|
There is / There areThere is and there are
to say that something exists |
UPDATED: NOV 2021
PROBLEM:
The speaker says:
- Have many Chinese living in San Francisco?
INCORRECT - You should say:
Are there many Chinese living in San Francisco?
CORRECT
MEANING: (is = singular are = plural)
- There is / are = exist or doesn't exist
- There is / are + noun
- Is there / Are there = question ?
- There was/were = past tense
- There had been = past perfect tense
- There has been = present perfect tense
- There will be = future tense (use for "singular or plural")
- There would have/had been = conditional tense
EXAMPLES
- There are a lot of Chinese students studying in the USA.
Are there many Chinese students studying in the USA?
- Were there any problems with your IPhone?
- Where is the nearest hospital?
There is a hospital around the corner. (long answer - used in the classroom)
Around the corner. (short answer-best option when not in the classroom) - There was a fire at the supermarket last night.
- There have been several auto accidents at this street intersection.
- There was a good movie on CBS last night.
- There is a good movie on CBS right now.
- There will be a good movie on CBS tomorrow night.
- There have been many good movies on CBS this month.
- There had been many good movies on Channel 6 until the station was sold.
- There would have been a good movie on Telecine last week if they hadn't changed the schedule.
