying a previously mentioned pair of chairs.
Find the main noun before choosing is or are
Look at the noun phrase after the verb, especially its main noun. A box of pencils is one box, while two boxes is plural. A number, a plural ending, or a word such as several can help identify the number. The nearby phrase does not always control agreement. In There is a bag of apples, the bag is the counted unit. The apples are inside the description of that unit. Keep the sentence short while learning this pattern, and introduce one clear noun phrase at a time before attempting long lists of mixed items.
There is a box of pencils on the desk.
Report one box containing pencils.
The head of the noun phrase is box, which is singular. The plural word inside the description does not turn one box into several boxes. This makes agreement easier to check if you briefly remove the descriptive phrase.
There are several buses outside.
Report more than one bus outside.
The quantity word and the plural noun both point to several separate vehicles. The standard verb is therefore plural. The location does not affect agreement, and the subject matter being transportation does not make the noun uncountable.
Follow a complete example
Build a sentence with this meaning: Report one box containing pencils. Before looking at the answer, identify which information controls the grammatical choice.
- First, identify the message: Report one box containing pencils. Keep that message fixed while comparing forms. A sentence can be grammatical yet communicate something different, so meaning is part of the decision.
- The head of the noun phrase is box, which is singular. The plural word inside the description does not turn one box into several boxes. This makes agreement easier to check if you briefly remove the descriptive phrase.
- Now read the complete sentence, There is a box of pencils on the desk.. Check the words surrounding your choice as well as the choice itself. Explain what would change if the speaker, number, or intended message changed. Then cover this example and reconstruct the sentence from the English cue.
There is a box of pencils on the desk. Report one box containing pencils.
Use singular agreement with uncount nouns
Uncount nouns do not take an ordinary plural ending in their mass meaning. Water, furniture, and information therefore use there is. A quantity word such as some can appear before them without making them plural. If you introduce a countable unit, check the unit instead: There are two bottles of water. The bottles are plural even though the water remains uncountable. This is a grammatical distinction, not a statement about how much material exists. A large quantity of water can still take a singular verb because it is being treated as a substance.
There is some water in the bottle.
Report an unspecified amount of water.
Water is an uncount noun in this sentence, so the construction takes singular agreement. Some does not by itself signal plural number. The amount could be small or large without changing the grammatical category of the substance.
There are two bottles of water.
Report two containers of water.
The counted units are bottles, and the number two makes the noun phrase plural. The substance inside those bottles does not control the verb. Compare this with a sentence whose main noun is simply water to hear the grammatical difference.
Ask what is available
For a neutral question, move the verb before there: Is there a restroom? or Are there any seats? The order of the noun phrase stays the same. With plural count nouns and uncount nouns, any is common in questions that ask whether something exists. It does not need to be translated as a separate word into every language. A singular count noun normally keeps an article. These questions are useful in travel, shops, classrooms, and shared spaces because they ask about availability without claiming that the item is already known.
Is there a restroom nearby?
Ask whether a restroom is available nearby.
The singular noun phrase needs the singular question form. Moving the verb before there marks the question. The indefinite article keeps the restroom nonspecific because the speaker is seeking a suitable facility rather than identifying a known one.
Are there any free seats?
Ask whether any seats are available.
The noun seats is plural, so the question uses the plural verb before there. Any is natural when checking whether an unspecified number exists. The adjective describes availability and does not change to mark plural agreement.
Deny existence or availability
Use there isn’t with a singular count noun or an uncount noun, and there aren’t with a plural noun. Full forms with not are also correct. Any often accompanies plural and uncount nouns in negatives: There isn’t any milk. Another option uses no after an affirmative verb: There is no milk. These patterns have similar basic meanings, but avoid combining them automatically. There isn’t no milk is not the standard pattern practiced here. Some dialects use negative agreement differently; recognize variation without mixing it into this beginner writing model.
There isn’t a pharmacy on this street.
Say that this street has no pharmacy.
The noun pharmacy is singular and countable, so the negative construction contains the singular form of be. The article stays before the noun. The location limits the statement to this street rather than claiming that pharmacies do not exist elsewhere.
There aren’t any tickets left.
Say that no tickets remain available.
The plural noun takes a plural negative verb. Any is natural in a statement denying the availability of an unspecified number of tickets. The final word describes the remaining supply, not a location or a direction.
References for this explanation
Separate new information from a known location
Compare There is a museum near the park with The museum is near the park. The first introduces a museum; the second locates a museum that the listener can identify. Both may describe the same real place, but they organize the information differently. It can then refer back to the known museum: It is open today. The introductory there does not stand for the museum in the same way. Ask what your listener already knows and what you are adding. This distinction helps you avoid treating every sentence containing an English location as an existential sentence.
There is a new museum in town.
Introduce the existence of a new museum.
The speaker is announcing a place rather than locating an already identified one. The indefinite noun phrase suits that presentation. Once the museum has been introduced, a later sentence can refer to it with a definite article or pronoun.
The museum is near the park.
Locate the museum that both speakers already know about.
The museum itself is the subject of this sentence. The definite article signals an identifiable reference, and the verb directly connects it with a location. No introductory there is needed because the sentence is organized around the known museum.
Try the reasoning with less help
Build a sentence with this meaning: Introduce the existence of a new museum. Before looking at the answer, identify which information controls the grammatical choice.
- First, identify the message: Introduce the existence of a new museum. Keep that message fixed while comparing forms. A sentence can be grammatical yet communicate something different, so meaning is part of the decision.
- The speaker is announcing a place rather than locating an already identified one. The indefinite noun phrase suits that presentation. Once the museum has been introduced, a later sentence can refer to it with a definite article or pronoun.
- Now read the complete sentence, There is a new museum in town.. Check the words surrounding your choice as well as the choice itself. Explain what would change if the speaker, number, or intended message changed. Then cover this example and reconstruct the sentence from the English cue.
Compare your reasoning
There is a new museum in town. Introduce the existence of a new museum.
Use short replies and recognize informal lists
A short answer can repeat the construction: Yes, there is or No, there aren’t. The positive short answer normally keeps the full final verb. In casual conversation, many speakers use there’s before a list beginning with a singular noun. You will hear that usage, but this lesson practices there are with plurals because it works reliably in careful writing and examinations. This is a difference between listening recognition and the production target. For a long list, separate the items into shorter sentences if agreement is difficult, rather than guessing from the first word you happen to notice.
Yes, there is.
Confirm that a restroom is available.
The reply repeats the singular verb from the question and keeps there as the grammatical introduction. A positive short answer does not end with the ordinary contraction there’s. The noun phrase is recoverable from the earlier question.
There are three people waiting.
Use careful standard English to introduce three waiting people.
The noun people is plural even though it does not have a regular s ending. The explicit number confirms that interpretation. The requested careful standard form uses the plural verb, which keeps number agreement visible throughout the sentence.
Notice the difference
Common mistakes
Introduce rather than identify
Instead ofIt is a café near here.
For this meaningThere is a café near here.
When the intended message is that a café exists nearby, the existential introduction is the natural neutral pattern. It is can be appropriate when identifying something already under discussion, so the correction is about the specified message. Ask whether the listener already has a referent for it before choosing the sentence opening.
Count the unit
Instead ofThere are a bottle of water.
For this meaningThere is a bottle of water.
The main noun is bottle, and the indefinite article identifies one bottle. The water describes its contents. Do not let the quantity of the substance or the length of the noun phrase distract you from the counted unit. Plural bottles would require a plural verb, but one bottle requires singular agreement.
Invert the correct words
Instead ofDoes there a bus stop?
For this meaningIs there a bus stop?
The construction already uses be, so the question moves that verb in front of there. It does not insert the helper used for ordinary verbs such as stop or work. Here bus stop is a noun phrase naming a place, not an action verb. Identifying that phrase correctly makes the question pattern easier to choose.
From understanding to using
Make your own example.
Try these without answer choices. Say your answer aloud or write it below, then compare your reasoning with the model.
Your turn 1
Describe a room containing one table, three chairs, and some water. Use three separate sentences.
Compare with a model
There is a table. There are three chairs. There is some water.
Introduce a table, chairs, and an amount of water.
The first noun is singular and countable, so it takes a singular verb and an indefinite article. The second phrase is explicitly plural and changes the verb. The third names a substance without counting containers, so it returns to singular agreement. Splitting the description into separate sentences makes each agreement choice visible and avoids the complication of a mixed list.
- Did you preserve the requested meaning?
- Does the form match the person or noun in your message?
- Can you explain your choice before looking at the model?
Your turn 2
Ask whether any tickets remain, then give a negative short answer and a complete negative statement.
Compare with a model
Are there any tickets left? No, there are not. There are not any tickets left.
Check ticket availability and report that none remain.
The plural noun controls the form in the question and both replies. The question moves the verb in front of there, while the statements keep it after there. Any works in both the question and the full negative. A contraction is possible in the negative answers, but keeping the full form helps you see where the negative word belongs.
- Did you preserve the requested meaning?
- Does the form match the person or noun in your message?
- Can you explain your choice before looking at the model?
Put it into practice
Make the next choice.
Choose a response and learn why it works. Your score reflects your first answer to each question. You can revisit anything you miss.
Choose an answer, then open the explanation to check your reasoning.
Question 1
Complete the sentence for this meaning: Introduce a café that exists near the station.
___ a café near the station.
- There is
- There are
Check the answer
Answer: There is
There is: The expression introduces a singular countable place to the listener. The indefinite article signals that the café is being brought into the conversation. The location phrase tells where it is, independently of the introductory word at the beginning.
There are: The noun phrase contains one café. The plural form does not agree with that singular phrase in the standard pattern.
Question 2
Complete the sentence for this meaning: Report that the room contains two chairs.
___ two chairs in the room.
- It is
- There are
Check the answer
Answer: There are
It is: It is normally identifies or describes an already established referent. It does not introduce these plural room contents and also has the wrong number.
There are: The number makes the noun phrase plural, so the introductory construction takes the plural verb. The sentence presents the chairs as part of the room’s contents. It is not simply identifying a previously mentioned pair of chairs.
Question 3
Complete the sentence for this meaning: Report one box containing pencils.
There ___ a box of pencils on the desk.
- is
- are
Check the answer
Answer: is
is: The head of the noun phrase is box, which is singular. The plural word inside the description does not turn one box into several boxes. This makes agreement easier to check if you briefly remove the descriptive phrase.
are: Pencils is part of a phrase describing the box. The main noun is singular, so it controls the singular verb.
Question 4
Complete the sentence for this meaning: Report more than one bus outside.
There ___ several buses outside.
- is
- are
Check the answer
Answer: are
is: The noun phrase is plural, so the standard form used in careful speech and writing is are.
are: The quantity word and the plural noun both point to several separate vehicles. The standard verb is therefore plural. The location does not affect agreement, and the subject matter being transportation does not make the noun uncountable.
Question 5
Complete the sentence for this meaning: Report an unspecified amount of water.
There ___ some water in the bottle.
- is
- are
Check the answer
Answer: is
is: Water is an uncount noun in this sentence, so the construction takes singular agreement. Some does not by itself signal plural number. The amount could be small or large without changing the grammatical category of the substance.
are: A quantity of an uncount substance takes is. Use are when the main noun is a plural countable unit, such as bottles.
Question 6
Complete the sentence for this meaning: Report two containers of water.
There ___ two bottles of water.
- is
- are
Check the answer
Answer: are
is: The main noun is bottles, which is plural. The uncount noun inside the following phrase does not control agreement.
are: The counted units are bottles, and the number two makes the noun phrase plural. The substance inside those bottles does not control the verb. Compare this with a sentence whose main noun is simply water to hear the grammatical difference.
Question 7
Complete the sentence for this meaning: Ask whether a restroom is available nearby.
___ a restroom nearby?
- Is there
- Does there
Check the answer
Answer: Is there
Is there: The singular noun phrase needs the singular question form. Moving the verb before there marks the question. The indefinite article keeps the restroom nonspecific because the speaker is seeking a suitable facility rather than identifying a known one.
Does there: This helper does not replace the form of be in the existential question. The pattern begins with is or are according to the noun phrase.
Question 8
Complete the sentence for this meaning: Ask whether any seats are available.
___ any free seats?
- Is there
- Are there
Check the answer
Answer: Are there
Is there: Careful standard English matches the plural noun seats with are. The singular question form does not fit this exercise.
Are there: The noun seats is plural, so the question uses the plural verb before there. Any is natural when checking whether an unspecified number exists. The adjective describes availability and does not change to mark plural agreement.
Question 9
Complete the sentence for this meaning: Say that this street has no pharmacy.
There ___ a pharmacy on this street.
- isn’t
- aren’t
Check the answer
Answer: isn’t
isn’t: The noun pharmacy is singular and countable, so the negative construction contains the singular form of be. The article stays before the noun. The location limits the statement to this street rather than claiming that pharmacies do not exist elsewhere.
aren’t: This plural negative does not match a pharmacy. Use it with a plural noun phrase such as any pharmacies instead.
Question 10
Complete the sentence for this meaning: Say that no tickets remain available.
There ___ any tickets left.
- isn’t
- aren’t
Check the answer
Answer: aren’t
isn’t: Tickets is plural. The singular negative would fit an uncount noun or one singular count noun, but not this phrase.
aren’t: The plural noun takes a plural negative verb. Any is natural in a statement denying the availability of an unspecified number of tickets. The final word describes the remaining supply, not a location or a direction.
Question 11
Complete the sentence for this meaning: Introduce the existence of a new museum.
___ a new museum in town.
- There is
- There are
Check the answer
Answer: There is
There is: The speaker is announcing a place rather than locating an already identified one. The indefinite noun phrase suits that presentation. Once the museum has been introduced, a later sentence can refer to it with a definite article or pronoun.
There are: A new museum is singular. Introducing new information does not cancel ordinary number agreement.
Question 12
Complete the sentence for this meaning: Locate the museum that both speakers already know about.
The museum ___ near the park.
- there is
- is
Check the answer
Answer: is
there is: Adding the entire introductory construction after the noun phrase produces the wrong word order for this straightforward location statement.
is: The museum itself is the subject of this sentence. The definite article signals an identifiable reference, and the verb directly connects it with a location. No introductory there is needed because the sentence is organized around the known museum.
Question 13
Complete the sentence for this meaning: Confirm that a restroom is available.
Yes, there ___.
- is
- are
Check the answer
Answer: is
is: The reply repeats the singular verb from the question and keeps there as the grammatical introduction. A positive short answer does not end with the ordinary contraction there’s. The noun phrase is recoverable from the earlier question.
are: The question concerns one restroom. A matching short answer keeps singular agreement rather than switching to a plural form.
Question 14
Complete the sentence for this meaning: Use careful standard English to introduce three waiting people.
There ___ three people waiting.
- is
- are
Check the answer
Answer: are
is: You may hear a contracted singular form in casual speech, but it is not the careful plural agreement requested in this exercise.
are: The noun people is plural even though it does not have a regular s ending. The explicit number confirms that interpretation. The requested careful standard form uses the plural verb, which keeps number agreement visible throughout the sentence.
Keep the conversation going
What to practice next
Return to the production tasks after a break. Reconstruct your sentences without the models, compare the meaning and form, and repair any error by explaining its cause. Then use one sentence in a short exchange of your own.
Sources and editorial notes
By Loquus ·
Source checked with AI assistance
These original explanations synthesize the cited sources. They have not been certified by an independent human language specialist. Regional usage and context are described where they affect the answer. Report a correction in the discussion below.
- British Council LearnEnglish: It and there as dummy subjects
- British Council LearnEnglish: Using there is and there are
- British Council LearnEnglish: Present simple: be
- British Council LearnEnglish: Questions and negatives
- British Council LearnEnglish: Personal pronouns
- British Council LearnEnglish: Count nouns
- British Council LearnEnglish: Uncount nouns
- British Council LearnEnglish: The indefinite article
- British Council LearnEnglish: The definite article
- British Council LearnEnglish: Quantifiers
- British Council LearnEnglish: Demonstratives
Learning research behind the practice
Worked examples, retrieval practice, and later review inform the activities. These studies do not establish the effectiveness of this specific lesson.
- Karpicke and Roediger: The critical importance of retrieval for learning
- Butler and Roediger: Feedback enhances the positive effects and reduces the negative effects of multiple choice testing
- Institute of Education Sciences: Organizing Instruction and Study to Improve Student Learning
- Rittle Johnson and Star: Compared to what?