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PASTEL Posted 21 years ago
Grammar

There is/are

Which one would you prefer?

1-There is a pencil, two erasers and one "Grammar in Use" on the table.
2-There are a pencil, two erasers and one "Grammar in Use" on the table.


I think number 2 makes more sense because there are more than one thing on the table. But I consult one of my books and it say one is correct. They use "singular" Be verb if what comes follow is a sigular concept.


I'd like to know what you think.


Thanks,
Pastel
  

Top answer

With "there is/are", the verb is in the singular if the word immediately following it is in the singular, and in the plural if the word is in the plural. It doesn't matter whether there's only one word or a long enumeration. So, your 1st sentence is correct, the second is not ...

— Pieanne

  • With "there is/are", the verb is in the singular if the word immediately following it is in the singular, and in the plural if the word is in the plural.
  • It doesn't matter whether there's only one word or a long enumeration.
  • So, your 1st sentence is correct, the second is not ...
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27 Answers
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With "there is/are", the verb is in the singular if the word immediately following it is in the singular, and in the plural if the word is in the plural. It doesn't matter whether there's only one word or a long enumeration.
So, your 1st sentence is correct, the second is not ...
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The second would be correct if you put a colon after 'are', I think.
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I think it would be correct if you put "two erasers" before "a pencil"!
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Noun in plural would work here as well, Pieanne.
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I'm afraid I don't follow you here?
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'two erasers' is a plural noun as far as I know. As you previously said after 'are' plural nouns are fine. That's what you had said after I added my 2 cents (a colon is an alternative too) and I said that's it worked too. Just agrred with you.
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Oh, OK!
But I don't think a colon would do the work. To me the verb takes the number of the first noun that follows. Wouldn't you think so?
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Theoretically, I suppose Maverick could be right except I can't imagine a situation where a colon would ever be needed.
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Your're right but a colon makes difference. I am not sure so let's wait for the teachers to help us.

To the teachers:
Is the following sentence corect?

-There are: a pencil, two erasers and one "Grammar in Use" on the table.
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