THERE ARE/THERE IS

Question

Which one of these two sentences is correct? Both sound fine to me, though I am not sure.There is many books here I haven't read.There are many books here I haven't read.Thanks a lot in advance.

Fivejedjon · Accepted Answer

Only 'there are' is acceptable.

Regards · Answer

Hi,

ChloeeBoth sound fine to me, though I am not sure.

The word books is plural; the word book is singular. We say "one book, two books, three books," and so on.

It's easy to understand, then, that the word book is countable.

Now consider this:

There is a book ("one book") on the table.

There are two books on the table.

There are three books on the table.

There are many books on the table.

There are many books here I haven't read.

Compare:

There's a garage (countable, "one garage") over there.

There's a woman (countable, "one woman") waiting to see you.

There's a lot of space (uncountable) here.

There's some uncertainty (uncountable) about the book's success.

These are the basic formulae, then:

There + is + singular / uncountable noun

There + are + plural noun

Is it getting any clearer to you?

Regards

RandomGuy · Answer

fivejedjonOnly 'there are' is acceptable.

Well, since you are a passionate advocate of the subject, the former is also acceptable and very common in informal discourse, although not correct (this is what I meant in earlier threads where we have disagreed).

I hear this kind of error a lot: There's tons of fruits to choose from.

Yes, the error is usually made as a contraction, but it is essentially the same as there is.

Fivejedjon · Answer

Aspara Gusthe former is also acceptable

"There is many books here I haven't read."

That sentence is not acceptable standard English.

It will be treated as incorrect in any Cambridge main suite, IELTS, TOEFL, etc examination.

RandomGuy · Answer

fivejedjon"There is many books here I haven't read."
That sentence is not acceptable standard English.
It will be treated as incorrect in any Cambridge main suite, IELTS, TOEFL, etc examination.

There's many books here I haven't read.

As a contraction, it is very common and hence acceptable, according to your thinking. Of course it's incorrect, just as Me neither is, which is just as acceptable, but still wrong.

I am not arguing that the error should be used.

Chloee · Answer

Aspara GusOf course it's incorrect, just as Me neither is, which is just as acceptable, but still wrong.

Please could you tell what would be correct?

Tenacious Learner · Answer

ChloeePlease could you tell what would be correct?

Hi,
It has already been answered by fivejedjon and Regards. Look back at them carefully. Only 'there are' is acceptable.

TS

Chloee · Answer

Yes, thank you. I just wondered what would be correct instead of Me neither. I know it is not the subject of my first question but I was interested in the correct form of it.

RandomGuy · Answer

ChloeePlease could you tell what would be correct?

If you mean me neither, the correct way is neither do I, neither would I, etc.

I brought it up because Sir fivejedjon considers the phrase correct by reason of its wide acceptance. I used it to make a point that just because something is common does not make it correct. Sorry for interrupting your thread!

Tenacious Learner · Answer

ChloeeYes, thank you. I just wondered what would be correct instead of Me neither. I know it is not the subject of my first question but I was interested in the correct form of it.

Hi,
Have a look at this link.

TS

THERE ARE/THERE IS

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