Is there/are there

Is there anything ...
Are there any things ...

Are there a lot of people there?
Is there a lot of sand there?

CJ

I assume that 'anything' is always singular then?

And even though 'sand' usually means an aggregate of the grainy material but counts as one/whole thing therefore is also singular?

What about everything? Does it also count as a singular because doesn't it mean (every)thing? So shouldn't it be plural.

pleasehelpI assume that 'anything' is always singular then?

Right.

pleasehelpAnd even though 'sand' usually means an aggregate of the grainy material but counts as one/whole thing therefore is also singular?

Yes. Sand is uncountable.

CJ

Thanks for your consistency and eagerness to help CaliJim!

Answer me this: What about (every)thing? Shouldn't it coun

No! It's not everythings, after all. (There is no such word.) All those indefinite pronouns with -thing, -body, or -one are singular.

Everybody is ...
Something is ...
Nothing is ...
Nobody is ...
Everyone is ...
...

The word every, like the word each, does not pull in plural agreement.

Every child is ready.

CalifJim*Every children are ready.

Do people actually say that? I know it's just an example, sounds awkward but grammatically correct. Doesn't it mean the same thing as the former?

Perhaps you are not familiar with the convention of placing an asterisk (*) immediately before sentences which are ungrammatical.

CJ

Not familiar with the asterisk even if I were I wouldn't have recognized it anymore.