There Is / There Are Exercises
Do more with this exercise
There is / there are
Use there is for one thing and there are for two or more things. Put is or are first to ask a question.
- One thing:
- There is a book on the table.
- More than one:
- There are two books on the table.
- Questions:
- Is there a book? Are there two books?
- Negatives:
- Use a natural negative: There isn't a book. There aren't any books.
Examples
There is a cat in the room.
One cat: use is.
There are two cats in the room.
Two cats: use are.
Is there a bus stop near here?
Put is first to ask about one stop.
Are there any apples?
Put are first to ask about apples.
There is not any milk.
Milk is uncountable, so use is.
Practice exercises
Choose the correct answer
Select the option that completes the sentence.
1.There ___ a cat on the sofa. (one animal)
2.There ___ three apples in the bag. (three apples)
3.There ___ a book on my desk. (one book)
4.There ___ some water in this glass. (uncountable water)
5.___ there a hospital in this town? (one hospital)
Fill the gaps
Type the missing word or words.
Put the words in order
Click the parts in the correct order.
11. Build the sentence:
12. Build the sentence:
13. Build the sentence:
14. Build the sentence:
Right or wrong?
Decide whether each sentence is correct.
15.There are an apple in the bag. (one apple)
16.Are there any chairs in the room? (several chairs)
17.There are no milk in the fridge. (uncountable milk)
18.There are not any students outside. (plural students)
How to use there is and there are
There is and there are tell us that something exists in a place. Choose the form by looking at the noun that follows it: one book takes is, and two books take are.
For a question, switch the order of the first two words. Is there a bank nearby? asks about one bank. Are there any shops? asks about more than one shop.
A negative adds not after is or are. The exercises above let you practise statements, questions and negatives with immediate corrections.
Frequently asked questions
When do I use there is?
Use there is before one thing or an uncountable noun, such as water.
When do I use there are?
Use there are before a plural noun: There are two chairs.
How do I ask a question?
Move is or are before there: Is there a chair? Are there two chairs?
Answer key
1. There ___ a cat on the sofa. (one animal)
Answer: is
Use there is before one singular noun.
2. There ___ three apples in the bag. (three apples)
Answer: are
Three apples is plural, so use there are.
3. There ___ a book on my desk. (one book)
Answer: is
One book takes there is.
4. There ___ some water in this glass. (uncountable water)
Answer: is
Water is uncountable, so use there is.
5. ___ there a hospital in this town? (one hospital)
Answer: Is
Use Is there for a singular countable noun.
6. There ___ two cats on the sofa. (two animals)
Answer: are
Use there are before a plural noun.
7. ___ there a bus stop near here? (one stop)
Answer: Is
Start a singular there is question with Is.
8. There ___ five books on my desk. (five books)
Answer: are
Five books takes there are.
9. There ___ not a pen in the box. (one pen)
Answer: is
One pen needs singular there is not.
10. ___ there any eggs left? (plural eggs)
Answer: Are
Use Are there for plural eggs.
11. a book / There is / on the desk.
Answer: There is a book on the desk.
One book takes there is.
12. in the bag. / There are / two pens
Answer: There are two pens in the bag.
Two pens takes there are.
13. a chair / Is there / in the room?
Answer: Is there a chair in the room?
Put is before there in a question.
14. any students / Are there / here?
Answer: Are there any students here?
A plural question starts with are there.
15. There are an apple in the bag. (one apple)
Answer: False
An apple is singular, so use there is. Correct: There is an apple in the bag.
16. Are there any chairs in the room? (several chairs)
Answer: True
Start a plural there are question with Are.
17. There are no milk in the fridge. (uncountable milk)
Answer: False
Milk is uncountable and takes there is. Correct: There is no milk in the fridge.
18. There are not any students outside. (plural students)
Answer: True
Plural students needs there are not.