Do you ever find yourself hesitating between “there is” and “there are”?
You’re not alone. This is one of the most common grammar challenges in English—even for advanced learners!
The good news? Once you understand the simple rule, you’ll never make this mistake again.
In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn:
- ✅ The basic rule for using “there is” and “there are”
- ✅ How to handle countable and uncountable nouns
- ✅ Special cases (collective nouns, irregular plurals, nouns ending in -s)
- ✅ Advanced rules for complex sentences
- ✅ PLENTY of examples to help you master each rule
Let’s dive in!
Part 1: The Core Concept
What Do “There Is” and “There Are” Mean?
Both expressions indicate that something exists or is located somewhere.
The Golden Rule:
The choice between “there is” and “there are” depends on the noun that follows.
- There is → Singular nouns (one item)
- There are → Plural nouns (more than one item)
Simple Examples:
- “There is a book on the table.” (One book → singular)
- “There are books on the table.” (Multiple books → plural)
Part 2: Basic Level Usage
Countable Nouns
Countable nouns are things you can count: one book, two books, three books.
Singular Countable Nouns (One Item)
The Rule: Use “there is” (or the contraction “there’s” in speech).
Structure: There is + a/an + singular noun
Examples:
- “There is a teacher in the classroom.”
- “There’s a book on the table.”
- “There is an apple in the fridge.”
- “There is a car in the driveway.”
- “There is a problem with the computer.”
- “There is a meeting at 3 PM.”
More Examples:
- “There is a beautiful garden behind the house.”
- “There is a new restaurant near my office.”
- “There is an interesting article in the newspaper.”
- “There is a student waiting for you outside.”
Plural Countable Nouns (More Than One)
The Rule: Use “there are”.
Structure: There are + (number/some/many) + plural noun
Examples:
- “There are some teachers in the classroom.”
- “There are many schools in this neighborhood.”
- “There are three books on the table.”
- “There are several cars in the parking lot.”
- “There are a few problems we need to discuss.”
- “There are two meetings scheduled today.”
More Examples:
- “There are many students in the library.”
- “There are several options available.”
- “There are countless reasons to learn English.”
- “There are a lot of people at the concert.”
Collective Nouns
Collective nouns describe a single group made up of multiple individuals.
| Collective Noun | Example Group |
|---|---|
| Family | A group of related people |
| Team | A group of players/workers |
| Flock | A group of birds |
| Pack | A group of animals (wolves, dogs) |
| Crowd | A group of people |
| Audience | A group of spectators |
| Committee | A group of decision-makers |
| Staff | A group of employees |
Singular Collective Noun (One Group)
The Rule: Use “there is” because you’re talking about one group.
Examples:
- “There is a family at the park.” (One family)
- “There is a flock of birds in the sky.” (One flock)
- “There is a team of experts working on the project.” (One team)
- “There is a crowd outside the stadium.” (One crowd)
- “There is a committee reviewing the proposal.” (One committee)
- “There is a pack of wolves in the forest.” (One pack)
More Examples:
- “There is a group of students studying in the library.”
- “There is a band playing at the concert tonight.”
- “There is a class of 30 students in the room.”
- “There is a choir singing at the church.”
Plural Collective Nouns (Multiple Groups)
The Rule: Use “there are” when you’re talking about more than one group.
Examples:
- “There are some families at the park.” (Multiple families)
- “There are several flocks of birds in the sky.” (Multiple flocks)
- “There are many teams competing in the tournament.” (Multiple teams)
- “There are crowds gathering in the square.” (Multiple crowds)
- “There are two committees reviewing the proposal.” (Multiple committees)
Part 3: Intermediate Level Usage
Uncountable Nouns
Uncountable nouns cannot be made plural. They are always treated as singular.
The Rule: Always use “there is” with uncountable nouns.
Common Uncountable Nouns:
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Information | information, advice, news, data |
| Substances | water, milk, coffee, sugar, rice |
| Abstract concepts | love, happiness, knowledge, research |
| Materials | equipment, furniture, luggage |
| Activities | homework, work, sleep |
Examples:
- “There is some equipment in the storage room.”
- “There is some information you should know.”
- “There is a lot of furniture in the living room.”
- “There is some advice I’d like to give you.”
- “There is a lot of homework to complete.”
- “There is some research on this topic.”
- “There is much evidence to support this claim.”
- “There is no water left in the bottle.”
- “There is some milk in the refrigerator.”
- “There is a lot of traffic on the highway.”
More Examples:
- “There is some sugar in the jar.”
- “There is no coffee left.”
- “There is a lot of work to do.”
- “There is some news I need to share.”
- “There is much confusion about the new policy.”
Irregular Nouns
Some nouns don’t follow the standard plural rules. Here are the common irregular cases.
Nouns Ending in ‘-s’ That Are Singular
The Rule: Some words end in ‘s’ but are singular. Use “there is”.
Common Words:
- News
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Economics
- Politics
- Statistics
- Athletics
Examples:
- “There is some good news today.” (News is singular!)
- “There is a lot of news about the election.”
- “There is no news from the front line.”
- “There is some mathematics on the exam.”
- “There is a lot of physics in this course.”
Common Mistake:
- ❌ “There are some good news.” (Incorrect!)
- ✅ “There is some good news.” (Correct!)
Plural Nouns Without ‘-s’
The Rule: Some words are already plural but don’t end in ‘s’. Use “there are” with these.
Common Words:
- Children (plural of child)
- Men (plural of man)
- Women (plural of woman)
- People (plural of person)
- Teeth (plural of tooth)
- Feet (plural of foot)
- Mice (plural of mouse)
Examples:
- “There are some children in that room.”
- “There are many men waiting in line.”
- “There are several women in the meeting.”
- “There are people protesting outside.”
- “There are no children in the park today.”
More Examples:
- “There are many people at the conference.”
- “There are few women in leadership positions.”
- “There are children playing in the garden.”
- “There are men working on the construction site.”
Nouns with Identical Singular & Plural Forms
The Rule: Some words are the same whether singular or plural. Look at the context to decide.
Common Words:
- Fish (one fish / many fish)
- Sheep (one sheep / many sheep)
- Deer (one deer / many deer)
- Species (one species / many species)
- Aircraft (one aircraft / many aircraft)
Examples:
- “There is a fish in the aquarium.” (Singular → one fish)
- “There are some fish in the aquarium.” (Plural → multiple fish)
- “There is a sheep in the field.” (Singular → one sheep)
- “There are some sheep in the field.” (Plural → multiple sheep)
- “There is a deer in the forest.” (Singular → one deer)
- “There are several deer in the forest.” (Plural → multiple deer)
Part 4: Advanced Level Usage
Noun Phrases with Prepositional Phrases
The Rule: When a noun phrase includes a prepositional phrase (starting with “of,” “around,” etc.), focus on the main noun to decide.
Structure: There is/are + main noun + prepositional phrase
Key Point: Ignore everything after the preposition!
Examples with “of”
Examples:
- “There is a team of experts.” → Team is singular, so use is.
- “There is a group of doctors.” → Group is singular, so use is.
- “There are many challenges in the world.” → Challenges is plural, so use are.
- “There are several employees around the globe.” → Employees is plural, so use are.
More Examples:
- “There is a lot of water in the bottle.” → Lot is singular.
- “There are a lot of people at the concert.” → People is plural.
- “There is a number of reasons.” → Number is singular.
- “There are some issues with the plan.” → Issues is plural.
Prepositional Phrases with “of” – Common Patterns
| Main Noun | Singular/Plural | Correct Form | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| team | Singular | There is | “There is a team of experts.” |
| group | Singular | There is | “There is a group of students.” |
| number | Singular | There is | “There is a number of factors.” |
| lot | Singular | There is | “There is a lot of work.” |
| challenges | Plural | There are | “There are many challenges.” |
| issues | Plural | There are | “There are several issues.” |
| employees | Plural | There are | “There are many employees.” |
| people | Plural | There are | “There are many people.” |
Memory Trick:
- Look at the word BEFORE the “of.”
- If it’s singular → there is
- If it’s plural → there are
Quick Reference Cheat Sheet
| Type of Noun | Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Singular countable | There is | “There is a book.” |
| Plural countable | There are | “There are books.” |
| Uncountable | There is | “There is water.” |
| Collective (singular) | There is | “There is a team.” |
| Collective (plural) | There are | “There are teams.” |
| Words ending in -s (singular) | There is | “There is news.” |
| Plural nouns without -s | There are | “There are children.” |
| Identical singular/plural | Depends on meaning | “There is a fish / There are fish.” |
| With “of” phrases | Look at main noun | “There is a team of experts.” |
Part 5: Common Mistakes to Avoid
Mistake 1: Using “There Is” with Plural Nouns
❌ Incorrect: “There is many students in the classroom.”
✅ Correct: “There are many students in the classroom.”
❌ Incorrect: “There is some books on the shelf.”
✅ Correct: “There are some books on the shelf.”
Mistake 2: Using “There Are” with Singular Countable Nouns
❌ Incorrect: “There are a book on the table.”
✅ Correct: “There is a book on the table.”
❌ Incorrect: “There are an apple in the bag.”
✅ Correct: “There is an apple in the bag.”
Mistake 3: Using “There Are” with Uncountable Nouns
❌ Incorrect: “There are some information in the report.”
✅ Correct: “There is some information in the report.”
❌ Incorrect: “There are a lot of furniture.”
✅ Correct: “There is a lot of furniture.”
Mistake 4: Ignoring the Main Noun in “Of” Phrases
❌ Incorrect: “There are a team of experts.” (Team is singular)
✅ Correct: “There is a team of experts.”
❌ Incorrect: “There is many challenges in the world.” (Challenges is plural)
✅ Correct: “There are many challenges in the world.”
Mistake 5: Using “There Is” with Plural Irregular Nouns
❌ Incorrect: “There is many children in the park.”
✅ Correct: “There are many children in the park.”
❌ Incorrect: “There is some people waiting.”
✅ Correct: “There are some people waiting.”
Mistake 6: Confusing “News” as Plural
❌ Incorrect: “There are some good news.”
✅ Correct: “There is some good news.”
Why? “News” is singular, even though it ends in ‘s’!
Practice Quiz – Test Yourself!
Choose the correct form for each sentence.
1. “_______ some snacks available.”
(There is / There are)
Answer: There are — “Snacks” is a plural countable noun.
2. “_______ a lot of furniture.”
(There is / There are)
Answer: There is — “Furniture” is an uncountable noun.
3. “_______ a pack of markers.”
(There is / There are)
Answer: There is — “Pack” is a singular collective noun.
4. “_______ several errors in this report.”
(There is / There are)
Answer: There are — “Errors” is a plural countable noun.
5. “_______ a book on the table.”
(There is / There are)
Answer: There is — “Book” is a singular countable noun.
6. “_______ some water in the bottle.”
(There is / There are)
Answer: There is — “Water” is an uncountable noun.
7. “_______ many children in the park.”
(There is / There are)
Answer: There are — “Children” is a plural irregular noun.
8. “_______ a lot of traffic on the highway.”
(There is / There are)
Answer: There is — “Traffic” is an uncountable noun.
9. “_______ some fish in the aquarium.”
(There is / There are)
Answer: There are — “Fish” is plural here (multiple fish).
10. “_______ a group of students in the classroom.”
(There is / There are)
Answer: There is — “Group” is a singular collective noun.
11. “_______ some good news today.”
(There is / There are)
Answer: There is — “News” is singular even though it ends in ‘s’.
12. “_______ a team of doctors at the hospital.”
(There is / There are)
Answer: There is — “Team” is a singular collective noun.
13. “_______ several options available.”
(There is / There are)
Answer: There are — “Options” is a plural countable noun.
14. “_______ a lot of homework to complete.”
(There is / There are)
Answer: There is — “Homework” is an uncountable noun.
15. “_______ people waiting outside.”
(There is / There are)
Answer: There are — “People” is a plural irregular noun.
Real-Life Conversation Examples
Example 1: At Home
Child: “Is there anything to eat?”
Mother: “There is some fruit in the fridge.”
Child: “Are there any cookies?”
Mother: “No, there aren’t any cookies left.”
Example 2: At Work
Manager: “Are there any questions about the project?”
Employee: “Yes, there is a problem with the timeline.”
Manager: “There are several issues we need to address.”
Employee: “Is there a solution we can implement?”
Example 3: In the Classroom
Teacher: “Is there any homework for today?”
Student: “Yes, there is some reading to complete.”
Teacher: “Are there any questions?”
Student: “There is one thing I don’t understand.”
Example 4: Traveling
Tourist: “Is there a hotel near here?”
Local: “Yes, there is one on the corner.”
Tourist: “Are there any restaurants nearby?”
Local: “Yes, there are several on the main street.”
Example 5: At the Office
Colleague 1: “Is there any coffee left?”
Colleague 2: “Yes, there is some in the kitchen.”
Colleague 1: “Are there any cups?”
Colleague 2: “Yes, there are some on the shelf.”
More Practice Sentences
There Is (Singular)
- “There is a beautiful sunset tonight.”
- “There is an important announcement tomorrow.”
- “There is a doctor on call.”
- “There is some milk in the fridge.”
- “There is a lot of work to do.”
- “There is a student waiting outside.”
- “There is a solution to this problem.”
- “There is some information you need.”
- “There is a new policy in place.”
There Are (Plural)
- “There are many books on the shelf.”
- “There are several students in the library.”
- “There are some people waiting outside.”
- “There are a lot of cars on the road.”
- “There are many options available.”
- “There are some cookies in the jar.”
- “There are several reasons for this.”
- “There are many challenges ahead.”
- “There are various ways to learn English.”
Summary Table: All Rules at a Glance
| Rule | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Singular countable | There is | “There is a book.” |
| Plural countable | There are | “There are books.” |
| Uncountable | There is | “There is water.” |
| Collective noun (singular) | There is | “There is a team.” |
| Collective noun (plural) | There are | “There are teams.” |
| News (ends in -s) | There is | “There is news.” |
| Children/men/women | There are | “There are children.” |
| Fish/sheep (singular) | There is | “There is a fish.” |
| Fish/sheep (plural) | There are | “There are fish.” |
| “Of” phrase (main noun) | Look at main noun | “There is a team of experts.” |
Final Tips for Mastery
1. Identify the Noun First
Always ask yourself: What comes after “there is/are”? Identify that noun and decide if it’s singular or plural.
2. Remember the Exceptions
- News → singular
- Information → singular
- Children → plural
- People → plural
3. Use the “Of” Trick
When you see “of,” ignore everything after it and look at the main noun:
- “A team of experts” → Team is singular → There is
4. Practice Daily
Try to use “there is/are” in your conversations and writing. The more you practice, the more natural it becomes.
5. Listen to Native Speakers
Pay attention to how native speakers use “there is” and “there are” in movies, podcasts, and conversations.
Put Your Skills Into Practice
Now that you’ve mastered “there is” and “there are,” it’s time to practice!
Your Challenge: Write 10 sentences in the comments below—5 using “there is” and 5 using “there are.”
Example:
- “There is a beautiful park near my house.”
- “There are many students in my class.”
- “There is some milk in the fridge.”
- “There are several options available.”
- “There is a team of experts working on the project.”
Want to continue mastering English grammar? Explore our comprehensive courses at AdvancedEnglishLab.com, where we help learners build confidence and fluency.
Which of these rules was most helpful for you? Share in the comments below—I’d love to hear from you!
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