There is/There are

A simple way to know when to choose between “there is” and “there are” is by asking if the noun is singular or plural. For a singular noun, you should make use of “there is” in your communication, while plural nouns should be combined with “there are.”

• There are two dogs.
• There is a dog.
• There is a book on the table.
• There are some goats on the farm.
• There is a bottle of wine inside the fridge.

Now, take these scenarios as examples:

• Q: Is there a book on the table?
• A: No, there is not.
• Q: Are there books on the table?
• A: No, there aren’t.
• Q: Is there a bottle of wine inside the fridge?
• A: Yes, there is.

Do you notice that when questions are being asked, the verbs “is” and “are” appear at the beginning of the sentence? This means that if you want to ask questions using “is” or “are,” you should consider whether your noun is singular or plural.