Do you know how to use there is and there are correctly in English? Whether you are writing an essay or chatting with a friend, mastering these two structures will instantly boost your confidence.
In this comprehensive guide, we will break down the rules of existence in English grammar, look at clear examples, and help you avoid common mistakes.
Quick Overview: Let’s Look at Some Examples
Before diving into the rules, see how we use these structures in everyday situations:
- 🌳 There’s a very big park in my city.
- 🛍️ There aren’t any street markets nearby.
- 🚉 There are no restaurants in the train station.
- ☕ But there’s a cozy café and a reliable bank.
1. Affirmative Sentences (Positive Statements)
We use there is and there are to state that something exists or is located in a specific place.
The Golden Rule: Singularity vs. Plurality
- Use there is for singular countable nouns and uncountable nouns.
- Use there are for plural countable nouns.
| Noun Type | Structure | Example |
| Singular | There is + a/an + singular noun | There is a beautiful bridge in the park. |
| Plural | There are + number/quantifier + plural noun | There are two cafés in the shopping center. |
| Uncountable | There is + uncountable noun | There is some fresh water in the bottle. |
Contractions (Short Forms)
In spoken English and informal writing, we almost always shorten there is to there’s. However, we do not create a written contraction for there are.
- ❌ Incorrect: There’re two cafés down the street. (Hard to pronounce and incorrect in standard writing!)
- Correct: There’s a restaurant in the station.
- Correct: There are two cafés down the street.
The “Listing” Loophole (Informal English)
When you are speaking informally and listing multiple items, you should look at the very first item in the list to choose your verb. If the first item is singular, use there is / there’s, even if the total number of items adds up to a plural!
- 💬 Informal & Common: There’s a café, a supermarket, and a bus stop on my street.
- 🏛️ Formal Standard: There are a café, a supermarket, and a bus stop on my street.
2. Negative Sentences (Saying Something Does Not Exist)
To say something does not exist, you have a few natural options depending on whether you are talking about singular, plural, or uncountable items.
Using ‘Not’ (Isn’t / Aren’t)
We frequently pair contractions with the word any for plural and uncountable nouns:
- 🏨 Singular: There isn’t a pharmacy near the hotel.
- 🥛 Uncountable: There isn’t any milk left in the carton.
- 🚻 Plural: There aren’t any public toilets in the park.
Using ‘No’ for Emphasis
If you want to emphasize the complete absence of something strongly, you can use there is no or there are no.
- 🚫 Uncountable: There’s no time to waste!
- 🚫 Plural: There are no open seats on this train.
- 💡 Note: While you can say “There is no car,” it is much more common to say “There isn’t a car.”
3. Forming Questions and Short Answers
To ask if something exists, simply swap the order of the words. Instead of starting with “there,” start with your verb (Is or Are).
Question Structures
- ☕ Singular: Is there a café near here?
- ❄️ Uncountable: Is there any milk in the fridge?
- 🌳 Plural: Are there any benches in the park?
How to Give Short Answers
When answering these questions, never use contractions for positive short answers. Keep them full!
| Question | Correct Positive Answer | Correct Negative Answer |
| Is there a gym here? | Yes, there is. (Not: Yes, there’s) | No, there isn’t. / No, there’s not. |
| Are there any rooms? | Yes, there are. | No, there aren’t. |
Summary Cheat Sheet
Here is a quick-reference matrix to help you remember the patterns perfectly:
| Form | Singular Nouns | Plural Nouns | Uncountable Nouns |
| Affirmative | There is / There’s a… | There are… | There is / There’s… |
| Negative (with ‘not’) | There isn’t a… | There aren’t any… | There isn’t any… |
| Negative (with ‘no’) | There is no… (rare) | There are no… | There is no… |
| Question | Is there a…? | Are there any…? | Is there any…? |
Level Up: Using Other Verb Tenses!
The best thing about there is and there are is that they can travel through time! By changing the verb to be, you can talk about the past or the future easily:
- ⚡ Past Simple (Singular): There was a massive storm last night.
- 🚗 Past Simple (Plural): There were a lot of cars on the roads yesterday.
- 🛍️ Future Simple: There will be a lot of people at the shopping center tomorrow.
- 🏗️ Present Perfect: There has been a lot of construction on this road lately.
🧠 Test Your Skills!
Ready to see how much you have learned? Head over to the top of our interactive grammar lab page at Advanced English Lab to try Grammar Test 1! Work through our interactive exercises, check your scores in real-time, and read through these explanations whenever you need a quick refresher.
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