There is / There are

A countable noun names something that can be counted in the intended meaning: a chair, two chairs. When first introducing one object, the usual pattern is there is a/an + singular noun.

Use a before a consonant sound and an before a vowel sound. You can add an adjective: a small bag. Other determiners are also possible, such as one; the rule does not mean a must always follow is.

Water, milk, rice and bread in their usual meanings name a substance or food as an amount, rather than separate items. Use is with them here, even when there is a large amount.

Some expresses an unspecified amount. It is not compulsory in every positive statement: there is water is also possible. Do not put a/an directly before a substance noun in this meaning. To name one portion, specify a container: a glass of water.

Compare some milk, one bottle of milk and two bottles of milk. The first describes milk; the others count bottles. One bottle is singular, two bottles is plural.

For standard written agreement, use there is a bottle, but there are two bottles. Some does not choose the verb by itself: some water needs is, some cups needs are. We use the plural here only to show the boundary of this rule.

There’s is a contraction of there is. It is natural in everyday conversation and informal messages. Keep the apostrophe, which indicates the contraction.

In informal speech, you can also hear there’s before a plural. This is real usage, rather than a reason to label every such speaker wrong. In tasks about standard written agreement, choose there are for a plural; the task will specify the required register.

There is a bag on the chair introduces the presence of a bag. It is blue then describes the bag already mentioned. It needs something clear from the context; there is helps introduce it for the first time.

It is a cat in the garden can be grammatical if it already refers to something being identified, such as an animal in a photo. For a new statement about a cat being present in the garden, the natural target construction is there is. A different communicative purpose is not the same as a grammatical error.

A location often helps the listener, but is not compulsory in every sentence. There is a problem is a complete statement about a problem. You can also omit a location that is already clear.

For your own statement, decide what new information you are giving. Is it one object or an uncountable amount? Is the location needed? Build the meaning, then check the article and is. Questions, negatives and the past will be studied separately.

Standard written affirmative sentences use there are with a plural noun phrase. One object or an uncountable substance without counted units needs there is.

-s is a useful clue, but not a universal test. Children is the plural of child; people in the ordinary sense of persons is also plural.

A numeral adds an exact count: two windows. Some gives an unspecified number: some windows. Many and a lot of mean a large number; a lot of often sounds natural in everyday affirmative statements.

A number or some is not compulsory with there are. There are windows in the room is complete. Do not put singular article a/an directly before a plural.

Look at the noun phrase’s head rather than its last word before the location. Two bottles of water counts bottles: plural bottles requires there are.

Water alone names a substance. In its basic uncountable sense without named servings, it requires there is. This lesson explicitly names portions to distinguish water from bottles of water.

The simplest A1 pattern is There are → people or things → place. Put the entire noun phrase after are: two small tables, some new books.

The location can come first to foreground the space. This is an acceptable order rather than an error. A location understood from the conversation or irrelevant to the message need not be repeated.

There are normally introduces existence. Once the objects are named, they can refer back: There are two lamps. They are new. The second sentence describes known lamps.

They are two lamps can also be grammatical, for example as an answer identifying some objects. That is identification rather than a new existence statement. A task checks the communicative goal, not merely the presence of there or are.

This trainer practises standard written affirmative there are, a reliable form before a plural. There’re is not a common written pattern; recommending there are does not mean contracted pronunciation is impossible.

Informal speech and some informal writing use there’s before a plural. It is real usage, but choose there are for a standard written task. This is a register adjustment for the goal, rather than a claim that speakers using there’s lack grammar.

Are there…? questions and There aren’t… negatives are neighbouring topics. They can occur in a supplied conversational turn, but the answer practises affirmative existence. Establish what is present, then check number, full there are and any suitable location.

Use is with one countable item: a chair, a key, a shop. Use are with plurals: chairs, keys, shops. Uncountable substances such as water, milk and sugar also take is.

Look at the head noun, not simply the last word before the location. In bottles of water, the head is bottles: we are counting bottles, so use are. In water in the bottles, the head is water: we are talking about water, so use is.

Any, clean, free and the location do not determine the form of be by themselves. In free chairs, the verb agrees with chairs. This lesson does not cover long lists of different objects or complex quantity expressions.

To turn an ordinary statement into a yes/no question, place is or are before there. The rest of the sentence can remain in place. In writing, end the question with a question mark.

Do not add do or does to is/are: be already provides the required question form. Do not change singular to plural just because the sentence becomes a question.

In conversation, you may hear There is a pool? as a surprised echo of someone else's words. This is a possible question with statement word order, not an unconditional grammatical error. The main learning target here is an ordinary enquiry about unknown availability using Is there…? / Are there…?.

To report absence, keep there first and add not after is or are. In ordinary conversation, is not commonly contracts to isn't and are not to aren't.

There is not, there isn't and there's not can express the same negative with a singular or uncountable noun. The main plural patterns here are there are not and there aren't. If an exercise asks for a full or contracted form, that is a separate visible learning requirement, not a prohibition on other forms in English.

State clearly what is absent. There aren't any free chairs does not mean there are no chairs at all: they may be occupied. Location also limits the claim: no printer in one office does not mean no printers in the building.

A/an is often enough with a singular noun: Is there a shop? There isn't a shop. Do not put any before a/an. With uncountables and plurals, questions and negatives often use any: any water, any cups.

Any is a useful basic pattern but not compulsory in every question. You can ask Are there two chairs? or Are there shops nearby? Some also occurs in questions, for example when a positive answer is expected. Do not automatically correct Is there some tea? as ungrammatical.

For complete absence, there is also no + noun with an affirmative verb: There is no milk. / There are no cups. This often conveys the same basic fact as isn't any / aren't any. The finer distinctions between some and any are a neighbouring topic; here they support correctly asking about presence and denying it.

Answer Is there…? with Yes, there is. or No, there isn't. Answer Are there…? with Yes, there are. or No, there aren't. In this short pattern, do not replace there with it or they: we are answering about presence, not describing an already named thing.

Affirmative final is/are is not contracted in a standard short answer: Yes, there is., not Yes, there's. With a continuation, however, There's a kitchen. is a normal complete sentence.

Negative short answers can use full forms: No, there is not. / No, there are not. In everyday conversation, Yes or No alone is sometimes enough. If the exercise requests a short answer with there, practise that specific pattern.

Before building the sentence, decide whether you are asking or already know the needed thing is absent. Then name the object and check its number. Only then choose Is there / Are there or There isn't / There aren't.

Take the answer into account in conversation. If there is no milk, ask about another drink. If there is no shop inside the hotel, ask about shops nearby. This is a new useful enquiry rather than a repetition of information already received.

Your own responses may use natural alternatives such as lift/elevator or shop/store, and full or contracted negatives. The sample shows one option. You may invent a situation when the task requests your own; when the prompt supplies facts, preserve them.