Simple explanation
What do there is and there are mean? We use there is and there are to say that something or someone exists or is present in a place. For example, There is a café near my house means that a café exists near my house. There are two parks in this area means that two parks exist in this area. When do we use there is? Use there is before a singular countable noun or an uncountable noun. For a singular countable noun, we often use a or an: There is a chair in the kitchen. With an uncountable noun, we can say: There is some water in the bottle. When do we use there are? Use there are before plural nouns. If there are two or more people or things, there are is normally the correct form. For example: There are three students in the room. There are some shops near the station. Negative sentences The negative form of there is is there is not, usually shortened to there isn't. The negative form of there are is there are not, usually shortened to there aren't. For example: There isn't a bank here. There aren't any buses today. Questions with Is there and Are there To make a question, move is or are before there. There is becomes Is there, and there are becomes Are there. For example: Is there a pharmacy near here? Are there any restaurants on this street? Short answers For questions with Is there, use Yes, there is. or No, there isn't. For questions with Are there, use Yes, there are. or No, there aren't. These short answers are very common in everyday English. Using some and any At A1 level, a useful basic pattern is to use some mainly in positive sentences and any mainly in questions and negative sentences. For example: There are some books on the table. Are there any books? There aren't any books.
Grammar formula
Positive singular
There is + singular noun + placeThere is a sofa in the living room.
Positive plural
There are + plural noun + placeThere are two sofas in the living room.
Negative singular
There isn't + singular noun + placeThere isn't a TV in my bedroom.
Negative plural
There aren't + any + plural noun + placeThere aren't any shops here.
Singular question
Is there + singular noun + place?Is there a bank near here?
Plural question
Are there + any + plural noun + place?Are there any cafés near the hotel?
Singular short answer
Yes, there is. / No, there isn't.Is there a supermarket nearby? Yes, there is.
Plural short answer
Yes, there are. / No, there aren't.Are there any taxis outside? No, there aren't.
Core rules
- 1
Use there is with singular nouns
Use there is when the main noun is singular: There is a cat in the garden.
- 2
Use there is with uncountable nouns
Use there is with uncountable nouns such as water, milk, coffee, and rice: There is some milk in the fridge.
- 3
Use there are with plural nouns
Use there are when the noun is plural: There are four chairs in the room.
- 4
Use isn't and aren't for negatives
Use there isn't with singular or uncountable nouns and there aren't with plural nouns.
- 5
Move is or are to make questions
To make a question, put is or are before there: Is there a bathroom? Are there any shops?
- 6
Match is or are with the noun
Choose is or are by looking at the noun that follows: singular or uncountable usually takes is, while plural takes are.
Useful examples
There is a book on the table.
A book is on the table.
Book is singular, so there is is correct.
There are three chairs in the kitchen.
Three chairs are in the kitchen.
Chairs is plural, so we use there are.
There is some water in the bottle.
Some water is inside the bottle.
Water is uncountable, so there is is used.
There isn't a bus stop near my house.
No bus stop is located near my house.
There isn't is the negative form for a singular noun.
There aren't any clean cups.
No clean cups are available.
Cups is plural, so there aren't is correct.
Is there a bathroom upstairs?
Does a bathroom exist upstairs?
Bathroom is singular, so the question begins with Is there.
Are there any restaurants near the hotel?
Are any restaurants located near the hotel?
Restaurants is plural, so we use Are there.
There are some children in the park.
Some children are in the park.
Some is common in positive sentences with plural nouns.
There is a problem with my phone.
My phone has a problem.
Problem is singular, so there is is used.
There are two messages for you.
You have two messages.
Two messages is plural, so there are is required.
Is there any coffee in the kitchen?
Is any coffee available in the kitchen?
Coffee is uncountable, so we use Is there.
There isn't any milk in the fridge.
There is no milk in the fridge.
Milk is uncountable, so there isn't is correct.
Are there two bedrooms in the apartment?
Does the apartment have two bedrooms?
Bedrooms is plural, so the question begins with Are there.
There is a new student in our class.
A new student is in our class.
Student is singular, so there is is correct.
Common mistakes
- ❌ There are a book on the desk. ✅ There is a book on the desk. Book is singular, so we need is, not are.
- ❌ There is three students in the class. ✅ There are three students in the class. Students is plural, so we use there are.
- ❌ Is there any shops near here? ✅ Are there any shops near here? Shops is plural, so the question must begin with Are there.
- ❌ There aren't a supermarket here. ✅ There isn't a supermarket here. Supermarket is singular, so there isn't is the correct negative form.
- ❌ There is not any chairs in the room. ✅ There aren't any chairs in the room. Chairs is plural, so the verb must be are.
- ❌ Are there a bathroom in the hotel? ✅ Is there a bathroom in the hotel? Bathroom is singular, so the question must start with Is there.
- ❌ There are some milk in the fridge. ✅ There is some milk in the fridge. Milk is uncountable, so we use there is.
Learning tips
- Look at the noun after there before choosing is or are.
- Use there is for one thing and there are for two or more things.
- Use there is with common uncountable nouns such as water, milk, and coffee.
- There's is the common short form of there is in spoken English.
- To make a question, move is or are before there.
- Some is common in positive sentences, while any is common in questions and negatives.
- In this structure, there does not simply mean a place; the whole structure expresses existence.
Practise this topic
Interactive exercises for this topic are coming soon.
PlannedRelated grammar
Related dictionary words
Frequently asked questions
Why do we say There is some water and not There are some water?
Water is an uncountable noun in English. Uncountable nouns normally use there is in this structure.
Can I use there's instead of there is?
Yes. There's is the common short form of there is and is very common in everyday spoken English.
Why do questions often use any instead of some?
At A1 level, a useful rule is that some is common in positive sentences, while any is common in questions and negative sentences.
How do I answer Is there a supermarket?
Use Yes, there is. for a positive answer and No, there isn't. for a negative answer.
How do I answer Are there any buses?
Use Yes, there are. or No, there aren't. The form of be in the answer matches the form in the question.
Does there always mean a place in this grammar structure?
No. In there is and there are, there is part of a fixed structure that says something exists or is present.