Before we turn to the descriptions of objects and premises, it is necessary to deal with one more grammatical phenomenon, which has no analogue in the Russian language. It's about turnover. there is/there are.
Rules for using the turnover there is / there are
Study the two examples carefully. Pay attention to the pronunciation:
There is a book on the table.
There are clouds in the sky.
As you can see, in both sentences we used the verb " to be" in the present tense and the word " there”, which is not translated into Russian in this turnover - but we used this construction in order to tell about the location of objects: books and clouds.
So the turnover there is/there are necessary when we talk about the presence or location of some objects or phenomena. The form of the verb "to be" only agrees with first noun after it:
There is a book, two pens and a pencil on the table.
Such sentences are usually translated from the end:
On the table (lies) a book, two pens and a pencil.
turnover is/there are can be used in the past tense:
There was a vase on the table.
There were children in the room.
If you want to ask a question with this turnover, swap the verb "to be" and "there":
Are there apples in the fridge?
Is there a dog in your flat?
And add a question word to the beginning if you're interested in something specific:
How many apples are there in the fridge?
What is there in your flat?
And if something is missing somewhere, use the “not” particle:
There aren't apples in the fridge.
There isn't a dog in my flat.
Often, instead of the article in this construction, numerals or indefinite pronouns are used - some for positive sentences, any for negative ones:
There are two girls in the room.
There is some water in the bottle.
Tasks for the lesson
Task 1. Complete the correct form of the verb to be.
1. There … people in the street.
2. There … a woman in the shop.
3. … there anybody in the house?
4. There… not sweets in the box.
5. There … a chair in the room.
6. …there children in the garden?
Task 2. Translate into English:
1. There are two boys and one girl in the room.
2. There are no plates on the table.
3. You have the keys in your hands.
4. There is a picture hanging on the wall.
5. How many days are in February?
6. Tonight (tonight) on TV (TV) show two good films (movies).
7. Is there a hotel near here?
8. What do you have in your pocket (pocket)?
Answer 1.
1. There are people in the street.
2. There is a woman in the shop.
3. Is there anybody in the house?
4. There are not sweets in the box.
5. There is a chair in the room.
6. Are there children in the garden?
Answer 2.
1. There are two boys and a girl in the room.
2. There are not (any) plates on the table.
3. There are keys in your hands.
4. There is a picture on the wall.
5. How many days are there in February?
6. There are two good movies on TV tonight.
7. Is there a hotel near here?
8. What is there in your pocket?
One of the most common constructions in English is the phrase there is there are. It locates an item or object. For example,
There is a cat on the sofa. – There is a cat on the sofa.
Thus, we indicate where the cat is. The construction there is there are is always placed at the beginning of the sentence. If we are talking about one subject or object, we use the turnover Тhere is, if we are talking about two or more - Тhere are.
For example, sentences on there is there are:
There is a girl in the room. - The girl is in the room.
There are beautiful flowers in the garden. - There are beautiful flowers in the garden.
If a person begins to learn a language for the first time, then it is better to translate such sentences verbatim into Russian. In this case, the above examples can be translated as - There is a girl in the room or There are beautiful flowers in the garden. Usually, no one talks like that, it's just important to understand the meaning of what was said. A literal translation will help to correctly formulate phrases in English, and most importantly, begin to understand the logic of this turnover.
When you work out for yourself the correct construction of such sentences, then you can freely move on to a beautiful literary translation of constructions.
The first thing to start with the study of turnover is:
Тhere (is/are) + item/items + location.
As you can see, in sentences with the there is / are construction, each word has its own specific place.
Here is there are example sentences:
There is water in the bottle. - There is water in the bottle.
There is one mango on the table. There is one mango on the table.
There are many people in the bus. - There are a lot of people on the bus.
There are four Chinese students in my class. There are four Chinese students in my class.
Interrogative form and turnover there is there are in English
The interrogative form with the use of this construction is created in the following way: the verb to be is put in the first place before there.
Is there sugar on the table? – Is there sugar on the table?
Are there children on the playground? Are there children on the playground?
The answers to these questions will look like this:
- with a positive answer - Yes, there is (Yes, there are.)
- with a negative - No, there is not (No, there aren't)
If modal or auxiliary verbs are used in the sentence, then they are put in the first place before the word there, and then the given verb to be will be after it.
Will there be magazines on the shelf tomorrow? Will there be magazines on the shelf tomorrow?
Interrogative words such as what (what), which (which), why (why), how long (how long) and when (when) can be used with these turns.
When composing a question, we first use these words, and then according to the standard scheme.
What is there in the box? - What's in the box?
How many countries are there in Africa? How many countries are in Africa?
Why are there cups on the bed? Why are there cups on the bed?
Note: In response to a question in singular the plural may be used if more than one item is listed.
What is there in the room? - What is in the room?
There are two chairs and a table in the room. There are two chairs and a table.
Negative form with there is/there are constructions
If you study negative sentences, then the particle no or not already appears here. We use it when we want to say that something somewhere is not, was not or will not be. As a rule, for convenience, such turns are abbreviated there is not - there isn't, and also there are not - there aren't.
There is no window in the room. – There is not (isn’t) any window in the room. - There is no window in the room.
There are no animals in the wood. – There are not (aren't) any animals in the wood. - There are no animals in the forest.
There is there are the rule of use at different tenses
Everything is quite simple here, we only use one verb to be in the appropriate tense.
There are flowers in the vase. - There are flowers in the vase.
There was a pen on the table yesterday. There was a pen on the table yesterday.
There has been a shop on this street recently. There was a shop on this street recently.
There will be new building next to the school. - There will be a new building next to the school.
The turn there is / there are is a speech construction that they begin to study at the initial stage of learning English. If you need to tell about the location of an object or person, then you will need to use this phrase. By itself, the turnover there is / there are in English means "there is, is." But for a correct translation into Russian, you need to learn some rules for handling this construction.
General concept
So, the turn there is / there are in English is used quite often, since we constantly need to indicate the position of an object. And this phrase is the best way to do it. For example, you need to say that there are three doctors in a certain room.
With the help of turnover, we get the following sentence: There are three doctors in the room. At the same time, we draw your attention to the word order in the sentence.
There is (thr is) There are (thr are) | location |
We see that the phrase begins with a turnover, then the object is indicated, and only at the end is the place where this object (or person) is located.
Why does turnover look like this? What is the difference between thr is and thr are? The answer is simple. The first option is used to describe one object or person, and the second one is used to describe two or more objects.
- Thr is a dog on the bed. - There is a dog on the bed.
- Thr are dogs on the bed. - There are dogs on the bed.
There is/there are: Russian translation
It is important to understand that the sentence in which this phrase is used cannot be translated literally. It would be correct to do this starting from the end of the sentence. So you will sound beautiful in your native language.
- Thr is a book on the table. - A book is on the table.
- Thr are dogs in the yard. - There are dogs running in the yard.
I would like to note that the turnover there is / there are has several translation options. It all depends on the specific object and situation. When translating, the main thing is to observe correctness and plausibility, and also not to deviate from the norms of the literary language.
Temporal features
The next thing to say when discussing the there is/there are turnover is different forms the verb "to be" when using the phrase in different tenses. As you know, the strong verb to be has many forms, so in our case, each time period has its own form.
present tense | |
Past tense | |
Future time |
All these forms can be part of this construction, since there is/there are turnover can be applied both in the present tense and in the past or future.
- Thr is a kitten in the corner. - A kitten is sitting in the corner.
- Thr are students in the hall. - There are students in the hall.
- Thr was a car near the shop. - There was a car in front of the store.
- Thr were green trees in the center of the square. - There were green trees in the center of the square.
- Thr will be a lot of pupils in the bus. - There will be many students on the bus.
We see from the examples how the form of the verb changes and how the turnover changes. The style of translation is also clearly visible: we change the meaning of the verb depending on the specific situation.
Questions, answers and denials
The turn there is/there are, the formation rules of which we are discussing here, can be used not only in declarative sentences. We can also use it to ask questions, answer them and use it in negative constructions. Let's look at all these options in turn.
The construction of the question occurs by a simple rearrangement of words. Depending on the type of question, the verb is put in first or second place:
- General question: Is thr a dog in the park? - Is there a dog in the park?
- Special question: What is thr in the river? What is there in the river?
- Alternative question: Is thr a book or a pen in the bag? - Is there a book or a pen in the bag?
- Discrimination question: Thr is a boy on the bench, is not there? - It's the boy on the bench, isn't it?
The answer to a general or disjunctive question using this turnover will be the option Yes, there is or No, there isn't (depending on the speaker's intention) or Yes, there are / No, there aren't, if the plural form was used in the sentence numbers.
Negative sentences can be built in two ways:
- use of the negative particle not,
- application of the pronoun no.
If we choose the first option, then in addition to the negative particle, it is necessary to use the pronoun any, which means the absence of something or someone.
- Thr is not any dress in my room. There are no dresses in my room.
- Thr are not any houses in this place. - There are no houses in this place.
Using the second option, we can do without unnecessary additional words, and the negative pronoun itself will refer more to the noun than to the verb:
- Thr is no phone in my pocket. - I don't have a phone in my pocket.
- Thr are no birds in this forest. There are no birds in this forest.
Important points for using there is/there are
Translation into Russian of such a turnover is not the only feature that should be taken into account. There are a few more points that should not be forgotten when using this phrase. There are variants of sentences when we need to specify the location of not one object, but several, that is, apply an enumeration. In this case, the following rule will apply: when listing several objects or people, you need to take into account the word that is located immediately after the turn itself. It is from him that the choice of the form of the verb will depend:
- Thr is a book, 2 pens and a bag on the sofa. There is a book, two pens and a bag on the sofa.
- Thr are 2 pens, a book and a bag on the sofa. - There are two pens, a book and a bag on the sofa.
This is easy to understand and remember, since in Russian this construction also looks different (lie, lie).
It is also worth remembering about nouns, which can be countable and uncountable. If a word cannot be plural, then only the form suitable for the singular should be preceded by it, regardless of the accompanying words:
- Thr is a lot of water in this glass. - There is a lot of water in this glass (water does not have a plural).
- Thr are a lot of glasses on the table. - There are a lot of glasses on the table (glasses can be used in plural).
Workout
In order to always write and speak correctly, you need to train to use the turn there is / there are. The exercises for this topic are simple and aimed at developing automatic memorization, as well as training to quickly select the correct form. For example:
- Put correct form verb. Thr…a kite in the sky. - A kite is flying in the sky.
- Put a question to the proposal. Thr are a lot of girls at the party. - There are a lot of girls at the party.
- Translate the offer. On the table is a computer, a lot of books and notebooks.
Many people, knowing the basics of the English language, can always get confused in the use of the verbal phrase there is / there are, or even neglect it. Of course, this limits our combinatorics of constructing new sentences, and it gives a chance to misunderstand the interlocutor. So let's try to abstract and learn this topic.
turnover there is / there are it is common to use to determine the location of objects or if the sentence does not use a verb.
The structure of the sentence is as follows: there is / are + noun + circumstance of place.
There is is only used for singular nouns:
- There is a cat in the garden - the cat (is) in the garden;
- There is a beach down here - Here (there is) a beach;
- There is a new club near the college - There is a new club near the college;
Also, you can often hear the abbreviated form there is-there's:
- There's an apple on the table - an apple (lies) on the table;
- There's a fridge in the kitchen - in the kitchen (there is) a refrigerator;
- There’s a pen on the school desk - there is a pen on the desk;
The indefinite article a/an can be replaced by the numerator one:
- There is one chair in my room - in my room (there is) one stool;
There are is used for plural nouns:
- There are twenty students in the class - there are twenty students in the class;
- There are four girls and two boys in her family - in her family (there are) 4 girls and 2 boys;
- There are three hospitals in town - there are three hospitals in the city;
Using there at the beginning of a sentence has no effect on using there at the end of that sentence:
- There are big gray clouds over there - there (are) big gray clouds;
For clarity, the sentence there is/are is best translated from the circumstance of place.
The affirmative sentence there is/are can be rebuilt into an interrogative one. To do this, just swap there and is / are:
- Is there a train to Moscow? – Is there a train to Moscow?
- Is there a good restaurant in the street? – Is there a good restaurant on this face?
- Are there a lot of children in the pool? – Are there many children in the pool?
- Are there thirty or thirty one days this month? Is there thirty or thirty-one days in this month?
And how to give a short answer to a similar question:
- Is there money in your pocket? - Yes, there is - No, there isn't
- Are there a lot of policemen in the city? – Yes, there are – No, there aren’t
Affirmative sentences with the turn there is / are can also be converted into negative sentences by adding a negative particle not:
- There is not a knife in your bag - there is no knife in your bag;
- There isn't a battery in the phone - there is no battery in this phone;
- There are not a instruments in my hangar - there is no instrument in my hangar;
- There aren't handsome guys in the hotel - there are no handsome guys in this hotel;
Or you can add the negative word no (no):
- There is no sugar in this cup of coffee - there is no sugar in this cup of coffee;
- There are no wheels in that car - there are no wheels in that car;
Thus, once again it is worth noting the use turnover there is / there are. There is is used only with singular nouns, respectively, there are with plural nouns. Both turnovers serve to explain, define or state the location of the object. The order of constructing a turnover is first there is / are, then a noun and at the end a circumstance. The turnover there is / are can take negative and interrogative form. And it is desirable to translate sentences from there is / are from the circumstance of the place.
Perhaps you want to clarify something on this topic. Leave a comment below with a question
The construction there is (are) in the present tense. Rule. Example
Location construction there is (are) refers to the most common constructions of English grammar.
There is (are) construction used when we want to say that a certain object is in a particular place.
EXAMPLE. There is a cat on the table.
In English, this phrase means the following:
On the this the table lies some cat.
(i.e. the table is specific (this one, mine), and I see the cat for the first time 🙂
General view of the construction there is (are) in the present tense
Pay attention to the articles highlighted in blue:
article a means that I have not seen this OBJECT before (some kind of cat)
article the means that this PLACE is familiar to me (this table, my table, etc.)
1. Affirmative sentences with the construction there is (are):
There is+ a + n. (singular) + place (its location)
There are+ n. (plural) + place (their location)
EXAMPLES
There is a cat in the tree. - On the this tree (have) some cat.
There are two cats in the tree. - On the this tree two some cats.
Design there is (are) translates as is, is
- Verb is (are) in this construction, you can NOT translate or use other verbs denoting location when translating, for example: sitting, hanging, lying etc.
EXAMPLE. There is a cat in the tree. - can be translated as On this tree sits cat.
- In this construction, the word there lost its original meaning there.
2. Translation of a sentence from there is (are)
The translation of a sentence with this construction must begin with a word that answers the question where?(usually placed at the end of a sentence).
EXAMPLE
3. Interrogative sentences with the construction there is (are)
EXAMPLE
There is a problem. - Is is there a problem?
EXAMPLES
1) — Is there a problem? - There is a problem?
Yes, there is.- Yes.
— no, there isn't. No.
2) Are there books in your bag? Are there any books in your portfolio?
Yes, there are. - Yes.
or
- No, there aren't. - Not.
3) What is there in the room? - What is in this room?
— There is furniture in the room. - AT this the room has furniture.
4. Negative sentences with the construction there is (are)
Most often in negative sentences no(translated into this case how No).
EXAMPLE
Note 1.
If after construction there is there are two or more words, then the verb is a link BE usually agrees with the first of them.
EXAMPLES
There is a lamp and some pencils on the table.
There are some pencils and a lamp on the table.
Note 2.
If a plural noun is preceded by a lot of, then the verb is used in the plural.
EXAMPLES
There are a lot of books on the table.
5. Forms of construction there is (are) in simple tenses
- There is (are)- in present time
- There was (were)- in the past time
- There will be- in future tense
6. A poem with the construction there is (are):
This is the Key of the Kingdom.
in that Kingdom there is a city;
in that city there is a town;
in that town there is a lane;
in that lane there is a yard;
in that yard there is a house;
in that house there is a room;
in that room there is a table;
On that table there is a basket;
In that basket there are some flowers.
Flowers in the basket, Basket on the table,
Table in the room, Room in the house,
House in the yard, Yard in the lane
Lane in the street, street in the town,
Town in the city, City in the Kingdom.
Of that Kingdom this is the Key.
7. Exercises for practicing the construction there is (are) in the present tense
In an affirmative sentence there is (are) construction has one of three options:
- There is an apple on the apple tree.
- There are three (many/some) apples on the apple tree.
- There is some milk in the glass.
In design there is / are A noun can be preceded by a DETERMINANT (functional word, e.g. indefinite article(an, a), (three), quantity indicators (many, some) and their derivatives).
EXPLANATION
1. An indefinite article is placed before a noun in the singular a (an): an apple
2. Before a noun in the plural is placed cardinal number / many / some: three apples - three apples , many apples - a lot of apples, some apples - several apples.
3. Before uncountable noun put indefinite number pointer some: some milk - a little milk.
Exercise 1. Paraphrase the sentences using the construction there is or there are
SAMPLE The cherries are in the basket. => There are some cherries in the basket.
- The newspapers are on the table. =>
- The flowers are in the vase =>
- The cheese is in the fridge. =>
- The story by A. Christie is in the book. =>
- The kitten is under the bed. =>
Grammar comment.
Question. How the sentences differ: There is a bird in the tree. and The bird is in the tree? — Answer. Translation.
There is a bird in the tree. - Please note that when using the construction there is, we are talking about a certain subject ( a bird), which is located in a specific place (in the tree) and the translation will be - Sitting on (this) tree ( some) bird.
But if we rephrase the sentence, then its meaning will change!
The bird is in the tree. - This sentence refers to a specific bird ( the = this), which is located in a specific place (in the tree) and the translation will be - This bird on the tree.
Now it remains to understand what is the difference between the words "some" and "this" ...
Exercise 2. Translate to English language, using the construction there is or there are
- There's tea in a cup. => There is some tea in the cup.
- Candy in a vase. =>
- There are gifts in the box. =>
- There is food on the table. =>
- There is porridge in a bowl. =>