there is, there are

Use there is for one thing or for something you can't count. Use there are for more than one. The place often comes after.

In speech and messages, there is is usually there's. There are has no short written form.

Negatives

Use there isn't a for one thing, and there isn't any or there aren't any for things you can't count and for plurals. There's no and there are no mean the same.

Questions

Put is or are before there. Short answers repeat it.

There is or it is

There is tells the listener that something exists. After that, use it or they to say more about it.

Common mistakes

• × There have a café. → There's a café.
• × Have a bank near here? → Is there a bank near here?
• × It has a park near my house. → There's a park near my house.
• × There is two chairs. → There are two chairs.
• × In my room is a desk. → There's a desk in my room.

In speech you'll sometimes hear there's before a plural (there's two buses), but in writing use there are.