0
Tenacious Learner Posted 13 years ago
Grammar

Existential there not used in 'everybody is on the sofa' Why?

Hi teachers,
Why do we say:
a) There is somebody on the sofa. I know I can simply say 'Somebody is on the sofa'.
b) There is nobody on the sofa. I know I can simply say 'Nobody is on the sofa'.
but:
c) Everybody is on the sofa. Why 'there is' can't be used at the beginning on the sentence?
I mean why is it uncolloquial?

Thanks in advance.
  

Top answer

", is singular in construction, and so the word in the blank has to be singular in sense: There is a cushion on the sofa. There is a blanket on the sofa. "

— Anonymous

  • ", is singular in construction, and so the word in the blank has to be singular in sense: There is a cushion on the sofa.
  • There is a blanket on the sofa.
  • "
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

1 Answers
0
The pattern, "There is ___.", is singular in construction, and so the word in the blank has to be singular in sense:

There is a cushion on the sofa.
There is a blanket on the sofa.

The word "everybody", by tradition, uses a singular verb, yet in essence it is of a plural nature, and so it can't be used in the pattern, "There is ___."
0

Related Questions