There Is / There Are (A1 Grammar)

Use there is for one thing, there are for many things.

Quick tip: 1 thing→there is, 2+ things→there are

THERE IS + singular

Use there is for one thing or uncountable nouns.

• There is a book on the table.
• There is water in the bottle.
• There's a problem.

THERE ARE + plural

Use there are for two or more things.

• There are two cats.
• There are many students.
• There are some apples.

Negatives & Questions

Use isn't/aren't for negatives. Flip order for questions.

• There isn't any milk.
• There aren't any chairs.
• Is there a bank near here?

Common mistakes

• Not "There is two cats." — say "There are two cats.". Use are with plural.
• Not "There are a book." — say "There is a book.". Use is with singular.
• Not "There is many people." — say "There are many people.". Many = plural = are.

Practise it

Describe your room: There is a bed. There are two windows.