Free English Grammar Course

MODULE 01 · LESSON 5 OF 11

There is, there are and it is

Your goal: Use there is and there are to say that something exists, and it is for time, weather and distance.

Level: FoundationAbout 10 to 15 minutes6 questions

Grammar words in this lesson

plural: the form for two or more: keys, messages

Say that something exists

Use there is or there are when you tell someone about a thing for the first time: There is a bank on this street. The real subject comes after the verb, and the verb agrees with it.

Form	Use it with	Example
there is (there’s)	one thing, or something you cannot count	There is a key in the drawer. There is milk in the fridge.
there are	two or more things	There are two keys in the drawer.

In the past, say there was and there were: There was a problem. There were three messages.

Negatives, questions and short answers

Negative: There is not a bus today. There are not any seats. The short forms are there isn’t and there aren’t.

Question: put is or are first. Is there a bank near here? Are there any questions? Short answers: Yes, there is. No, there aren’t.

There or it?

There is introduces something new. It points back to something you both know. There is a key in the drawer. It is small. First we learn that the key exists. Then it means that key. For more than one thing, use they: There are two keys. They are on the table.

It is for time, weather and distance

Use it as the subject when you talk about the time, the day, the weather or a distance: It is six o’clock. It is Monday. It is raining. It is two kilometers to the station. Here it does not stand for a thing. English simply needs a subject.

Common mistakes

Not this	Say this
Is a bank near here.	There is a bank near here.
It has a park in my town.	There is a park in my town.
There is two chairs.	There are two chairs.
Is raining.	It is raining.

Practice: answer first, then check

Say or write your answer before you open it. Your answers are not sent or saved.

Choose: (There is / There are) three messages for you.
Show the answer and the reason
Answer: There are
Why: The verb agrees with the noun after it. Three messages is plural, so use are.
Choose: (It / There) is a pharmacy next to the station.
Show the answer and the reason
Answer: There
Why: You are telling someone that the pharmacy exists, so use there is. It is would point back to something already mentioned.
Complete: ___ is very cold today.
Show the answer and the reason
Answer: It
Why: Sentences about the weather use it as the subject. It has no real meaning here, but an English sentence needs a subject.
Make a question: There is a café in the museum.
Show the answer and the reason
Answer: Is there a café in the museum?
Why: To ask, put is before there. Do not use do or does to make a question with be.
Complete the short answer: Are there any tickets left? No, ___.
Show the answer and the reason
Answer: there aren’tor there are not
Why: A short answer repeats there and the form of be from the question.
Correct the mistake: On my street has a small market.
Show the answer and the reason
Answer: There is a small market on my street.or On my street there is a small market.or My street has a small market.
Why: On my street cannot be the subject of has. To say that something exists in a place, use there is. You can also make the place the subject: My street has a small market.

Make it yours

Describe your street or your room in four sentences with there is and there are. Add one sentence about the weather with it.

More practice

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