Questions:

• Is there a boy behind the tree?
• Is there a student in the classroom?

There are two people and two dogs.

There are two little girls playing with blocks.

Questions:

• Are there three football players?
• Are there two little girls playing with blocks?

“There” is used for information and facts. Sometimes “there” is singular, and sometimes “there” is plural.

Examples:

• There is a clock on the wall. (singular)
• There’s a rabbit in the backyard. (singular)

There is = There’s. Most Americans use the contraction, there’s

• There are seven days in a week. (plural).
• There are some flowers on the table. (plural)

There are = (no contraction) Some Americans say “there’s” even when the subject is plural. You shouldn’t do that.

1. _________ ________ a restaurant on this street.

2. _________ ________ a lot of people here.

3. _________ ________ some water on the floor.

4. _________ ________ a police officer over there.

5. _________ ________ some flowers on the table.

(Answers: 1. There is; 2. There are; 3. There is; 4. There is; 5. There are)

Here is an additional writing exercise for “there.”