Grammar: Describing Existence
A2 Lesson 18: Using 'There is' & 'There are'
Describing a Scene
We use 'There is' and 'There are' to say that something exists or is in a certain place. It is the most common way to begin a description of a room, a city, or a situation.
How to Use 'There is' & 'There are'
| Use... | For... | Example |
|---|---|---|
| There is (There's) | One thing (singular) | There is a big bridge in Kampot. |
| There is (There's) | Uncountable nouns (water, traffic, information) | There is some water in the bottle. |
| There are | Two or more things (plural) | There are many tourists on Pub Street. |
Questions & Negatives
To make questions and negative sentences, we change the verb 'be' (is/are), just like in other sentences.
Questions & Negative Forms
| Type | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Question | Is/Are + there...? | Is there a post office near here? Are there any empty seats? |
| Negative | There + isn't/aren't... | There isn't much time. There aren't any tickets left. |
| Strong Negative | There is/are + no... | There is no reason to be angry. |
Practice Your Grammar 🎯
Exercise: Choose 'is' or 'are'
Complete the sentences with the correct word.
- There ___ many people on the street.
→ are - There ___ a famous market in Siem Reap called the Old Market.
→ is - Is there any coffee? Yes, there ___ some in the kitchen.
→ is - There ___ several beautiful parks in the city.
→ are - Excuse me, ___ there a swimming pool at this hotel?
→ is
Your Grammar Mission ⭐
Describe Your Room
Look around the room or house you are in right now. Write three sentences to describe what you see. Use 'There is' and 'There are' to start your sentences.
Example: There is a big bed in my room. There are two windows.
Key Vocabulary
- Exist To be real; to be present in a place or situation.
- Description A spoken or written account of what someone or something is like.