Exercises Using There Is And There Are | Fast Error Fix

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These exercises using there is and there are train you to match the verb to the noun fast, so your sentences sound natural.

There’s a reason this pair feels simple and still trips people up. Your brain spots a place word (“there”) and wants to treat it like a subject. In these sentences, the real subject comes after the verb, so you have to read one more beat before you choose is or are.

You’ll practise with countable nouns, uncountable nouns, questions, negatives, and mixed lists, then check your answers right away.

Stick with the noun after the verb each time.

There Is And There Are Forms You’ll Use Most

Form When It Fits Mini Sentence
There is + singular countable One thing you can count There is a notebook on the desk.
There are + plural countable Two or more things you can count There are three pens in the bag.
There is + uncountable A mass noun (water, rice, traffic) There is traffic on the bridge.
There’s (spoken) + singular or uncountable Short form of “there is” in speech There’s milk in the fridge.
Is there…? Questions with singular or uncountable Is there a charger nearby?
Are there…? Questions with plural nouns Are there any seats left?
There isn’t / There aren’t Negatives for singular/uncountable vs plural There aren’t any clean cups.
Mixed list (spoken) In casual speech, “there’s” may start a list There’s a shop, two cafés, and a bank.

What “There Is” And “There Are” Do In A Sentence

Think of there as a starter slot. It points to existence or presence, then the sentence names the real subject after the verb.

That’s why the noun after the verb controls is or are. Your eyes need to land on that noun before you commit.

Two Quick Checks Before You Choose

  • Find the noun after the verb. That noun is the subject.
  • Ask “one or more than one?” One thing → is. More than one → are.

How To Pick “Is” Or “Are” In Real Time

When you’re writing fast, you don’t need grammar jargon. You need a habit. Use this five-step scan until it feels automatic.

  1. Read the words up to there and the verb slot.
  2. Glance at the next noun (or noun phrase) after the verb.
  3. Decide if that noun is singular, plural, or uncountable.
  4. Match the verb: is for singular or uncountable; are for plural.
  5. Read the full sentence once. If it sounds odd, check the noun again, not the word there.

Exercises Using There Is And There Are For Daily Sentences

Set 1 is warm-up. Fill in the blank with there is or there are. Say the sentence out loud once. Your ear catches a lot.

Set 1 Fill In The Blank

  1. ________ a clean towel in the bathroom.
  2. ________ two messages on your phone.
  3. ________ sugar in my coffee.
  4. ________ a new student in our class.
  5. ________ five chairs around the table.
  6. ________ noise outside my window.
  7. ________ many books on that shelf.
  8. ________ a bright light in the hallway.
  9. ________ plenty of time to finish.
  10. ________ three oranges in the bowl.

Set 1 Answer Check

1 there is · 2 there are · 3 there is · 4 there is · 5 there are · 6 there is · 7 there are · 8 there is · 9 there is · 10 there are

Set 2 Choose The Better Option

Pick the option that fits the noun that follows.

  1. (There is / There are) a pair of scissors in the drawer.
  2. (There is / There are) some water in the bottle.
  3. (There is / There are) a lot of people at the gate.
  4. (There is / There are) a few coins in my pocket.
  5. (There is / There are) bread on the counter.
  6. (There is / There are) two kinds of tickets for this show.
  7. (There is / There are) a bit of dust on the screen.
  8. (There is / There are) several reasons to wait.

Set 2 Answer Check

1 There is · 2 There is · 3 There are · 4 There are · 5 There is · 6 There are · 7 There is · 8 There are

If you want a clean reference while you practise, see the British Council explanation of using there is and there are. For extra detail on common patterns in real English, Cambridge also lays out there is, there’s and there are.

Questions And Negatives Without Getting Tangled

Questions flip the verb to the front. Negatives use isn’t or aren’t. The noun rule stays the same, so the choice still lives with the noun after the verb.

Set 3 Turn Statements Into Questions

Rewrite each line as a question. Keep the same meaning.

  1. There is a café near the station.
  2. There are any clean plates in the cupboard.
  3. There is enough space in the car.
  4. There are two bathrooms in the flat.
  5. There is a meeting after lunch.

Set 3 Answer Check

1 Is there a café near the station? · 2 Are there any clean plates in the cupboard? · 3 Is there enough space in the car? · 4 Are there two bathrooms in the flat? · 5 Is there a meeting after lunch?

Set 4 Make Negatives

Rewrite each line in the negative. Use there isn’t or there aren’t. Add any where it sounds right.

  1. There is milk in the fridge.
  2. There are seats by the window.
  3. There is time for a second round.
  4. There are snacks in my bag.
  5. There is a bus after 10 p.m.

Set 4 Answer Check

1 There isn’t any milk in the fridge. · 2 There aren’t any seats by the window. · 3 There isn’t time for a second round. · 4 There aren’t any snacks in my bag. · 5 There isn’t a bus after 10 p.m.

Mixed Lists And The “There’s” Habit In Speech

In careful writing, you match the verb to the first noun after it. In casual speech, people often start a list with “there’s” even when more items follow.

Set 5 Fix The List Sentence

Each sentence has a list. Choose there is or there are, then rewrite the line.

  1. ________ a lamp, two books, and a mug on the table.
  2. ________ three posters and a calendar on the wall.
  3. ________ a sofa and two chairs in the living room.
  4. ________ two shops, a bank, and a pharmacy on this street.
  5. ________ a notebook, a pen, and five stickers in my bag.

Set 5 Answer Check

1 There is a lamp, two books, and a mug on the table. · 2 There are three posters and a calendar on the wall. · 3 There is a sofa and two chairs in the living room. · 4 There are two shops, a bank, and a pharmacy on this street. · 5 There is a notebook, a pen, and five stickers in my bag.

Exercises Using There Is And There Are With Answer Checks

Now you’ll mix countable and uncountable nouns, plus time and distance phrases. Read the noun first, then pick the verb. If you catch yourself guessing, pause and do the five-step scan.

Set 6 Mixed Nouns

  1. ________ some advice on the website.
  2. ________ a reason I can’t stay late.
  3. ________ two options on the form.
  4. ________ butter in the pan.
  5. ________ a lot of noise in the corridor.
  6. ________ many emails to answer.
  7. ________ a little hope left.
  8. ________ several ways to solve this.
  9. ________ time to talk now?
  10. ________ any buses on Sundays?

Set 6 Answer Check

1 There is · 2 There is · 3 There are · 4 There is · 5 There is · 6 There are · 7 There is · 8 There are · 9 Is there · 10 Are there

Quick Drill Menu For Mixed Practice

Drill Type Prompt What To Check
Spot The Noun Underline the noun after the verb. Singular, plural, or uncountable
One-Line Swap Change “There is” to “There are” only when the noun changes. Do not swap by habit
Question Flip Turn a statement into “Is there…?” or “Are there…?” Verb first, noun next
Negative Flip Turn a statement into “There isn’t / There aren’t”. Add “any” with plural nouns
Place Scan Write three sentences about your room. Real nouns, not invented lists
Time Line Write three lines with time or distance phrases. Time phrases often act like singular
Mixed List Start with one noun, then add more items. Match the verb to the first noun

Common Mistakes And Fast Repairs

Most errors fall into a few buckets. When you know the bucket, the correction gets easy.

Mixing Up “There” With “Their” Or “They’re”

There points to a place or to existence. Their shows possession. They’re means “they are.” If you can swap in “they are,” you want they’re, not there.

Using “There Are” With Uncountable Nouns

Uncountable nouns act like singular grammar. You say “There is water,” not “There are water.” If you can count it, add a unit: “There are two bottles of water.”

Forgetting “Any” In Negative Plurals

In natural English, negatives with plural nouns often take any: “There aren’t any seats.” You can also use “There are no seats” when you want a firmer tone.

Short Writing Tasks To Make It Stick

These tasks push you past blank filling. They make you choose nouns on your own, which is where the skill shows up in real writing.

Task 1 Describe A Place In Six Lines

  • Write two lines with singular countable nouns.
  • Write two lines with plural nouns.
  • Write one line with an uncountable noun.
  • Write one question about what is or isn’t there.

Read your six lines and circle the noun after each verb. If the noun and verb match, you’re good.

Task 2 Swap The Noun, Keep The Sentence

Start with: “There is ____ on the desk.” Write five versions by changing only the noun phrase. Use one uncountable noun and two plural nouns.

This drill builds control. You stop writing “There is” as a fixed chunk and start matching it to the noun.

Self Check Routine When You Edit

Use this routine when you proofread a paragraph.

  1. Circle every “there is,” “there are,” “there isn’t,” and “there aren’t.”
  2. Underline the first noun after each verb.
  3. If the noun is plural, swap to are forms.
  4. If the noun is uncountable, keep is forms.
  5. Read once out loud and listen for the one line that feels off.

When you can write new lines without pausing, you’ve nailed it. You can also reuse these exercises using there is and there are any time you feel rusty.