There Is / There Are Exercise 1
A2–B1 · IntermediateWe use there is and there are to state that something exists or is present. The choice between them depends on whether the following noun is singular or plural — but questions, negatives, and contracted forms add a few more things to keep in mind. This exercise covers all of these.
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Fill in each blank with the correct form of there is or there are.
1. There three men living in that house.✓
2. There a lot of furniture in my brother's room.✓
3. There milk in the refrigerator.✓
4. There times when I regret moving here.✓
5. There still time to change your mind.✓
6. There a lot of chocolate on the table.✓
7. There nothing you can say to change my mind.✓
8. There water in my bag.✓
9. There three bottles of water in my bag.✓
10. There a lot of people coming to the show tonight.✓
11. There paper on the desk.✓
12. There a lot of mistakes on his exam.✓
13. There no easy answers.✓
14. There a good chance we'll succeed.✓
15. There something I'd like to tell you.✓
16. There some messages for you.✓
17. There some bread if you're hungry.✓
18. There many mosquitoes here.✓
19. There people waiting in line.✓
20. There a lot of coffee left.✓
Next exercise: There Is / There Are – Exercise 2 →
Grammar review
There is / there are
Use there is / there are to say that something exists or is located somewhere.
Singular and uncountable nouns → there is / there’s:
There is a cat in the garden. / There is some water in the glass.
Plural nouns → there are:
There are three chairs in the room.
Negative forms:
There isn’t a bank near here. / There aren’t any seats left.
Questions:
Is there a toilet nearby? / Are there any questions?
Key rule: The verb agrees with the noun that follows it, not with the word there.
Use there is / there are to say that something exists or is located somewhere.
Singular and uncountable nouns → there is / there’s:
There is a cat in the garden. / There is some water in the glass.
Plural nouns → there are:
There are three chairs in the room.
Negative forms:
There isn’t a bank near here. / There aren’t any seats left.
Questions:
Is there a toilet nearby? / Are there any questions?
Key rule: The verb agrees with the noun that follows it, not with the word there.
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