Grammar · Verb & Sentence Basics
There Is / There Are
The words for saying what is here. Learn there is and there are with the film Ice Age.
Grammar › Verb & Sentence Basics › There Is / There Are
The rule in one sentenceUse there is for one thing, and there are for more than one.
About the film
Ice Age is a film from 2002. There are three friends: Manny, Sid and Diego. There is a baby too. There is a lot of snow and ice.
What do “there is” and “there are” do?
We use these words to say what is in a place. We say the thing is here. That is all.
Look at the film. Say what you see:
Look at the thing after the words. One thing? Say there is. More than one? Say there are:
People say the short form for one thing. Learn it:
There is a mammoth. (one) There are three friends. (more than one)
The words change. The idea does not: “there”, then “is” or “are”, then the thing.
You use these words for a place, a room, or a picture. What is in it?
Visual guide
👉 Swipe through Teacher Teddy’s 6-slide illustrated guide to this rule
How to make it
There is — one thing
There is a baby.
There isn’t a nut for Scrat.
There isn’t / There is notIs there a nut?
Is there + a thing?There are — more than one
There are three friends.
There aren’t any trees.
There aren’t / There are notAre there any trees?
Are there + things?When to use each one
There is — one thing
There are — more than one
Words that help: one or more than one?
Some small words tell you which one to use.
There is → one thing
There are → more than one
Common mistakes
❌ There is three friends.
✅ There are three friends.
“Three friends” is more than one. More than one → there are.
❌ There are a baby.
✅ There is a baby.
“A baby” is one. One → there is.
❌ Is a nut?
✅ Is there a nut?
Do not forget “there”. In a question, “is” goes first.
❌ There are many snow.
✅ There is a lot of snow.
You cannot count snow. Snow is like one thing → there is.
One more thing
This part is a little harder. You can come back to it later.
Before, not now. For things in the past, use there was and there were. One thing → was. More than one → were.
✅ “There was a baby on the ice. There were three friends with him.”
Practice: choose the right words
Eight questions. Choose one answer. You get the answer, and why.
1. ___ a baby.
“A baby” is one → There is.
2. ___ three friends.
“Three friends” is more than one → There are.
3. ___ a lot of snow.
You cannot count snow. It is like one thing → There is.
4. ___ no people here.
“People” is more than one → There are.
5. ___ a nut?
“A nut” is one → Is there.
6. ___ any trees?
“Trees” is more than one → Are there.
7. ___ a big cat with Manny and Sid.
“A big cat” is one → There is.
8. ___ many animals in Ice Age.
“Many animals” is more than one → There are.
Your turn
Choose one thing that is true for you. Then listen to your sentence.
Every word here is correct. Pick the one that is true for you. Say it out loud too!
Keep going
Ready to listen?
Beginner episodes: one film, ten minutes, slow and clear English.
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