Rules there is there are in tables and examples: when and how to use correctly

06 May 2026

English-learners

Oleksandra Kulish

Book expert

Зміст

The ‘there is, there are’ construction in sentences
Affirmative sentences
Negative sentences
Interrogative sentences
Use of some, any, no
Use of a lot of / lots of
Tense forms with the constructions ‘there is’ / ‘there are’
Key points

When we need to say that something is located somewhere or simply exists, we cannot do without the constructions ‘there is’ and ‘there are’ in English. In fact, they replace the Ukrainian verbs ‘є’, ‘існує’, ‘знаходиться’ or ‘розташований’, but have their own specific rules of usage.

The main thing to remember is:

‘There is’ is the right choice when referring to a single object (singular) or something that cannot be counted (uncountable nouns, such as water or sand).
There are — used exclusively for the plural, when there are two or more objects.

Interestingly, in Ukrainian we often begin a sentence with a locative phrase (for example, ‘There is a book on the table’), whereas English logic requires us to first state the very fact of existence using ‘there is’.

In this article, we’ll look at how to construct sentences with these phrases in different tenses, how to combine them with modal verbs, and what nuances to pay attention to so that your English sounds natural.

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The ‘there is, there are’ construction in sentences

Let’s start by discussing the use of ‘there is’ and ‘there are’ in sentences. The word ‘there’ can play completely different roles in a sentence, which determines both its translation and pronunciation. For example:

1. ‘There’ as an adverb of place ([ðeə(r)]).

In this sense, the word indicates a specific location: ‘there’, ‘over there’ or ‘in that place’. If ‘there is’ is followed by a noun with the definite article ‘the’, then you are dealing with the adverb ‘there’.

Who is that tall man over there?

There are the keys I was looking for!

2. ‘There’ as an introductory word ([ðe(r)]).

This is part of a grammatical construction (there is, there are, there seems to be, etc.) that simply indicates the fact that something exists. In such cases, there is usually not translated into Ukrainian at all.

There is a cat on the fence.

There are some interesting books on the shelf.

In English, the standard word order is ‘subject + verb’. But in these constructions, it’s the other way round: the verb (be) comes first, followed by the subject. It’s important to remember that the word ‘there’ isn’t the main element (subject) here, so we agree the verb ‘be’ with the noun that follows it.

Sentence structure table:

Sentence type	Construction	Subject	Example
Statement	There is	Singular	There is a laptop on the desk.
-	There is	Uncountable	There is some fresh juice in the jug.
-	There are	Plural	There are ten apples in the basket.
Negation	There is not	Singular	There isn’t a single cloud today.
-	There is not	Uncountable	There isn’t any sugar in my coffee.
-	There are not	Plural	There aren't any vacant rooms in the hotel.
Question	Is there	Singular / uncountable	Is there a bank near here?
-	Are there	Plural	Are there any photos in that album?

In business correspondence, it is better to use the full forms (there is / there are). In conversation or informal chat, the contraction ‘there’s’ is perfectly acceptable. Also, always look at the first word following the construction. If you are listing several items (for example, ‘there is a pen and three pencils’), the verb will be in the singular: There is a pen and three pencils.

Affirmative sentences

In affirmative sentences, the word ‘there’ comes at the very beginning, followed by the verb ‘be’, which we agree with the following noun (subject). With the singular, we usually use the indefinite article a/an, and with the plural and uncountable nouns, we often use the word some (a few, a little). The constructions there is/there are work perfectly with words such as someone or something.

There is something mysterious about that old house. — There is something mysterious about that old house. There is some fresh bread on the table. — There is some fresh bread on the table.

Negative sentences

In a negative sentence, we add the word ‘not’ to the ‘there is/there are’ construction. We also use singular nouns with the indefinite article ‘a/an’. Since there is already one negation in English thanks to the word ‘not’, we do not use negative pronouns to avoid double negation.

However, we can still form negative sentences using the pronouns nobody, no one and
nothing — in which case the word ‘not’ is not used.

There is no one in the office at this hour.

There is nothing better than a cup of tea on a rainy day.

We use plural nouns and uncountable nouns together with the pronoun any. It is also possible to use the pronouns anybody, anyone and anything if the sentence already contains the negative particle not.

There isn’t anything interesting on TV tonight.

There isn’t any milk left in the fridge.

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Interrogative sentences

In questions, the verb ‘be’ in the appropriate form is placed at the beginning. We also use the indefinite article ‘a/an’ with singular nouns. For plural nouns and uncountable nouns, we use the pronouns ‘any’, ‘anybody’, ‘anyone’ and ‘anything’.

In short answers to general questions, we also use the phrase ‘there is / there are’ in the affirmative or negative form.

Is there a pharmacy near here?

Yes, there is / No, there isn’t

In special questions, the question word is placed at the very beginning of the sentence.

Why are there so many cars on the street today?

The phrases ‘how many’ / ‘how much’ in a question also come at the beginning, but they precede the noun, after which the construction ‘is there’ or ‘are there’ is used.

How much water is there in the bottle?

How many students are there in the library?

Use of some, any, no

We often combine ‘there is’ / ‘there are’ with quantifiers. We use ‘some’ (affirmative) with plurals and uncountable nouns when the exact number is unknown.

There are some squirrels in the park.

Any (questions and negatives) replaces some in questions and sentences with the word not.

Are there any podcasts about space?

There isn’t any juice in the glass.

No (negation without not) allows you to form a negative sentence without the word not, as there is no double negation in English.

There were no flowers in the vase.

Use of a lot of / lots of

To express a large quantity, the rule is: with countable nouns in the plural, we use ‘there are lots of’, and with uncountable nouns, ‘there is a lot of’.

There are lots of dolphins in this bay.

There’s a lot of sand in my shoes.

Important for spoken language: In informal conversation, the contraction ‘there’s’ is often used, even with plurals. However, in formal writing, this form should be avoided:

There’s four chairs in the kitchen.

There’s a lot of old photos in this box.

Tense forms with the constructions ‘there is’ / ‘there are’

The ‘there is / there are’ construction is versatile — it can be used in any tense. To do this, simply change the form of the verb ‘be’.

Tense	Construction	Example
Past Simple	There was / were	There were only three houses in this forest a century ago. — A century ago, there were only three houses in this forest.
Future Simple	There will be	Will there be any music at the ceremony? — Will there be any music at the ceremony?
Present Perfect	There has / have been	There hasn't been any snow this winter. — There hasn't been any snow this winter.
Past Perfect	There had been	There had been a terrible storm before we arrived at the harbour. — There had been a terrible storm before we arrived at the harbour.

Key points

The phrases ‘there is’ and ‘there are’ are a basic tool for describing the world around us. The main thing to remember is:

Logic of usage. Use this phrase to indicate the presence of something in space or time (‘there is’, ‘there are’).
Agreement. Focus on the first word following the construction. If it is singular or an uncountable noun, use ‘is’; if plural, use ‘are’.
Flexibility. The construction easily adapts to any tense (there was, there will be) and combines with modal verbs (there must be).
Context. Remember the difference from ‘it is’: first, we introduce the object using ‘there is’, and only then do we describe its properties using ‘it’.

Now that you know these nuances, using ‘there is’ / ‘there are’ will become a natural part of your English grammar. Practise more often and you’ll notice how your spoken sentences become more structured and clear.

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