What/When/Where + is there...

Question

Hi, There is a ball in the box ----&gt; What is there in the box? (This seems to be the question...)But since I know that it is more idiomatic to say "What is in the box", I was wondering about these other similar questions:There is a park near your home ----- Where is there a park?There will be a concert next month ----- When will there be a concert? When are there a concert?As in the case of "What is in the box", I wonder if the examples I've posted are ok and if I should take "there" away.Thank you.

Marius Hancu · Accepted Answer

Examples
at
http://www.nytimes.com
----
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0DE2DF1E38F937A2575AC0A9679C8B63
Where is there any evidence of President Bush ...

----
http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30A13FC3B550C728CDDAF0894DB404482

Where is there even a park?
----

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C02E6DE1231F93AA35755C0A9609C8B63
Where is there any leadership in this country ...
--------------------------------------------------------
http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F20F17FD3C5F0C718DDDAC0894D8404482

... 'When, when will there be an end to the suffering .
------
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=9D0CE3DB113EF93BA3575AC0A967958260

'When will there be another war?' People ...

CalifJim · Answer

When the question word is what and the complement gives a location (e.g., in the box), we usually drop the there of existence (the there of there is ... or there are ...) because it gets confused with the there of place (the there that means in that place). We keep the there of existence with other question words (when, where).

So you can say What is there in the box? as the question form of There is (something) in the box. This is less used.
And you can say What is there in the box? (emphasizing the word there and pausing a little before continuing), meaning What is in that place, namely, in the box? You might even point to the location when you say this.
And you can say What is in the box? as the question form of (Something) is in the box.

When the complement does not concern location, What is there ...? is a much-used question form of There is (something) ... The infinitive often follows.

What ([more / else]) is there to say? There is nothing ([more / else]) to say.
What is there (left) to do? There is a lot (left) to do.
What is there about him that you don't like?

With where, you can say Where is there a park? as the question form of There is a park (at some place).
With when, you can say When is there a concert? as the question form of There is a concert (at some time).

CJ

Kooyeen · Answer

Thank you so much! [y] Now I'm really clear about that.

What/When/Where + is there...

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