There are / There is

Question

Which would you say please?1 There are always a couple of cards missing.2 There are never 2 invoices at the same amount/same price.For or NO FOR- I'm going to have to ask you to pay (for) your 3 remaining night at the hotel.Thank you

Avangi · Accepted Answer

All of your versions work.

Hmmm. Is the subject supposed to be part of the question?

CalifJim · Answer

1 There are always a couple of cards missing. OK.

2 There are never 2 two invoices at with the same amount/same price. OK as corrected.

(at the same price suggests that you are going to buy the invoices. You don't want that. The invoice just lists other things which are bought. The invoice itself is not for sale.)

Informally you will hear There's (Not There is) instead of There are in sentences of this type. But don't use There's on an English exam.

________

... pay for your three remaining nights at the hotel.

(You don't want to ask them to pay the money to the nights. That makes no sense. You need for.)

First form: The word after pay is the person who takes the money!

You pay Peter for the books. You don't pay the books.

You pay Sally for the tickets. You don't pay the tickets.

You pay me for the CDs. You don't pay the CDs.

Books, tickets, and CDs cannot receive your money.
______________

Second form: The word after pay is the amount of money exchanged (or just "money" or a similar expression referring to the amount).

You pay $20 for the book.
You pay a lot of money for a car.
You pay a fortune for a house.
_______________

Third form: person, then amount

You pay Sally $20 for the photos.
You pay Fred too much for the paint.
You pay the workers a few dollars for the wood.

CJ

Avangi · Answer

I could swear I've heard the casual use in the context of paying [for] hotel rooms.
Did you pay the second night yet?
Did you pay the room/rent/bill/mortgage?

I suppose it's something like paying a ticket.

CalifJim · Answer

AvangiDid you pay the second night yet?
Did you pay the room/rent/bill/mortgage?

Hmm. the second night and the room don't do it for me at all (nada, zero, zilch), though rent, bill, mortgage, and ticket (and check, tab, and tax(es)) sound fine as perhaps a fourth form.

pay [an obligation]. -- where an obligation is usually a statement of a demand to pay.

I don't doubt you've heard those combinations; I can only say I don't share your experience on that score. Never heard them. They sound as weird to me as Did you drink the room?

Anyone find a fifth form? I suspect there's a fifth, sixth, and seventh form. pay is a multi-talented verb!

CJ

Avangi · Answer

CalifJim They sound as weird to me as Did you drink the room?

Perhaps it only seemedas if I did.

CalifJim · Answer

<img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/2.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/2.gif' alt='Emotion: big smile'/><br/><br/>LOL

There are / There is

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