There is:
It is used for singular nouns (When we’re talking about one) or for non- countable nouns (Things that cannot be counted), per
example:
• There is a man here to see you.
• There is a flaw in your argument.
• There is a swing.
• There is a seesaw for kids.
• There are:
Note: much and many are used in negative and question forms.
• Examples:
• How much money have you got?
• How many cigarettes have you smoked?
• There's not much sugar in the cupboard.
• There weren't many people at the concert.
They are also used with too, (not) so, and (not) as:
• There were too many people at the concert - we couldn't see the band.
• It's a problem when there are so many people.
• There's not so much work to do this week.
In positive statements, we use a lot of:
• I've got a lot of work this week.
• There were a lot of people at the concert.
A few and few, a little and little
• These expressions show the speaker's attitude towards the quantity he/she is referring to.
• A few (for countable nouns) and a little (for uncountable nouns) describe the quantity in
a positive way:
• Examples
• "I've got a few friends" (= maybe not many, but enough)
• "I've got a little money" (= i've got enough to live on)
• You often hear people using less with countable nouns (e.G. ‘There are less cars outside the
school gates’). Although it's a common mistake, it is still a mistake and you should try to
avoid making it in formal writing or speaking.
THERE IS (COUNTABLE SINGULAR/ NON COUNTABLE)
“There is” is used with singular countables or non-countables. The contraction form is
“There’s”.
STRUCTURE (ESTRUCTURA)
AFFIRMATIVE:
THERE + IS + A/AN/ONE + NOUN
NEGATIVE:
THERE + IS + NOT + A/AN/ONE + NOUN
THERE + ISN’T + A/AN/ONE + NOUN (CONTRACTION)
INTERROGATIVE:
IS + THERE + A/AN/ONE + NOUN?
THERE ARE (COUNTABLE PLURAL)
“There are” is used with plural countable nouns. It is not a contraction for this.
STRUCTURE (ESTRUCTURA)
AFFIRMATIVE:
THERE + ARE + PLURAL NOUNS
PLURAL FORMS AS A LOT, SOME, MANY, LOTS OF.
NEGATIVE:
THERE + ARE+ NOT + PLURAL + NOUNS
THERE + AREN’T + PLURAL + NOUNS (CONTRACTION)
INTERROGATIVE:
ARE + THERE + PLURAL + NOUNS?
With the words below, write sentences with there is or there are as the noun requires it and in the form
specified next to the word
It indicates that something physical or abstract in a particular place used to exist but doesn’t exist anymore.
• There was:
It is used for singular nouns (When we’re talking about one) or for non- countable nouns (Things that cannot be counted),
per example:
• There was a man on the door.
• There was a flaw in your argument.
• There was a seesaw for kids here but now there is a swing.
• There were:
STRUCTURE (ESTRUCTURA)
AFFIRMATIVE:
NEGATIVE:
INTERROGATIVE:
STRUCTURE (ESTRUCTURA)
AFFIRMATIVE:
THERE + WERE + PLURAL NOUNS
PLURAL FORMS AS A LOT, SOME, MANY, LOTS OF.
NEGATIVE:
THERE + WERE NOT+ PLURAL + NOUNS
THERE + WEREN’T + PLURAL + NOUNS (CONTRACTION)
INTERROGATIVE:
WERE + THERE + PLURAL + NOUNS?
• Ejemplos:
• Affirmative:
• There were apples over the table.
• There were some pants in your size left.
• There were enough mugs for everybody.
• There were so many possible causes.
• Negative:
• There weren’t enough paper sheets.
• There were not any rubber bands.
• There were no fans in the ceiling.
• Interrogative:
• Were there any shoes under the bed?
• Were there enough clothes clean?
• Were there some strawberries in the fridge?
Exercises: Complete the following paragraph with there be in present or past
as it is required • The city has changed so much. Where there was a movie
• The city has changed so much. Where _____________ a theater, there is a coffee shop now.
movie theater, ____________ a coffee shop now. It’s • It’s ridiculous, there are four coffee shops in the same block, so
ridiculous, ____________ four coffee shops in the same there was no point in taking off the theater.
block, so _____________ no point in taking off the • The theater used to transmit something, there was this feeling
theater. The theater used to transmit something, in your chest everytime you got in there; but now there is that
______________ this feeling in your chest everytime you huge void where the feeling should be.
got in there; but now ____________ that huge void
where the feeling should be.
• There is this boy at school that I have a crush on.
• ____________ this boy at school that I have a crush on.
____________ so many things that I’d like to tell him, but
• There are so many things that I’d like to tell him, but there
aren’t enough words to express my feelings, so I keep them to
___________ enough words to express my feelings, so I myself.
keep them to myself. ____________ so many girls that
are so brave and can say anything they want. • There are so many girls that are so brave and can say anything
they want.
___________ a time when __________ something
similar as courage in me to do things like that, but • There was a time when there was something similar as
___________ none of that anymore. courage in me to do things like that, but there is none of that
anymore.
Exercises: Complete the following paragraph with there be in present or past
as it is required and choose the correct quantifier when it is
needed.
• ____________ that complicated, at least I don’t think so
anymore. ____________ a time I thought it was
impossible, and it’s true ___________ a lot of problems • There wasn’t that complicated, at least I don’t think so
related to it, but it’s possible. anymore. There was a time I thought it was impossible, and
it’s true There are a lot of problems related to it, but it’s
• You have to be brave ____________ (too much / a lot / possible.
enough) to try. Life isn’t easy, ____________ a person
that can tell you otherwise. ____________ (There be;
• You have to be brave enough (too much / a lot / enough) to
try. Life isn’t easy, There is not a person that can tell you
many / so many / as many) challenges you will have to
otherwise. There are so many (There be; many / so many /
face everyday.
as many) challenges you will have to face everyday.
• ____________ (Little / Few / enough) things are the ones • Few (Little / Few / enough) things are the ones you can
you can totally count on, because everything is fleeting. totally count on, because everything is fleeting. So, if There is
So, if ____________ just one life you can live, shouldn’t just one life you can live, shouldn’t you try to live it plenty?
you try to live it plenty?
Some +
Any + -thing -body -one -where
No +
Compound nouns with some- and any- are used in the same way as some and any.
Positive statements:
Examples Negative statements:
•Someone is sleeping in my bed. Examples
•He saw something in the garden. •She didn't go anywhere last night.
•I left my glasses somewhere in the house. •He doesn't know anybody here.