Would you tell me your opinion about using "there" in sentences?

Question

I read a tales book with my son yesterday

It is written like below.

He asked me "what is the meaning between "there" placed front of the sentence and back?"
I can't explain.
Would you show for us?
I'm going to attach the page.

Ljswave · Accepted Answer

ljswaveHe asked me "what is the meaning between "there" placed front of the sentence and back?"
I can't explain.
Would you show for us?

AlpheccaStars · Answer

The first "there" is a placeholder for the subject, which follows the verb.
The last "there" is an adverb, meaning "in that place."

There are three books on the table. (there is a placeholder for the subject.)
Three books are there on the table. (there is an adverb, "in that place")

Ljswave · Answer

AlpheccaStarsThere are three books on the table.
Three books are there on the table.
Three books are on the table there .

I think I need to check out If I see your explanation.

You mean " There " in all of #1,2,3 have a same meaning that "There is used as the subject of the verb `be' to say that something exists or does not exist, or to draw attention to it."

In our country, Grammar books tells "There" that is first placedin a sentence have no meaning
On the other hand, "there" that isnot first placed have a meaning like "There is used as the subject of the verb `be' to say that something exists or does not exist, or to draw attention to it." .

That's why I asked.

#1- There are three books on the table.

#2- Three books are there on the table.

#3- Three books are on the table there

----------Then return to the original sentense " There is no treasure there"
You mean that Two "there" have same meaning that Treasure isn't "into an old ship(=there)" at all , right?

Ljswave · Answer

of a fairy tales,"Snow White"

The sentense goes like:
The forest was full of strange noises. She knew that there were wild animals there, but they didnot come near her.
#a #b
I 'd see the usage of "there" by your reply, In my thought, the rold of #a is placeholder and #b mean " in the forest".

AlpheccaStars · Answer

ljswave"There is used as the subject of the verb `be' to say that something exists or does not exist, or to draw attention to it."

No, it is not the actual subject. When a sentence like this begins with "there" the subject comes after the verb. This is called subject-verb inversion. "There" is just a placeholder for the actual subject.

Here is a good discussion:

http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/english-grammar/pronouns/it-and-there

ljswave----------Then return to the original sentense " There is no treasure there"

The sentence means:
No treasure is in that place.

AlpheccaStars · Answer

The sentence goes like:
The forest was full of strange noises. She knew that there were wild animals there, but they did not come near her.

The clause after "knew" is
"there were wild animals there"

The subject in the clause is "wild animals"
The verb is "where"

The clause means this:
Wild animals were in the forest (there).

CalifJim · Answer

There¹ is no treasure there².

there¹ is existential 'there'. It indicates the existence of something.
there² is locative 'there'. It indicates the location of something.

The sentence above is like the ungrammatical: Exists no treasure in that place.
(No treasure can be found at that place.)
_________

By the way, for purposes of subject-verb inversion (to form a question) 'there' is the subject.

Is there any treasure there?

But for purposes of subject-verb agreement, the noun phrase after the verb is the subject ('treasure' in this case).

There is no treasure there.
There are no gems there.

CJ

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