ENGLISH
REFERENCE

there is

fixed phr..
A1 Beginner Oxford

fixed phr.. You use 'there is' to say that something exists or is present somewhere. Use 'there is' for one thing, and 'there are' for more than one.

fixed phr.. A fixed existential construction used to introduce a new subject (the 'notional subject') into the discourse, asserting its existence or presence. 'There' functions as a dummy subject, and the verb agrees with the following notional subject.


SIMPLE

There is a book on the table.

CONTEXTUAL

If you're hungry, there is some leftover pizza in the fridge from last night.

COMPLEX

In every community, there is a delicate balance between individual freedom and collective responsibility that must be constantly negotiated.

Usage

Use 'there is' for singular or uncountable nouns, and 'there are' for plural nouns.

Teaching tip

Contrast this existential 'there' with the locative adverb 'there' (e.g., 'There is a book over there') to prevent confusion.

Pitfall

There is two cats in the garden.There are two cats in the garden.The verb must agree with the noun that follows: use 'is' for singular nouns and 'are' for plural nouns.

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