There Is / There Are Grammar Quiz
12 multiple-choice questions on there is and there are: singular and plural agreement, negatives, questions and past forms there was/there were. A1–A2 level.
This quiz checks how confidently you can apply There Is / There Are at A1–A2 level, with questions built around real forms such as There aren't any keys., Are there any tickets?, there was, there were and There is a problem. rather than abstract rule statements. Each question presents a full example sentence, so you have to judge which form fits the meaning and structure correctly instead of recalling a rule in isolation.
If a question catches you out, the FAQ section below explains the underlying rule in more detail, including common mistakes learners make with this point. Reviewing the explanation immediately after an incorrect answer, then retrying the quiz on a different day, builds more durable grammar knowledge than repeating the same 12 questions back to back.
There Is / There Are — FAQ
When do we use 'there is' instead of 'there are'?
'There is' (often shortened to 'there's') is used with singular countable nouns and with uncountable nouns, as in 'There is a book on the desk' and 'There is some milk in the fridge'. 'There are' is used with plural countable nouns, as in 'There are three books on the desk'.
How do you make 'there is' and 'there are' negative?
The negative of 'there is' is 'there isn't', as in 'There isn't a key', and the negative of 'there are' is 'there aren't', as in 'There aren't any keys'. The choice of singular or plural still depends on the noun that follows.
How do you make questions with 'there is' and 'there are'?
Questions are formed by inverting 'there' and 'is/are': 'Is there a key?' for singular nouns and 'Are there any keys?' for plural nouns. Short answers follow the same pattern, such as 'Yes, there is' or 'No, there aren't'.
What are the past forms of 'there is' and 'there are'?
The past forms are 'there was' for singular and uncountable nouns, and 'there were' for plural nouns, as in 'There was a storm last night' and 'There were lots of people at the party'. Negative and question forms follow the same singular/plural pattern: 'There wasn't any bread' and 'Were there any tickets left?'
What is the difference between 'there is' and 'it is'?
'There is' is used to introduce the existence of something for the first time, as in 'There is a problem', while 'it is' is used to refer back to something already known or mentioned, as in 'It is a serious problem' after the problem has already been introduced. Confusing the two, such as saying 'It is a problem' when introducing a new topic, is a common learner mistake.
Should we use 'some' or 'any' with 'there is/are'?
'Some' is generally used in positive (affirmative) sentences, as in 'There are some apples in the bowl', while 'any' is used in negative sentences and questions, as in 'There aren't any apples' and 'Are there any apples?' This mirrors the general rule for 'some' and 'any' throughout English.
What is a common mistake with subject-verb agreement in 'there is/are' sentences?
A common mistake is using 'there is' with a plural noun, producing an incorrect sentence like 'There is two cats' instead of the correct 'There are two cats'. The verb 'is' or 'are' must always agree with the noun that follows it, not simply default to 'is'.
Why is 'there is/are' called an 'existential' structure?
'There is/are' is called existential because its main function is to state that something exists, rather than to describe what a specific subject is doing. This is different from ordinary subject-verb sentences, where 'there' would otherwise function as an adverb of place.
How do you use 'there is/are' with uncountable nouns?
With uncountable nouns, 'there is' is used regardless of quantity, since uncountable nouns have no plural form, as in 'There is some milk in the fridge' or 'There isn't much traffic today'. This is one reason understanding countable versus uncountable nouns is essential for mastering this structure.
What is a common mistake learners make by using 'have' instead of 'there is/are'?
A common mistake, often caused by direct translation from other languages, is saying something like 'Here have a park' instead of the correct English structure 'There is a park near here'. English uses the existential 'there is/are' structure to introduce the existence of something, not the verb 'have'.