There is, there are – and how to use them in English

When do you use there is Vs there are? I have been teaching English to adults for many years.  When I ask this question I often see students of English pause, look slightly panicked, and then say something like:

“It was a lot of people at the concert.” X

or 

“Have a lot of people at the concert”ｘ

They sometimes know what they are saying is wrong, but they cannot quite remember the correct expression:

There were a lot of people at the concert. ✓

For some reason the English expressions ‘there is’ and ‘there are’ seem to challenge students, even if their English is advanced. So, it’s a good idea to get familiar and confident with these forms of English grammar as soon as possible. TIP: If you want to fast-track your learning, you can look at joining an effective English language course for adults

Still here? Let’s get back to the lessons in this article on English grammar.

When do we use this English grammar structure?

We use ‘there is’ and ‘there are’ to express the existence of something in situations like:

‘There is somebody at the door.’

Or we use this phrase to ask about the existence of something:

‘Are there any questions?’ 

There are two forms: there is and there are, and you use them depending on whether the object is singular or plural.

What are the grammar rules in English for when to use ‘there is’ Vs ‘there are’?

How to use ‘there is’ Vs ‘there are’ in present tense.

We form positives, negatives and questions in singular and plural forms like this:

The use of is or are depends on whether the object (that comes after the verb to be) is singular or plural. Notice:

There is one error in your homework.

There are two errors in your homework.

How to use ‘there is’ Vs ‘there are’ in past tense.

When we talk about the past or the future, we form sentences by using the past form in the singular or plural:

How to use ‘there in’ Vs ‘there are’ in future and speculative forms

Similarly, we can apply future or speculative forms (will be, be going to, might be) to the structure, like this:

‘Will’ and ‘going to be ; are often interchangeable when you are speaking English, for example in the top two rows above.

Exceptions in English grammar when you use ‘‘there is’ Vs ‘there are’

You already know that English is full of exceptions, and these are useful to know. They instantly make you sound more fluent and confident in English:

When you use short forms:

There are two ways of saying there is not in the short form:

‘There isn’t a problem’ or ‘There’s not a problem’.

The two forms above are equivalent. Both are fairly common. We can also say:

‘There’s no problem’

This is also common. It is slightly more emphatic.

Similarly, we can say ‘there are not’ in two short forms:

‘There aren’t any fish in this river’ is the same as ‘There are no fish in this river’.

Common errors using ‘there is’ and ‘there are’ 

In our English classes for adults, I often hear adult students say things like:

’Exists many possible solutions to this problem.’ x 

’When you enter the website, appear some options on the screen.’ x

We can’t use exist or appear in this way. Because English always requires a subject before the verb. 

We could say the sentences above like this:

There are many possible solutions to this problem. ✓

When you enter the website, some options appear on the screen. ✓

When you enter the website, there are some options on the screen. ✓

Another common mistake is to say something like:

We are five in the group. ｘ

In English, we don’t usually say it this way. It is far more usual to say:

There are five of us in the group. ✓

Famous examples of exceptions to this English grammar rule in music

In the song by the group the Smiths, There Is A Light That Never Goes Out, you can hear the lyrics:

‘Take me out tonight, where there’s music and there’s people and they’re young and alive’

Note how the singer uses the singular is with people - which you know is a plural! This is because ‘There’s people’ is sometimes heard in colloquial or slang English. Here, the singer is probably using this structure to fit the lyrics more easily into the rhythm of the song.

Mini Quiz

Can you find the errors in the sentences below, and correct them? You can also find more practice here if you need it.

1. Are a lot of children at that school.

2. Is a lot of traffic on the roads tonight.

3. In the hotel it was a big swimming pool

4. When the film starts, appears a long road stretching ahead.

5. Exists an app to help you with that.

6. We are six going to the football match.

 Answers

1. There are a lot of children at that school.

2. There is a lot of traffic on the roads tonight.

3. In the hotel there was a big swimming pool

4. When the film starts, there’s a long road stretching ahead

5. There is an app to help you with that.

6. There are six of us going to the football match.