There is and there are
There's a bank near here, there are two bedrooms: say that something exists or is in a place.
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We use there is and there are to say that something exists, or that it is in a place. We often use them when we talk about a thing for the first time. The place usually comes at the end of the sentence.
Positive: there is, there are
Use there is with one thing and there are with more than one. In speech we usually say there's.
One thing | More than one |
|---|---|
There is a café in the station. | There are two cafés in the station. |
There's a café in the station. | There are a lot of cafés here. |
- There's a supermarket near my flat.
- There are three bedrooms in the house.
- There's a message for you.
- Incorrect: There is two bedrooms in my flat.
- Correct: There are two bedrooms in my flat.Two bedrooms is plural, so we use there are.
In fast, informal speech you may hear there's with a plural noun. In writing, use there are.
Start with there, put the place at the end
In English, a sentence like this usually starts with there. The place or the time usually comes at the end.
- There's a good restaurant in our street.
- There are a lot of people on the bus today.
- Incorrect: In my town isn't a cinema.
- Correct: There isn't a cinema in my town.Start with there. The place goes at the end.
In stories, a sentence can sometimes start with the place (On the table is a letter), but in everyday English we say There's a letter on the table.
Negative: there isn't, there aren't
Put not after is or are. With a plural noun, we usually add any. (There is more about some and any on their own page.)
One thing | More than one |
|---|---|
There isn't a lift. | There aren't any shops here. |
There is not a lift. | There are not any shops here. |
- There isn't a bus on Sundays.
- There aren't any hotels near the airport.
- Incorrect: It isn't a bank near here.
- Correct: There isn't a bank near here.To say that something doesn't exist in a place, use there, not it.
Questions and short answers
Put is or are before there.
Question | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|
Is there a bank near here? | Yes, there is. | No, there isn't. |
Are there any trains tonight? | Yes, there are. | No, there aren't. |
- Is there a cash machine in the station?
- Are there any free tables?
- Incorrect: Is in the flat a washing machine?
- Correct: Is there a washing machine in the flat?
- Incorrect: Yes, there's.
- Correct: Yes, there is.Don't use a short form at the end of a short answer.
How many ... are there?
To ask about a number, use How many + a plural noun + are there.
- How many rooms are there in the hotel?
- How many people are there in your team? There are six.
There is, then it or they
Use there is or there are for the first time. After that, use it or they for the same thing.
- There's a café near the station. It's very good.
- There are two parks in our town. They are both big.
- Incorrect: There's a new shop in my street. There is very cheap.
- Correct: There's a new shop in my street. It's very cheap.The shop is not new information now, so we use it.