Sentence For The Word There | Sentences That Sound Right

“There” looks simple, yet it causes a lot of grammar headaches. You see it in everyday speech, school writing, emails, essays, and test prompts. Still, many writers get stuck on the same two questions: what job is “there” doing, and which verb should follow it?

This page fixes both, with clear patterns you can reuse. You’ll get sentence models, quick checks, and common traps with clean fixes. By the end, you’ll be able to write “there” sentences that read smooth in casual writing and stay correct in formal work.

Using “There” In Sentences With Clear Meaning

“There” can play more than one role. When you know the role, the sentence almost writes itself. Most uses fit into three buckets: place, existence, and emphasis in set phrases.

There As A Place Word

In this role, “there” points to a location. It can refer to a real place (“over there”) or a place already mentioned (“there, in the last paragraph”). You can often swap it with “in that place” and the sentence still works.

• Put your bag there, next to the chair.
• I left my notes there after class.
• We drove there at sunrise and got back by noon.

There To Show Existence

This is the classic “there is / there are” structure. “There” does not name the thing. It sets the stage so the real subject can appear after the verb.

That’s why the verb choice depends on the noun that follows it. If the noun after the verb is singular, use a singular verb. If it’s plural, use a plural verb.

• There is a reason this keeps showing up in exams.
• There are three reasons, and they’re easy to learn.
• There were many mistakes in my first draft.

There In Set Phrases

Some expressions use “there” in a fixed way. They can add tone, direction, or a gentle signal that you’re done.

• There you go. (You’ve got it; it’s done.)
• There we go again. (The same thing is happening.)
• There, that’s better. (A small reset or correction.)

Sentence For The Word There In Common Contexts

Let’s turn the roles into ready-to-use sentence patterns. These templates help you produce clean sentences fast, with less second-guessing.

Pattern 1: Place + Detail

Pattern: There + verb + place detail.

• I’ll meet you there after the lecture.
• She stayed there until the library closed.
• They sat there, quiet, reading in the back row.

Pattern 2: There + Be + Noun

Pattern: There + is/are/was/were + noun phrase.

• There is a typo in the second paragraph.
• There are two main points in this chapter.
• There was a pause, then everyone laughed.

Pattern 3: There + Modal + Be

Pattern: There + can/may/must/should + be + noun phrase.

• There can be delays when the server is busy.
• There should be a clear topic sentence in each paragraph.
• There may be a better source in the database list.

Pattern 4: There + Verb (Beyond “Be”)

Existence structures also work with verbs like “remain,” “appear,” “exist,” and “come.” The key still stays the same: match the verb form to the real subject after the verb.

• There remains one last step before you submit.
• There appear to be missing citations in the draft.
• There exists a clear difference between tone and register.

If you want the rule written out by a grammar authority, Cambridge explains singular vs plural use in “There is, there’s and there are”. It also notes that some casual speech uses “there’s” with plural nouns, which can clash with formal writing.

Verb Agreement With “There Is” And “There Are”

This is where most mistakes happen. The fix is not complicated, yet you need a steady method.

Step 1: Find The Real Subject

In existence sentences, the real subject comes after the verb.

• There isa problem. (Singular subject: problem)
• There areproblems. (Plural subject: problems)

Step 2: Match The Verb To That Subject

If the noun after the verb is singular, choose a singular verb. If it’s plural, choose a plural verb. That’s the core check.

Step 3: Watch Out For Extra Words

Writers get tricked when words sit between the verb and the subject.

• There is a list of rules on the board. (Subject: list)
• There are a lot of rules on the board. (Subject: rules)
• There were many reasons for the change. (Subject: reasons)

When you want a fuller refresher on matching subjects and verbs in tricky cases, Purdue’s Writing Lab has a clear handout on Subject/Verb Agreement.

Fast Sentence Builder For “There”

Use this mini-builder when you need a sentence quickly, like during timed writing.

Pick The Meaning First

• Place: You’re pointing to a location.
• Existence: You’re saying something is present or happens.
• Phrase: You’re using a fixed expression for tone.

Then Choose A Reliable Frame

• Place frame: Subject + verb + there + detail.
• Existence frame: There + verb + subject + detail.
• Phrase frame: There + short clause that fits the moment.

Now you just fill in the blanks. Keep the nouns concrete. Keep the verbs clean. Read it out loud once. If it sounds stiff, switch to a simpler verb or shorten the ending.

Patterns And Examples You Can Copy

The table below collects the most common “there” jobs and gives a reliable pattern with a sample sentence. Treat it like a menu: pick a row, then swap in your own nouns and details.

Use Of “There”	Working Pattern	Sample Sentence
Place (static)	verb + there + place detail	I waited there near the main gate.
Place (movement)	go/come + there + time cue	We went there after the meeting.
Existence (singular)	There is/was + singular noun	There is a link missing in the post.
Existence (plural)	There are/were + plural noun	There are three sources in the footnotes.
Existence (modal)	There can/may/should be + noun	There should be a clearer heading here.
Existence (other verbs)	There + appear/remain/exist + noun	There remain two pages to edit.
Set phrase (completion)	There you go + short follow-up	There you go, the file is uploaded.
Set phrase (repeat event)	There we go again + context	There we go again, the link broke.

Common Mix-Ups With “There” And Clean Fixes

Many “there” mistakes come from mixing it up with other look-alike words. A quick split helps.

There vs Their vs They’re

• There points to place or sets up existence: There are notes on the desk.
• Their shows ownership: Their notes are on the desk.
• They’re means “they are”: They’re on the way to class.

A quick test: replace the word with “they are.” If it fits, use “they’re.” If ownership is the point, use “their.” If you mean location or existence, use “there.”

“There Is” With Plurals

In casual speech, people say “there’s” with plural nouns. That style can sound off in formal writing. If you’re writing for school, work, or a test, match the verb to the noun.

• Formal: There are two options.
• Casual speech: There’s two options.

Long Noun Phrases That Hide The Subject

Watch noun phrases like “a list of,” “a pair of,” “a stack of.” The head noun drives agreement.

• There is a stack of papers on my desk. (Head noun: stack)
• There are papers on my desk. (Head noun: papers)

Questions With “There”

Questions flip the word order, yet the agreement rule stays the same.

• Is there a reason for this change?
• Are there any edits left to make?
• Was there a note from the teacher?

Quick Edits That Make “There” Sentences Sound Less Clunky

Some “there” sentences are correct but dull. You can keep them correct and make them tighter with small tweaks.

Move The Detail Closer To The Noun

• Before: There are, in the second paragraph, two confusing lines.
• After: There are two confusing lines in the second paragraph.

Swap “There Is/Are” For A Stronger Verb When It Helps

Existence frames are handy, yet you don’t need them every time. When the subject is clear, a direct verb often reads better.

• There is a chart in the report. → The report includes a chart.
• There are errors in the table. → The table contains errors.

Cut Empty Openers In Formal Writing

If a paragraph starts with “There is/are” again and again, your reader feels the drag. Keep one, then switch the rest to direct subjects.

Fix List For The Most Frequent Errors

Use this table as a quick repair sheet while editing. Spot the issue, name the cause, then apply the fix once. Your draft will clean up fast.

Common Error	Why It Happens	Clean Fix
There is many reasons	Verb matches “there,” not the real subject	There are many reasons
There are a list of rules	Head noun is singular (“list”)	There is a list of rules
There’s several answers (formal)	Casual contraction used with a plural noun	There are several answers
There, in my opinion, are two points	Extra phrase splits verb and subject	There are two points, in my opinion
There are the homework on the table	Uncountable or singular sense treated as plural	There is homework on the table
Is there any books?	Question form hides the subject	Are there any books?
There are a pen and a notebook	Mixed list; first item is singular	There is a pen and a notebook

Practice Prompts To Lock It In

Use these prompts as quick drills. Write one sentence per line. Keep it simple, then add one detail.

Place Practice

• Write a sentence using “there” for a location in your room.
• Write a sentence using “there” for a place you visited this week.
• Write a sentence using “there” that includes a time phrase like “after class.”

Existence Practice

• Write a sentence that starts with “There is” and uses a singular noun.
• Write a sentence that starts with “There are” and uses a plural noun.
• Write a sentence that uses “There can be” with a clear situation.
• Write a sentence that uses “There remain” with a number.

Editing Practice

Rewrite each line in two ways: one with “there is/are,” one with a direct subject.

• There are changes in the schedule.
• There is a chart in the appendix.
• There were mistakes in the citations.

Final Checklist Before You Submit

Run this short checklist at the end of your draft. It catches most “there” errors in under a minute.

1. Ask: is “there” pointing to a place, or setting up existence?
2. If it’s existence, underline the noun after the verb. That noun controls agreement.
3. Check contractions. If the noun is plural and the writing is formal, skip “there’s.”
4. Trim extra phrases that split the verb and the noun.
5. Read the sentence out loud once. If it drags, switch to a direct subject.