There is and there are: ESL lesson plans and exercises
Levels A1 to A2 3 lesson plans · 1 drill lesson Exercises that check themselves
English uses there is and there are to say what is in a place: There's a frog on the leaf, There are two parrots in the tree. Here are 3 ready-made lessons on them from the edio.ai library, levels A1 to A2, from a rainforest and an island with wild horses to the first American woman in space. Try the there is and there are exercises, see each rule in the lessons' grammar schemes, and pick a lesson by level. Every lesson here is interactive and in American English, with drills on there is and there are that check themselves.
There is and there are lesson plans and drills
3 lesson plans and 1 drill lesson, A1 to A2. Lesson plans are whole lessons with reading, listening and speaking; drill lessons are 45 self-checking exercises with no new words.
Try the there is and there are exercises
One exercise from each of 4 lessons. These are the same exercises your students do in edio.
There is and there are explained
We use there is and there are to say what you can find in a place, and the place usually comes last: There's a lizard under the leaf. The first rule to learn is there's for one thing, there are for two or more. Negatives add not, questions put is or are first, and the past uses there was and there were.
One thing or more: there's and there are
One thing takes there's or there is with a or an: There is an orchid near the river. Two or more take there are with a number, some or many: There are some frogs under the leaves, never There's frogs.
One thing: There's (There is) + a / an
There's / There isa / an + one thingwhere?
There's a frog on the leaf.
There is an orchid near the river.
Two or more: There are
There are(two / some / many) + thingswhere?
There are two birds in the tree.
There are some frogs under the leaves.
There are many frogs in the forest.
From the lesson Which frog sings its name? (English A1.2)
Add the place: in, on, under, next to
A preposition and a place finish the sentence: There's a frog on the rock, There are orchids in front of the house. Each row of the table shows one preposition with one thing and with two or more.
| Where? | One thing | Two or more |
|---|---|---|
| in | There's a parrot in the tree. | There are two parrots in the tree. |
| on | There's a frog on the rock. | There are some frogs on the rock. |
| under | There's a lizard under the leaf. | There are three lizards under the leaves. |
| next to, near | There's a fern next to the river. | There are many ferns near the river. |
| behind, in front of | There's a river behind the trees. | There are orchids in front of the house. |
From the lesson Which frog sings its name? (English A1.2)
Not it has: start with there
English starts with There's or There are, not It has or Have: There's a frog in the tree, not It has a frog in the tree. Watch for There is two frogs, too.
There is two frogs on the leaf.
There are two frogs on the leaf.
two or more: there are
There are a frog on the leaf.
There's a frog on the leaf.
one thing: there's + a / an
It has a frog in the tree.
There's a frog in the tree.
what's in a place? Start with There's / There are
Have many frogs in the forest.
There are many frogs in the forest.
not Have…: start with There are
From the lesson Which frog sings its name? (English A1.2)
Negatives: there isn't, there aren't any
For what isn't there, use there isn't with a or an, and there aren't any with a plural: There isn't a campground, There aren't any stores. Yes sentences take some instead: There are some ponies.
Sentences: yes and no
| One or more? | Yes ✓ | No ✗ |
|---|---|---|
| one: a / an | There's a beach. (there's = there is) | There isn't a campground. (isn't = is not) |
| two or more: -s | There are some ponies. | There aren't any stores. (aren't = are not) |
some or any? (two or more)
✓ yes sentences: some
- There are some trails.
- There are some mosquitoes.
✗ no and ? questions: any
- There aren't any stores.
- Are there any horses?
From the lesson Are there any horses on the beach? (English A1.2)
Questions: Is there…? Are there any…?
Questions swap the order: Is there an ocean beach? Are there any trails? In short answers, keep there is in full (Yes, there is, not Yes, there's), and say No, there isn't or No, there aren't.
| One or more? | Question ? | Yes ✓ | No ✗ |
|---|---|---|---|
| one: a / an | Is there a campground? | Yes, there is. | No, there isn't. |
| one: a / an | Is there an ocean beach? | Yes, there is. | No, there isn't. |
| two or more: -s | Are there any horses? | Yes, there are. | No, there aren't. |
| two or more: -s | Are there any trails? | Yes, there are. | No, there aren't. |
From the lesson Are there any horses on the beach? (English A1.2)
The past: there was and there were
The past follows the same rule: there was for one thing, there were for two or more. There was one woman on the crew, There were five astronauts, Were there other women? No, there weren't.
there was: one
- There was one woman on the crew.
- There wasn't a shuttle in 1966.
- Was there a woman? Yes, there was.
there were: two or more
- There were five astronauts.
- There weren't any American women astronauts in 1966.
- Were there other women? No, there weren't.
From the lesson The first American woman in space (English A2.1)
Questions about there is and there are
When do we use there is and there are?
What's the difference between there is and there are?
How do you ask questions with is there and are there?
Do you use some or any with there are?
What is the past of there is and there are?
How do I teach there is and there are to A1 students?
What are good there is and there are games?
Are there interactive there is and there are exercises?
Can I use these lessons with one student?
More English grammar
Lessons for every grammar point, from the verb to be to reported speech. All grammar points