Hi Jennifer! Thank you for the good lesson! I have a little question about it. You state it would be right to say: "There is a couch, a rug, a bookcase, and a piano." But if there are two bookcases in that sequence, how should I say? There is a couch, two bookcases, and a piano, isn't there?
Hi! I'm glad you and a couple others are asking such questions! What follows the verb BE is called the notional subject. Compound subjects generally require a plural verb, so some will argue it's correct to use ARE before a coordinated phrase (two nouns with "and") or a series of nouns. However, my own research makes me draw the conclusion that in reality, most speakers and writers prefer a singular verb after BE when that first item is singular. (Compare: There are two bookcases and a couch.) This is called proximity. It means that our mind registers that first item as singular so we're more inclined to use a singular verb. I mentioned that the contraction "There's" is used in informal speech regardless of what follows. So my answer is that I'd still use: There's / There is a couch, two bookcases, and a piano. If I'm speaking, I really don't think any listener will mind or worry about my subject-verb agreement. As a writer, I'd likely find another structure. HAVE is a common substitute: My living room has a good amount of furniture: a couch, two bookcases, a rug, and a piano. Here's an interesting task: Do a Google search for the phrase "There is a time and a place" and you'll see 63 million results. Change the verb to "are" and you'll find only 9 results in the news. If you filter the results for "There is a time and a place" to new contexts only, you'll still get 37,400 results. One grammar resource widely trusted is the Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English. This book confirms the preference for a singular verb in "There is/ There was/ etc" in both speech and writing when that first item is singular. Hope this helps!
@@Englishwithjennifer I have the same question for you. Can we consider the two answers correct when we mark the pupils'writings especially in primary stages.Can we say"There is / are a cat and a duck" ?By the way your opinion convinces me,but I need simple answer to convince my pupils
You can teach students that many English speakers (at least American English speakers) make the verb agree with the noun that follows it. However, they should know that some standardized exams will only recognize a plural verb for a series of items. You can also teach them to reduce their use of sentences that begin with "There is/are." They can challenge themselves to find alternative structures. One resource: dictionary.cambridge.org/us/grammar/british-grammar/there-is-there-s-and-there-are I like the discussion in the Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English.
@@Englishwithjennifer Okay I get the point so we can say that both are correct,but the Americans prefer using singular verb.If I find a pupil Writing there is /are,I will consider it correct,but I should tell them your point
Hi Andrea! How are you? Not everyone agrees on the rules with There is/There are. I looked over different websites and consulted several reference books I have here at home. Two tips: (1) Follow your instincts, but if you're still unsure, (2) then find an alternative. Especially when you write, you have the time to reword your thought and the writing will be stronger. For example, just say: We have to clean the bathroom, the bedrooms, and the attic.
Hello from France! I am a beginner and your lessons are so useful for me. your speaking is so clear, I can understand you. Thank you a lot Teacher. Sorry for the mistakes)
Hello Patricia. I think you're stronger than a beginner. ;) You may like my low intermediate lessons that I film with my children. All the video playlists are on my website. www.englishwithjennifer.com Thanks for studying with me. :)
hello Teacher, thank you for the link. I watched several videos, very intresting, Good for me. Thank you Teacher and Please continue like that.Thum up!
Hi Jennifer I love your lessons. My english teacher sent me your link adress and I´m realizing a lot of things because I understand you very well. Thanks a lot!! X
Hi Kevin. Please thank your teacher for me. I'm glad I can strengthen and expand on what your learn in class. Here are all my playlists. www.englishwithjennifer.com/students/yt-videos/
You're really amazing Jennifer. Your explanation is comprehensive and clear. Thanks for your efforts and dedicated work. I wish you all the best. I keen on watching every video you upload and I've never missed any video since I subscribed to this channel.
Thanks for a good lesson. It'd be grateful that you help me. I want to make sure that this is a grammar rule or just people use it in spoken English. There 'is' a series of things. I have to say there is a bedroom , a bathroom , and a kitchen. instead of There are a bedroom, a bathroom, and a kitchen .
The pattern holds even in written English. American English speakers recognize this pattern. However, good writers will tend to avoid the use of too many sentences starting with "there is" or "there are." These aren't very descriptive or dynamic sentences.
Thanks so much Jennifer for this video. It's very useful and help even the non native speaker to taker care when they are speaking, or writing. Actually as you said at the beginning of this video, it's easy, and simple for everyone, but always those two words are hiding some tricks, and rules like a trap to make a mistake, because most of us are making mistakes without notice. The last task I tried to solve in academic way, but I felt like you just write the meaning of it to make not wordy and boring for everyone to understand, right!
Hi Neven. It probably wasn't a great idea to use "Are you making common mistakes?" in my thumbnail or title because some of the patterns I mentioned aren't really mistakes. My goal in this lesson was to teach the patterns that were most common. Grammar isn't always about learning rules, but understanding which patterns are best to follow in order to sound most natural. However, the word "mistakes" catches people's attention, so that's why I chose those words! LOL As for the last task, don't worry. I just wanted to model how you can avoid There is/There are structures. There isn't one right answer to the task. :) See you on Simor and Facebook!
Hi. Thank you for your explanation. I have a question. "There is/are a boy and a girl playing in the yard." Which one is correct and why? Thank you in advance.
Many American English speakers will say, "There's a boy and a girl." We like to use the contraction, and we tend to focus on the first noun. If it's singular, we use a singular verb.
Video is awesome A question is in my mind. Sometimes we see "THERE +to verb" structure Like this this example--:: "The fact is, they are "there to make" money .''' So here Is "THERE word" referring a place Or "THERE" word works like a empty . Please reply 🙂🙂🙂
That fact is (that) there are different ways to make money. That fact is + [that-clause]. Dependent clause = there are different ways to make money. "There" is a dummy subject or a placeholder. dictionary.cambridge.org/us/grammar/british-grammar/dummy-subjects The true subject is "different ways."
I found this rule on internet (We can use this pattern with 'preparatory there' and a passive reporting verb followed by a to-infinitive, especially when saying something exists or existed) Example) There is understood to be a strong desire for peace talks. Here is using a word "preparatory there" What is "preparatory there" In this context I only study dummy subject but What is this .
Different sources use different terminology. I understand that a "preparatory subject" a dummy subject. It prepares the way for the real subject to follow. The example you gave is awkwardly written, but it still works.
Hi Jennifer, thank you so much for this video. I have question and I hope you can help me with it: Can we use negative questions with there is/are? For example, can we say "Isn't there any time? Aren't there any people?" Thanks in advance.
Hi. Yes, you can make negative questions when you seek confirmation. Here's a related video on the intonation of such questions. ua-cam.com/video/k1Qh4ylT6M8/v-deo.html
Hi, Coach. Are the sentences right or wrong? What is there in your hands? Who is there in that room? What books are there in the bookcase? Which books are there in the bookcase, English books or French books? Thanks a lot
Suggested wording: What is in your hands? Who is in that room? What kind of books are there (in the bookcase)? What kind of books are there (in the bookcase), English books or French books?
Dear teacher. Are the sentences right or wrong? Which should I use? Thanks a lot. - This boy and girl can cross the street. - These boy and girl can cross the street. - This boy and this girl can cross the street.
We usually have one determiner before the first noun: This boy and girl have been waiting. The boy and girl have been waiting. You can also say, "These children have been waiting."
Hi Jennifer. Very very useful! Here's my example: "THERE IS a great website (on the internet) that we can learn English a lot, it's englishwithjennifer." By the way, I was watching a TV talk show and I found very interesting the story of a Russian girl that learned Portuguese by watching Brazilian soap operas in Russia. She was speaking it perfectly. She seemed to be very smart. Thank you so much. Have a nice weekend! (Could you please correct my comment, thanks a lot again.) Bye!
Hi! Yes, many have learned languages from TV and films. Soap operas can be interesting to follow. Corrections: THERE IS a great website (on the internet) where we can learn English. It's englishwithjennifer.com." By the way, I was watching a TV talk show and I heard a very interesting story about a Russian girl that learned Portuguese by watching Brazilian soap operas in Russia.
Hi. Many Americans make the verb agree with the first noun in the list: There's a dog, two cats, and three monkeys. (Especially in spoken English, we tend to use the contraction "there's.") There are three dogs, a cat, and a few monkeys.
03:12 *That's* all I needed to know! But in the US this is *very* common use [and no one ever bothers]. For a rookie [like me] this can be very confusing. Thank you, Jennifer.
I hope this was helpful. You'll find more grammar videos in my grammar playlist. You can browse my playlists here: englishwithjennifer.com/students/yt-videos/ Take care!
Hi Jennifer ,I found some sentence.Is this correct grammar structure? "There were comparatively speaking more women than men in the workforce in the 90s than in previous decades." How about the word "speaking" should we assume to be the gerund like noun or consider to be actual verb ? If we consider to be actual verb in the form of past continuous , we could add "comparatively" as adverb.Or we assume to be noun or gerund, we can't place wold "comparatively" in front of "speaking".
I see that as an adverb phrase. Similar example: Considering the course, I doubted the truth of that statement. = As I considered the source, I doubted... "Comparatively speaking" is a set expression. It can have initial, middle, and final positions. www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/comparatively
@@Englishwithjennifer Hi...If it is general phrase or clause.I will understand.I asked some teacher said "speaking" is actual verb (not gerund). If I try to break down into grammar structure that mean. There (adv) , it worked as subject of sentence and were (v. to be) + speaking mean this is part continuous form. And "comparatively" is the adverb to explain actual verb "speaking" , normally we could put at the end of sentence.But this case the complement or phrase is so long ,then we have to put it before actual verb.That is my understanding. English is very hard when we see some clause or complex sentence like this.:-) I am just wondering ,we could use "there is/there are" for part continuous form like this. Thanks for your response,Jennifer.
A participle is a verb form, so "speaking" here is a verb form. But participles can be used different ways. It's better to learn certain phrases by their function and meaning. Don't get too caught up in trying to identify the form. Useful phrases in speaking or writing: comparatively speaking relatively speaking frankly speaking
Hi, dear Jennifer! I was taught to pronounce these structures as one word, thanks God, you pronounced them like I was taught, that is [thereis] and [thera]. But very often I hear that native English-speakers pronounce them separately. And they teach the students to pronounce it separately. Thanks for your great lesson and I have the question : Which is the correct way to pronounce these structures separately or as one word?
You may find YouGlish to be very helpful. It's a free listening/pronunciation tool. Type in words or phrases. You can also filter for US, UK, or Australia. Try a search for the phrases in question. First of all, you'll see more search results for "There's" compared to "There is." That tells you that the contraction is common in spoken English. Second, both are used. When talking about pronunciation, sometimes it's not about right or wrong. It's about speaking clearly enough to be understood and speaking appropriately. More formal statements and more emphatic statement use more careful speech. "There are" are two words linked very closely. Again, listen to YouGlish. Some speakers make them more distinct, but others blend the words together more.
Between the two, I'd ask, "Are there any eggs here?" This is more natural: "Do you have any eggs?" "Eggs" is a countable noun. > There are 12 eggs. There are many eggs. For the singular, I'd use "an." > Is there an egg here? ...But this is rather odd. It's hard to imagine the context. Why would you be asking about one egg? You can also use "egg" as an uncountable noun: This product contains egg and wheat. If you're allergic to these foods, don't eat this product. Hope that helps.
Thank you so much for your lesson... 😊 😊 😊 Yeah... I have seen some native speakers say... There's..... For plural nouns... 😊 😊 😊 But it sounds good... 😊 😊 😊
Dear Jennifer Really appreciate your useful videos. The question I have is where can I find a table or list, which there are singular nouns such as "Variety and Stuff" that you mentioned in this video.
I have a very short list in this blog post for teachers. englishwithjennifer.wordpress.com/2016/08/05/what-you-can-count-on-countable-and-uncountable-nouns/ I mention that a fuller (but not complete) list is in Next Generation Grammar 3. vig.pearsoned.com/store/product/1,1207,store-14563_isbn-013276055X,00.html
"There's a lot of things in here..." 3:15 I'm not sure but it seems to be correct .Here we have "a lot "which is singular so we use "There is " But if we say: "There're many things ...." it's okey for "there are" May be I'm not right...
Standard grammar tells us that we should use "are" for a plural subject: There are many things. However, the contraction "there's" is sometimes used with plural nouns: "Gosh! There's a lot of things." It's quite common in conversation.
I have some older videos on conditional sentences in my playlist called the JenniferESL Archives. It's on my website: www.englishwithjennifer.com > Students > YT videos. But I hope to make new lessons soon!
I won't say it's "correct," but this is common in spoken English. The contraction "there's" is often used before plural nouns. The fact that you heard it in a Netflix series shows that it was used in spoken English.
Could i ask one question? I have a question. 1. There is pen, book, pencil and marker. 2. there are pen, book, pencil and marker. Could you tell me which one correct? Thanks
Hi. Not all sources agree on the grammar here. I believe that proximity is a strong factor in everyday American English. In spoken English, THERE IS becomes "There's" and that's how we start our sentences even if it's a list of several items. As long as the first item (closest to the subject) is singular, then "There's" sounds acceptable to Americans. In writing, it's best to avoid There is/are constructions. A strong writer can usually find alternative wording.
A query... sva rule says compound subject where more than one subject joined by AND is always plural and takes plural verb... isn't a series with AND is a compound subject... Shouldn't it be true for sentences starting with THERE and HERE?
It's important to remember that rules usually have exceptions. I like to teach students to look for patterns rather than rules. Certain situations call for specific patterns. What we may hear in an academic lecture is not what we'd likely hear in a TV show or in song lyrics. In informal spoken English, contractions with "IS" are quite common regardless of number: There's still a few more things I need to pack. Also, there's a tendency for proximity to play a strong role. THERE often agrees with the first noun listed. This tendency is recognized by some grammar sources/reference books.
Actually, you want to limit use of "There is/are" and "Here is/are" structures in more formal writing. They tend to make sentences sound wordy. If you do use them, then avoid contractions. I would still argue in favor of proximity with "There is/are" and have the verb agree with the first noun listed.
Thanks for the lesson.. I read a sentence somewhere and it looks like awkward for me" YOU HAVE BEHIND YOU A QUITE LARGE ORGANIZATION READY TO ASSIST YOU IN THE PROPER PERFORMANCE OF YOUR DUTIES" is this sentence correct?.
It can work, but it certainly is wordy, isn't it? We also usually try to avoid separating the verb (have) from the direct object (organization). I'd suggest a rewrite: Behind you is a large organization ready to assist you with the execution of your duties. - - Or something like that.
Good question. The pattern with perception verbs like "see" and "hear" is this: see someone DO something hear someone DO something Use the base verb. This means you observed the action as it happened. He saw the boy come in. He saw the boy enter. He saw the boy arrive. He heard someone come in. He heard someone open and close the door. A period of time refers to duration: Over the past ten years, I've improved my knowledge of grammar.
Please help because it's very confusing.🙏🙏 1 The first obvious example is the case where 'there' is given a Riemannian metric on M And you have also taught in lesson After "there" comes (is, are) then comes noun but here after (is , are) Above a "action verb" have come . In sentence subject has come after "main verb" What is rule of making above sentence 2 "It is Peter who there is gone " Please explain it mam
#1 The relative clause begins with "where." Remember with THERE IS structures, the real subject follows the linking verb. In a sentence like "there is hope," the true subject is "hope." I don't know the context of your example. It looks like a passive construction. My similar example: [This word] is given [a special meaning]. subject = this word passive verb = is given Idea: someone or something gives the word a special meaning. (SVOO) The active sentence has two objects (ditransitive), and the indirect object was used to make the passive sentence. #2 This sentence is not clear or correct. Suggestion: It is Peter who is gone. That's called a cleft sentence. More info here: englishwithjennifer.wordpress.com/2017/05/12/3-common-mistakes-with-the-pronoun-it-helping-students-master-dummy-subjects-and-cleft-sentences/
Incorrect: There is killed raven on stage./ There is lying a book./This is the place where there is given a book. Possible corrections: There is a dead raven on the stage./ A book is lying there. /This is the place where a book is given.
Hello, please write me (( which one is correct? There is coffee and tea..... Or there are coffee and tea..? And the ship sail in the sea or on the sea?
Hello teacher please help me with this.. 1There are beautiful forests in my country 2.Beautiful forests are in my country. Why is the second sentence wrong here?
To state the existence of something, we use "there is/are." Here are alternatives: My country has beautiful forests. In my country, you'll find beautiful forests. In my country, we have beautiful forests.
please help "(if "THERE " word is used for inversion in a sentence and it is showing "Adverb of place" As. There stood my friend.(Inverted form) If this same sentence is added to a subordinate clause, will "THERE" word become "dummy THERE". are there any such rules in english As. .......When "there" stood my friend.)) Will "THERE" become a "dummy subject" here? Or "THERE" word is still an "adverb of place" here Please reply 🙂🙂
Hello. Remember that "there" can also be an adverb to indicate place: You're there. I'm here. My friend stood over there. There he stood. (adverb + subject + verb)
thank you for your kidness i did a reaches but i m still not high level in english by the way thanks again for your help . can i w rite some issue to you and correct it in grammer
Hello. All my videos (beginner, intermediate, advanced) are listed on my website. www.englishwithjennifer.com > Students > UA-cam videos. You can also follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Simor. I answer short questions on UA-cam and FB.
How about 'there' + quantifier? Should it be... 1.) 'There is a group of students' OR 'There are a group of students'? 2.) There is a bunch of flowers OR There are a bunch of flowers?
Good question. I'll consider following up with a video. :) Let the verb agree with the noun before the prepositional phrase: There is a group... There is a crowd... There is a team... There is a crew... (Follow this pattern with collective nouns. American English speakers prefer a singular verb with collective nouns.) There are phrases that are considered quantifying phrases. You'll use a plural verb. There are tons of reasons... There are a ton of reasons... There are a lot of reasons... There are a dozen reasons... There are a number of reasons... I think I'll have to make a new video to explain why bunch could go either way. :) In this video, my example uses "stuff" and it's uncountable, so a singular verb is used. With flowers, you may hear both. I'll tell you why in my new video.
What if it's not a series of nouns...What if there are only two nouns joined with and....Shall we use is or are...e.g. There is/are a book and a pen on the desk.
This is a very good question! The truth is that not all grammar resources choose to address this use of two nouns (called a coordinated noun phrase), and if they do, they don't all agree. Some will argue that in your example the words "a book and a pen" are the subject (called a notional subject), and as a compound subject, a plural noun must be used: There are a book and a pen. However, many speakers are guided by proximity. That means the noun closest to the verb BE controls the choice between a singular verb and a plural verb. I found at least one resource (Longman Grammar of Spoken an Written English) that confirms the preference for a singular verb before a coordinated noun phrase ("a book and a pen") when that first item is singular. This grammar reference book gives examples not only from conversation, but also from written speech, mainly the news and fiction. My own preference is to use the singular verb, but because I know there's debate over this, I'd avoid the construction when writing. In conversation, I think it's fine. In writing, I'd challenge myself to use another structure and richer vocabulary: I carried a book and a pen with me to class. / I placed the book and the pen on the desk./ I spotted a book and a pen on the desk./ Etc.
I just edited that to emphasize that the first item controls the verb. I think that's the tendency in speech and writing. That's what I feel, that's what I've read, and that's what some other teachers think, too. :)
Mam could you clear my doubt ? As you know we use "any" in negative & questions and "Some" in positive sentence. But I don't understand why "any help "is used in answer instead of some help. Question: has anyone offered to help you with the tea? Answer: No, but I would be very grateful for any help you can give. Mam shouldn't it be No, I would be very grateful for some help you can give. Mam kindly explain this.
@@Englishwithjennifer hi ms.conxerning there is I heard that in giving a list the 1st n is sing but when the first word is plural we use there are right
Grammar books first teach these patterns: There is + (singular or uncountable noun). There are + (plural noun). In everyday communication, especially in conversation, American English speakers often choose the singular verb if the first item in the list is singular. It's about proximity.
@@Englishwithjennifer ok thnx . Just another qts hhhhh concerning in and at for place do we say at her school or in her school sometimes I get confused in using in and at.
There are situations when one preposition makes more sense than the other. We use AT for location: at work, at school, at home, at the office, etc. We use IN for a setting, status, or state: One of my private students is in medical school. (She's a student in a medical program.) More info here: ua-cam.com/play/PLfQSN9FlyB6TT9yUCjC6QLTMphzLq2Ay0.html
Hello, Jennifer How's everything? Be honest, I just met a terrible question which was from my kid. He asked, "There is my pen." Is it correct? Then I really don't know how to response him. Please help me out of this!! Appreciate it
Yes. If he was looking for it and found it, he can say, "Look! There's my pen." He's using "there" for location. If he's holding it upon finding it, he can say, "Here it is! Here's my pen."
Yes, Ra'ed. You are the first this time. :) Thanks for choosing to study with me each week. I'll post a related task on Simor tomorrow morning (my time). It will put everyone's listening skills to the test! See you there.
This was good lesson regarding 'there', which is called an 'expletive', from Latin explētus, the perfect passive participle of expleō (I fill out), and serves as a phrase-filler (Wiktionary.org). 'There' can serve the function of an adverb but not of a noun. You did make one logical-grammatical error, however: using 'if' when you should have used 'whether'. Try substituting 'only if' for 'if' and see whether it works. "Even native speakers get confused and wonder (only) if we should write 'there is a wide variety of products'." The logic of the original sentence was, "If we should write "there is a variety of products", even native speakers get confused and wonder." Some examples would more clearly serve illustration, but I assume you get the idea. Also, in regard to a compound subject, you should watch this: ua-cam.com/video/7be7NQKbV3M/v-deo.html Nobody's perfect, but there's no fault in seeking perfection. I see that you prefer descriptive linguistics, while I prefer prescriptive linguistics; for me, the test is the logic of the example.
Thank you for watching and posting your thoughts. It's good to view different presentations. There are many sources we can learn from. You'll find overlap as well as differences. I lean towards prescriptive, standard grammar, but I also embrace a healthy degree of descriptive grammar. Kind regards!
Hello Steve. I certainly hope my lessons are reaching more learners in and and from China. :) Just in case, here are all my playlists: englishwithjennifer.com/students/yt-videos/
1) There is some water in the bottle. There isn't any sugar in the kitchen. Is there a cup in the drawer ? 2) There are some books on the table. There aren't any seats left. Are there any apples in the bag ?
Super examples, Mollie! I also like how you demonstrate that There is/There are is commonly used with prepositional phrases of location. You have good instincts!
You're sweet. There are some chips on the walls and dust on the shelves, but this room is comfortable. It's my favorite place in the house. Adding the piano to this room made it absolutely wonderful! Take care, Gabriel.
I take issue with your analysis of the example you provide at ca 3:25. In fact things is not the subject but rather the object of the preposition, of. It cannot also be the subject of are. The actual subject is lot, a singular form. Thre's a lot is acually correct.
Hi Brian. Like I said, "there is/there are" seems like a simple topic, right? I found myself double-checking things quite often! :) Most grammar resources list "a lot of" as a quantifier among other words like "many" and "much." It's similar to "hardly any" or "a number of" in that they are all whole units. "A lot of" means "many" just like "a number of" means "several" or "some." I don't agree that "a lot of" fits in the category of collective nouns like "a herd of" or "a pack of." Perhaps "a lot of" started out that way, but we perceive the phrase today as a unit, a multiword quantifier. Douglas Biber et al identify "There" as an anticipatory subject (in his discussion of the existential "there.") What follows BE is delayed information, but the information we present dictates subject-verb agreement. Another way to look at it is by changing the verb tense. Would you say, "There was a lot of things" or "There were a lot of things"? I'd go with WERE, just as I'd say, "There were many things." The quantifier doesn't change the plurality of "things." Remember that "There's" before a plural noun sounds very natural to us because it's a contraction. It's something we've gotten used to in everyday conversation. So I'd agree that "There's a lot of things" is perfectly fine, but only in informal English. I hope this helps! Thanks for the discussion. :)
Hi, I am Kim living in Korea. I am preparing to open an English academy. I would like to ask you if you would like to use your contents to try and use it. I wonder if I should be allowed to write copyright and permission.
Hello. You're welcome to link and embed. I only ask that you don't download and reload or distribute for profit. Teachers at your academy are welcome to download and show a video within the classroom. Many teachers provide links to students for viewing outside of class. Thank you.
My sister's cats jump into my car to investigate it. It is okay to say 'There's a cat in my car' but if both cats are in it, which they were recently, I would say 'There are cats in my car.'
You mean the sound quality, right? I went through a long period of problems with compatibility between my editing software and my video files. After much experimenting, I finally improved the situation by converting the recorded files into another format before importing them into my editing software. I think the sound is better in my most recent videos. I hope you'll check some of them out. Regards!
Hi Jennifer!
Thank you for the good lesson! I have a little question about it. You state it would be right to say: "There is a couch, a rug, a bookcase, and a piano." But if there are two bookcases in that sequence, how should I say? There is a couch, two bookcases, and a piano, isn't there?
Hi! I'm glad you and a couple others are asking such questions! What follows the verb BE is called the notional subject. Compound subjects generally require a plural verb, so some will argue it's correct to use ARE before a coordinated phrase (two nouns with "and") or a series of nouns. However, my own research makes me draw the conclusion that in reality, most speakers and writers prefer a singular verb after BE when that first item is singular. (Compare: There are two bookcases and a couch.) This is called proximity. It means that our mind registers that first item as singular so we're more inclined to use a singular verb. I mentioned that the contraction "There's" is used in informal speech regardless of what follows. So my answer is that I'd still use: There's / There is a couch, two bookcases, and a piano. If I'm speaking, I really don't think any listener will mind or worry about my subject-verb agreement. As a writer, I'd likely find another structure. HAVE is a common substitute: My living room has a good amount of furniture: a couch, two bookcases, a rug, and a piano.
Here's an interesting task: Do a Google search for the phrase "There is a time and a place" and you'll see 63 million results. Change the verb to "are" and you'll find only 9 results in the news. If you filter the results for "There is a time and a place" to new contexts only, you'll still get 37,400 results.
One grammar resource widely trusted is the Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English. This book confirms the preference for a singular verb in "There is/ There was/ etc" in both speech and writing when that first item is singular.
Hope this helps!
@@Englishwithjennifer I have the same question for you. Can we consider the two answers correct when we mark the pupils'writings especially in primary stages.Can we say"There is / are a cat and a duck" ?By the way your opinion convinces me,but I need simple answer to convince my pupils
You can teach students that many English speakers (at least American English speakers) make the verb agree with the noun that follows it. However, they should know that some standardized exams will only recognize a plural verb for a series of items. You can also teach them to reduce their use of sentences that begin with "There is/are." They can challenge themselves to find alternative structures.
One resource: dictionary.cambridge.org/us/grammar/british-grammar/there-is-there-s-and-there-are
I like the discussion in the Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English.
@@Englishwithjennifer Okay I get the point so we can say that both are correct,but the Americans prefer using singular verb.If I find a pupil Writing there is /are,I will consider it correct,but I should tell them your point
@@Englishwithjennifer *n
Excellent, indeed. You are the best ever. I would have said: there are the bathroom, the two bedrooms and the attic. Thank you Prof. A
Hi Andrea! How are you? Not everyone agrees on the rules with There is/There are. I looked over different websites and consulted several reference books I have here at home. Two tips: (1) Follow your instincts, but if you're still unsure, (2) then find an alternative. Especially when you write, you have the time to reword your thought and the writing will be stronger. For example, just say: We have to clean the bathroom, the bedrooms, and the attic.
Gennifer you are a born-teacher. You are the best! Your work is perfect. God bless you!
Thank you for the kind words of support. Have a lovely weekend, Rusiko!
Your teaching style is so amazing!
Thank you. I'm happy you enjoyed this lesson. More grammar videos to come! :)
Your voice is so charming and calming down! Very useful video! Thanks a lot!
Hi Vladimir. Thanks for studying with me!
Hello from France! I am a beginner and your lessons are so useful for me. your speaking is so clear, I can understand you. Thank you a lot Teacher. Sorry for the mistakes)
Hello Patricia. I think you're stronger than a beginner. ;) You may like my low intermediate lessons that I film with my children. All the video playlists are on my website. www.englishwithjennifer.com Thanks for studying with me. :)
hello Teacher, thank you for the link. I watched several videos, very intresting, Good for me. Thank you Teacher and Please continue like that.Thum up!
Hi, Jennifer. I'm from Brazil. Yours lessons are very useful for me.Thank you!
I'm happy to hear that, Alessandro. Take care!
Hi Jennifer I love your lessons. My english teacher sent me your link adress and I´m realizing a lot of things because I understand you very well. Thanks a lot!! X
Hi Kevin. Please thank your teacher for me. I'm glad I can strengthen and expand on what your learn in class. Here are all my playlists. www.englishwithjennifer.com/students/yt-videos/
You're really amazing Jennifer. Your explanation is comprehensive and clear. Thanks for your efforts and dedicated work. I wish you all the best. I keen on watching every video you upload and I've never missed any video since I subscribed to this channel.
Hello Mahmoud. Thank you for the wonderful support. I'm happy you continue to watch my lessons. Take care!
Thank you.You always make things much easier and crystal clear to me.God bless you and your family.
You are so welcome! Thank you for the kind words.
Thanks for a good lesson. It'd be grateful that you help me. I want to make sure that this is a grammar rule or just people use it in spoken English. There 'is' a series of things. I have to say there is a bedroom , a bathroom , and a kitchen. instead of There are a bedroom, a bathroom, and a kitchen .
The pattern holds even in written English. American English speakers recognize this pattern. However, good writers will tend to avoid the use of too many sentences starting with "there is" or "there are." These aren't very descriptive or dynamic sentences.
@@Englishwithjennifer I was glad that I found your video dealing with this sentence. thank you for your clear explanation. Have a good day!
I like your videos and your form to speak and to explain the information. You are an excellent Teacher, Thank you. I am learning English.
I'm happy you enjoy my lessons, Maria. Kind wishes to you!
Thanks for the lesson @ teacher Jennifer
All I have to say is Thank u very much Masteress.
You are very welcome!
Thanks so much Jennifer for this video. It's very useful and help even the non native speaker to taker care when they are speaking, or writing. Actually as you said at the beginning of this video, it's easy, and simple for everyone, but always those two words are hiding some tricks, and rules like a trap to make a mistake, because most of us are making mistakes without notice. The last task I tried to solve in academic way, but I felt like you just write the meaning of it to make not wordy and boring for everyone to understand, right!
Hi Neven. It probably wasn't a great idea to use "Are you making common mistakes?" in my thumbnail or title because some of the patterns I mentioned aren't really mistakes. My goal in this lesson was to teach the patterns that were most common. Grammar isn't always about learning rules, but understanding which patterns are best to follow in order to sound most natural. However, the word "mistakes" catches people's attention, so that's why I chose those words! LOL
As for the last task, don't worry. I just wanted to model how you can avoid There is/There are structures. There isn't one right answer to the task. :) See you on Simor and Facebook!
Hi. Thank you for your explanation. I have a question. "There is/are a boy and a girl playing in the yard." Which one is correct and why? Thank you in advance.
Many American English speakers will say, "There's a boy and a girl." We like to use the contraction, and we tend to focus on the first noun. If it's singular, we use a singular verb.
@@Englishwithjennifer Thanks!
Video is awesome
A question is in my mind.
Sometimes we see
"THERE +to verb" structure
Like this this example--::
"The fact is, they are "there to make" money .'''
So here Is "THERE word" referring a place
Or "THERE" word works like a empty .
Please reply 🙂🙂🙂
That fact is (that) there are different ways to make money.
That fact is + [that-clause].
Dependent clause = there are different ways to make money.
"There" is a dummy subject or a placeholder.
dictionary.cambridge.org/us/grammar/british-grammar/dummy-subjects
The true subject is "different ways."
Perfect video, and help me so much. You are great. Misha
Very happy this was useful, Misha. Take care!
thank you so much for your help teacher Jennifer. You are awesome!
You're most welcome.
Good Job >>> Big thanks Jennifer
You are very welcome, Omar!
Hello Teacher, I understand better, thanks for your explanations. I love your videos, they are very clear.
I'm happy everything makes sense. :) Take care!
Hi Jennifer, I really love your lessons!
I'm happy you're studying with me, Wilfried. :)
Dear, You're great!! Thanks for this lesson!
You're welcome!
I found this rule on internet
(We can use this pattern with 'preparatory there' and a passive reporting verb followed by a to-infinitive, especially when saying something exists or existed)
Example) There is understood to be a strong desire for peace talks.
Here is using a word "preparatory there"
What is "preparatory there"
In this context
I only study dummy subject but
What is this .
Different sources use different terminology. I understand that a "preparatory subject" a dummy subject. It prepares the way for the real subject to follow.
The example you gave is awkwardly written, but it still works.
Hi, Jennifer, good see you again. I'm here as always for a new lesson, which I love. Best regards.
Hello! Thanks for being here as usual. I'm happy you continue to study with me. :) Have a good weekend!
You too.
Thanks!!! Very good.♥
I'm happy you liked this lesson. Kind wishes to you!
I am enjoy learning with you teacher. thank you very much.
I'm happy you found my channel. :)
Hi Jennifer, thank you so much for this video. I have question and I hope you can help me with it: Can we use negative questions with there is/are? For example, can we say "Isn't there any time? Aren't there any people?" Thanks in advance.
Hi. Yes, you can make negative questions when you seek confirmation.
Here's a related video on the intonation of such questions. ua-cam.com/video/k1Qh4ylT6M8/v-deo.html
@@Englishwithjennifer HI Jennifer, thank you so much for helping me. I appreciate it =)
Hi, Coach. Are the sentences right or wrong?
What is there in your hands?
Who is there in that room?
What books are there in the bookcase?
Which books are there in the bookcase, English books or French books?
Thanks a lot
Suggested wording:
What is in your hands?
Who is in that room?
What kind of books are there (in the bookcase)?
What kind of books are there (in the bookcase), English books or French books?
@@Englishwithjennifer thanks a lot.
Dear teacher. Are the sentences right or wrong? Which should I use? Thanks a lot.
- This boy and girl can cross the street.
- These boy and girl can cross the street.
- This boy and this girl can cross the street.
We usually have one determiner before the first noun:
This boy and girl have been waiting.
The boy and girl have been waiting.
You can also say, "These children have been waiting."
@@Englishwithjennifer thanks a lot my great teacher!
Thank you. I love your quaite method in explanation. You are really unusual coach.
I'm happy you can follow my instruction. :)
This lesson is very useful lm enjoyed of watching thankyou so much..have a good day
I'm happy you found it useful! :)
Correction: I enjoyed watching it.
Have a great weekend!
JenniferESL thankyou for correction
excelente lección y hermosa teacher!
Thank you!
Hi Jennifer. Very very useful! Here's my example: "THERE IS a great website (on the internet) that we can learn English a lot, it's englishwithjennifer." By the way, I was watching a TV talk show and I found very interesting the story of a Russian girl that learned Portuguese by watching Brazilian soap operas in Russia. She was speaking it perfectly. She seemed to be very smart. Thank you so much. Have a nice weekend! (Could you please correct my comment, thanks a lot again.) Bye!
Hi! Yes, many have learned languages from TV and films. Soap operas can be interesting to follow.
Corrections:
THERE IS a great website (on the internet) where we can learn English. It's englishwithjennifer.com." By the way, I was watching a TV talk show and I heard a very interesting story about a Russian girl that learned Portuguese by watching Brazilian soap operas in Russia.
JenniferESL Thank you, Jennifer.
Thank you so much, the video was really useful for me.
Thank you for studying with me. :)
What if "There" followed by series of plural dan singular object, like "a dog, 2 women, and a kid", or, " 2 women, a dog, and a kid"? Thanks.
Hi. Many Americans make the verb agree with the first noun in the list:
There's a dog, two cats, and three monkeys. (Especially in spoken English, we tend to use the contraction "there's.")
There are three dogs, a cat, and a few monkeys.
Thank you so much for this videos , god bless you.
Thank you!
03:12 *That's* all I needed to know! But in the US this is *very* common use [and no one ever bothers]. For a rookie [like me] this can be very confusing. Thank you, Jennifer.
I hope this was helpful. You'll find more grammar videos in my grammar playlist. You can browse my playlists here: englishwithjennifer.com/students/yt-videos/ Take care!
Thanks for your good efforts
Is there an easy and simple way to save and understand English
Hi. Are you talking about learning vocabulary? I have a number of study tips here. englishwithjennifer.com/study-tips/
Thank you, my lady.
Hi Jennifer ,I found some sentence.Is this correct grammar structure?
"There were comparatively speaking more women than men in the workforce in the 90s than in previous decades."
How about the word "speaking" should we assume to be the gerund like noun or consider to be actual verb ?
If we consider to be actual verb in the form of past continuous , we could add "comparatively" as adverb.Or we assume to be noun or gerund, we can't place wold "comparatively" in front of "speaking".
I see that as an adverb phrase. Similar example:
Considering the course, I doubted the truth of that statement.
= As I considered the source, I doubted...
"Comparatively speaking" is a set expression. It can have initial, middle, and final positions.
www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/comparatively
@@Englishwithjennifer Hi...If it is general phrase or clause.I will understand.I asked some teacher said "speaking" is actual verb (not gerund).
If I try to break down into grammar structure that mean.
There (adv) , it worked as subject of sentence and were (v. to be) + speaking mean this is part continuous form.
And "comparatively" is the adverb to explain actual verb "speaking" , normally we could put at the end of sentence.But this case
the complement or phrase is so long ,then we have to put it before actual verb.That is my understanding.
English is very hard when we see some clause or complex sentence like this.:-)
I am just wondering ,we could use "there is/there are" for part continuous form like this.
Thanks for your response,Jennifer.
A participle is a verb form, so "speaking" here is a verb form. But participles can be used different ways.
It's better to learn certain phrases by their function and meaning. Don't get too caught up in trying to identify the form.
Useful phrases in speaking or writing:
comparatively speaking
relatively speaking
frankly speaking
You are a great teacher
Thank you! 😃
Hi, dear Jennifer! I was taught to pronounce these structures as one word, thanks God, you pronounced them like I was taught, that is [thereis] and [thera]. But very often I hear that native English-speakers pronounce them separately. And they teach the students to pronounce it separately. Thanks for your great lesson and I have the question : Which is the correct way to pronounce these structures separately or as one word?
You may find YouGlish to be very helpful. It's a free listening/pronunciation tool. Type in words or phrases. You can also filter for US, UK, or Australia.
Try a search for the phrases in question. First of all, you'll see more search results for "There's" compared to "There is." That tells you that the contraction is common in spoken English. Second, both are used. When talking about pronunciation, sometimes it's not about right or wrong. It's about speaking clearly enough to be understood and speaking appropriately. More formal statements and more emphatic statement use more careful speech. "There are" are two words linked very closely. Again, listen to YouGlish. Some speakers make them more distinct, but others blend the words together more.
Thanks a lot!
Hi there. I really appreciate you. Could you please explain which one is correct?
Are there any eggs here?
Is there any egg here?
Between the two, I'd ask, "Are there any eggs here?" This is more natural: "Do you have any eggs?"
"Eggs" is a countable noun. > There are 12 eggs. There are many eggs.
For the singular, I'd use "an." > Is there an egg here? ...But this is rather odd. It's hard to imagine the context. Why would you be asking about one egg?
You can also use "egg" as an uncountable noun: This product contains egg and wheat. If you're allergic to these foods, don't eat this product.
Hope that helps.
@@Englishwithjennifer thanks a lot Jennifer.
Thank you so much for your lesson... 😊 😊 😊
Yeah... I have seen some native speakers say... There's..... For plural nouns... 😊 😊 😊
But it sounds good... 😊 😊 😊
I'm glad the lesson clarified things and reinforced other points. :)
Dear Jennifer
Really appreciate your useful videos. The question I have is where can I find a table or list, which there are singular nouns such as "Variety and Stuff" that you mentioned in this video.
I have a very short list in this blog post for teachers. englishwithjennifer.wordpress.com/2016/08/05/what-you-can-count-on-countable-and-uncountable-nouns/
I mention that a fuller (but not complete) list is in Next Generation Grammar 3. vig.pearsoned.com/store/product/1,1207,store-14563_isbn-013276055X,00.html
Aaah!....yes.
Now I got it,but I have to do a review.
Thanks.
Good luck in your studies!
Thanks for uploading this video ....
You're very welcome!
"There's a lot of things in here..." 3:15 I'm not sure but it seems to be correct .Here we have "a lot "which is singular so we use "There is " But if we say: "There're many things ...." it's okey for "there are" May be I'm not right...
Standard grammar tells us that we should use "are" for a plural subject: There are many things.
However, the contraction "there's" is sometimes used with plural nouns: "Gosh! There's a lot of things." It's quite common in conversation.
@@Englishwithjennifer Ok.I'v got it. Thank you for making it clear.
Thankyou mam. May you and your channel be always alive.
Thank you for the good wishes. I hope I can continue my work as well. Please subscribe and like my videos. This helps support my channel. :)
Thanks!
Welcome!
Hello ,the pronunciation fry clear you have a magic saund .your stayle is simple .I weayt next video .Good LUCK .
Thank you for the support. :)
Thank you
You're welcome.
Mam please make a video on how to find errors in conditional sentences.
I have some older videos on conditional sentences in my playlist called the JenniferESL Archives. It's on my website: www.englishwithjennifer.com > Students > YT videos. But I hope to make new lessons soon!
Is this statement grammatically correct? There's dozens of passengers in the carriages.(I saw this in a Series on Netflix)
I won't say it's "correct," but this is common in spoken English. The contraction "there's" is often used before plural nouns. The fact that you heard it in a Netflix series shows that it was used in spoken English.
Could i ask one question? I have a question. 1. There is pen, book, pencil and marker.
2. there are pen, book, pencil and marker. Could you tell me which one correct?
Thanks
Hi. Not all sources agree on the grammar here. I believe that proximity is a strong factor in everyday American English. In spoken English, THERE IS becomes "There's" and that's how we start our sentences even if it's a list of several items. As long as the first item (closest to the subject) is singular, then "There's" sounds acceptable to Americans. In writing, it's best to avoid There is/are constructions. A strong writer can usually find alternative wording.
A query... sva rule says compound subject where more than one subject joined by AND is always plural and takes plural verb... isn't a series with AND is a compound subject... Shouldn't it be true for sentences starting with THERE and HERE?
It's important to remember that rules usually have exceptions. I like to teach students to look for patterns rather than rules. Certain situations call for specific patterns. What we may hear in an academic lecture is not what we'd likely hear in a TV show or in song lyrics. In informal spoken English, contractions with "IS" are quite common regardless of number: There's still a few more things I need to pack. Also, there's a tendency for proximity to play a strong role. THERE often agrees with the first noun listed. This tendency is recognized by some grammar sources/reference books.
JenniferESL ... what if I'm editing formal documents?
Actually, you want to limit use of "There is/are" and "Here is/are" structures in more formal writing. They tend to make sentences sound wordy. If you do use them, then avoid contractions. I would still argue in favor of proximity with "There is/are" and have the verb agree with the first noun listed.
thank you for your replay can you give me some formation of plaster in your country as dicoration and some vocabulary of it
Hi. I'm not very knowledgeable about plaster. Have you done a search on Google yet?
Dear teacher nice explain...I love you 😚😚😚
Thank you for choosing to study with em. Have a great weekend!
Thank you so much
You're welcome.
Thanks for the lesson.. I read a sentence somewhere and it looks like awkward for me" YOU HAVE BEHIND YOU A QUITE LARGE ORGANIZATION READY TO ASSIST YOU IN THE PROPER PERFORMANCE OF YOUR DUTIES" is this sentence correct?.
It can work, but it certainly is wordy, isn't it? We also usually try to avoid separating the verb (have) from the direct object (organization). I'd suggest a rewrite: Behind you is a large organization ready to assist you with the execution of your duties. - - Or something like that.
He saw the boy came yesterday.
Mam , is this sentence correct?
Mam , what is mean by " over a period of time.
Thank you!
Good question. The pattern with perception verbs like "see" and "hear" is this:
see someone DO something
hear someone DO something
Use the base verb. This means you observed the action as it happened.
He saw the boy come in.
He saw the boy enter.
He saw the boy arrive.
He heard someone come in.
He heard someone open and close the door.
A period of time refers to duration: Over the past ten years, I've improved my knowledge of grammar.
Please help because it's very confusing.🙏🙏
1 The first obvious example is the case where 'there' is given a Riemannian metric on M
And you have also taught in lesson
After "there" comes (is, are) then comes noun but here after (is , are)
Above a "action verb" have come .
In sentence subject has come after "main verb"
What is rule of making above sentence
2 "It is Peter who there is gone "
Please explain it mam
#1
The relative clause begins with "where."
Remember with THERE IS structures, the real subject follows the linking verb.
In a sentence like "there is hope," the true subject is "hope."
I don't know the context of your example. It looks like a passive construction.
My similar example:
[This word] is given [a special meaning].
subject = this word
passive verb = is given
Idea: someone or something gives the word a special meaning. (SVOO)
The active sentence has two objects (ditransitive), and the indirect object was used to make the passive sentence.
#2
This sentence is not clear or correct.
Suggestion: It is Peter who is gone.
That's called a cleft sentence.
More info here: englishwithjennifer.wordpress.com/2017/05/12/3-common-mistakes-with-the-pronoun-it-helping-students-master-dummy-subjects-and-cleft-sentences/
Incorrect: There is killed raven on stage./ There is lying a book./This is the place where there is given a book.
Possible corrections:
There is a dead raven on the stage./ A book is lying there. /This is the place where a book is given.
Thank you ❤
You're very welcome!
Hello, please write me ((
which one is correct? There is coffee and tea..... Or there are coffee and tea..?
And the ship sail in the sea or on the sea?
Most Americans pay attention to the first word. "Coffee" is uncountable, so I would use "is."
Boats and ships are on the water. Fish are in the water.
@@Englishwithjennifer thank you for your help
Hello teacher please help me with this..
1There are beautiful forests in my country
2.Beautiful forests are in my country.
Why is the second sentence wrong here?
To state the existence of something, we use "there is/are."
Here are alternatives:
My country has beautiful forests.
In my country, you'll find beautiful forests.
In my country, we have beautiful forests.
please help
"(if "THERE " word is used for inversion in a sentence and it is showing "Adverb of place"
As. There stood my friend.(Inverted form) If this same sentence is added to a subordinate clause,
will "THERE" word become "dummy THERE".
are there any such rules in english
As. .......When "there" stood my friend.))
Will "THERE" become a "dummy subject" here?
Or
"THERE" word is still an "adverb of place" here
Please reply 🙂🙂
Hello. Remember that "there" can also be an adverb to indicate place:
You're there. I'm here.
My friend stood over there.
There he stood. (adverb + subject + verb)
I like your viduo very good jennifer
thank you for your kidness i did a reaches but i m still not high level in english by the way thanks again for your help . can i w rite some issue to you and correct it in grammer
Hello. All my videos (beginner, intermediate, advanced) are listed on my website. www.englishwithjennifer.com > Students > UA-cam videos. You can also follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Simor. I answer short questions on UA-cam and FB.
How about 'there' + quantifier? Should it be...
1.) 'There is a group of students' OR 'There are a group of students'?
2.) There is a bunch of flowers OR There are a bunch of flowers?
Good question. I'll consider following up with a video. :)
Let the verb agree with the noun before the prepositional phrase:
There is a group...
There is a crowd...
There is a team...
There is a crew...
(Follow this pattern with collective nouns. American English speakers prefer a singular verb with collective nouns.)
There are phrases that are considered quantifying phrases. You'll use a plural verb.
There are tons of reasons...
There are a ton of reasons...
There are a lot of reasons...
There are a dozen reasons...
There are a number of reasons...
I think I'll have to make a new video to explain why bunch could go either way. :)
In this video, my example uses "stuff" and it's uncountable, so a singular verb is used. With flowers, you may hear both. I'll tell you why in my new video.
@@Englishwithjennifer Thank you a lot for your attention and explanation.
@@Englishwithjennifer e.g. There is a series of reasons? There is a list of reasons?
1 series, 2 series, 3 series (irregular countable noun) - a series of events
1 list, 2 lists, 3 lists (regular countable noun) - a list of reasons
@@Englishwithjennifer So it should be “There is a list/series of reasons”. Thanks. 🙏
Awesome 👌👌👌👌
Thanks! 🤗
What if it's not a series of nouns...What if there are only two nouns joined with and....Shall we use is or are...e.g. There is/are a book and a pen on the desk.
This is a very good question! The truth is that not all grammar resources choose to address this use of two nouns (called a coordinated noun phrase), and if they do, they don't all agree. Some will argue that in your example the words "a book and a pen" are the subject (called a notional subject), and as a compound subject, a plural noun must be used: There are a book and a pen. However, many speakers are guided by proximity. That means the noun closest to the verb BE controls the choice between a singular verb and a plural verb. I found at least one resource (Longman Grammar of Spoken an Written English) that confirms the preference for a singular verb before a coordinated noun phrase ("a book and a pen") when that first item is singular. This grammar reference book gives examples not only from conversation, but also from written speech, mainly the news and fiction.
My own preference is to use the singular verb, but because I know there's debate over this, I'd avoid the construction when writing. In conversation, I think it's fine. In writing, I'd challenge myself to use another structure and richer vocabulary: I carried a book and a pen with me to class. / I placed the book and the pen on the desk./ I spotted a book and a pen on the desk./ Etc.
Thank you very much for this clear detailed reply with which you approached my question.
I just edited that to emphasize that the first item controls the verb. I think that's the tendency in speech and writing. That's what I feel, that's what I've read, and that's what some other teachers think, too. :)
Thank you very much, Jennifer.
Good Luck Jennifer ESL
Thank you. :)
Mam could you clear my doubt ? As you know we use "any" in negative & questions and "Some" in positive sentence. But I don't understand why
"any help "is used in answer instead of some help.
Question: has anyone offered to help you with the tea?
Answer: No, but I would be very grateful for any help you can give.
Mam shouldn't it be
No, I would be very grateful for some help you can give.
Mam kindly explain this.
"Any" sounds less demanding here. I'll accept any and all help you offer.
Hello,MS.just a qt the word variety can have the plural form varieties. Am i right? Why dis u say it is uncountable?if am not mistake.
Hi Fiona. "Variety" can be countable or uncountable. It has a singular and plural form.
@@Englishwithjennifer hi ms.conxerning there is I heard that in giving a list the 1st n is sing but when the first word is plural we use there are right
Grammar books first teach these patterns: There is + (singular or uncountable noun). There are + (plural noun).
In everyday communication, especially in conversation, American English speakers often choose the singular verb if the first item in the list is singular. It's about proximity.
@@Englishwithjennifer ok thnx . Just another qts hhhhh concerning in and at for place do we say at her school or in her school sometimes I get confused in using in and at.
There are situations when one preposition makes more sense than the other.
We use AT for location: at work, at school, at home, at the office, etc.
We use IN for a setting, status, or state: One of my private students is in medical school. (She's a student in a medical program.)
More info here: ua-cam.com/play/PLfQSN9FlyB6TT9yUCjC6QLTMphzLq2Ay0.html
i,am arabic i,m love your video
I'm happy you liked this grammar lesson. :)
thank you for your programms
i,m search for your channel
becouse your channel is very nice
Thanks madam
You're welcome.
Hello, Jennifer
How's everything? Be honest, I just met a terrible question which was from my kid. He asked, "There is my pen." Is it correct?
Then I really don't know how to response him. Please help me out of this!! Appreciate it
Yes. If he was looking for it and found it, he can say, "Look! There's my pen." He's using "there" for location. If he's holding it upon finding it, he can say, "Here it is! Here's my pen."
I should say, if I put it in Yes or No question such as "Is there my pen?" Yes, there is your pen. Is it all right?
Is my pen there? (location)
Yes, it's there. / Yes, it's here.
@@Englishwithjennifer Appreciate it. Touched.
how are you teacher . i hope you are fine my problrm of english is my pronunciation so what your advice teacher
Hi. Please follow me here on YT as well as on FB and Twitter. :) I have study tips on my website: www.englishwithjennifer.com > Students > Study Tips
I am so happy to be the first to comment, My dear teacher 😀
Yes, Ra'ed. You are the first this time. :) Thanks for choosing to study with me each week. I'll post a related task on Simor tomorrow morning (my time). It will put everyone's listening skills to the test! See you there.
I think there's a slight typo in the English subtitles in 5:52 "You're writing will sound worthy" ➡ "Your writing will sound wordy".
Thank you so mah
Got it. Thank you. :)
JenniferESL
You are most welcome, Jennifer 💜
This was good lesson regarding 'there', which is called an 'expletive', from Latin explētus, the perfect passive participle of expleō (I fill out), and serves as a phrase-filler (Wiktionary.org). 'There' can serve the function of an adverb but not of a noun. You did make one logical-grammatical error, however: using 'if' when you should have used 'whether'. Try substituting 'only if' for 'if' and see whether it works. "Even native speakers get confused and wonder (only) if we should write 'there is a wide variety of products'." The logic of the original sentence was, "If we should write "there is a variety of products", even native speakers get confused and wonder." Some examples would more clearly serve illustration, but I assume you get the idea. Also, in regard to a compound subject, you should watch this: ua-cam.com/video/7be7NQKbV3M/v-deo.html Nobody's perfect, but there's no fault in seeking perfection. I see that you prefer descriptive linguistics, while I prefer prescriptive linguistics; for me, the test is the logic of the example.
Thank you for watching and posting your thoughts. It's good to view different presentations. There are many sources we can learn from. You'll find overlap as well as differences. I lean towards prescriptive, standard grammar, but I also embrace a healthy degree of descriptive grammar. Kind regards!
Hi Jennifer 👋💜We will be happy if you live here thanks so much 💐🌺
Sometimes it seems like we live online, but we need time offline, too. Right?
Take care!
Can we say there is river?
Yes.
Hi Jennifer, you look so beautiful and your classes are very helpful! I love you! I am on behalf of all Chinese to say we love you here!
Hello Steve. I certainly hope my lessons are reaching more learners in and and from China. :)
Just in case, here are all my playlists: englishwithjennifer.com/students/yt-videos/
1) There is some water in the bottle. There isn't any sugar in the kitchen. Is there a cup in the drawer ?
2) There are some books on the table. There aren't any seats left. Are there any apples in the bag ?
Super examples, Mollie! I also like how you demonstrate that There is/There are is commonly used with prepositional phrases of location. You have good instincts!
hi jennifer!
Hi. How are you?
i am great .thanks
Thank you for the lesson
You're welcome. Thank you for studying with me.
Your living room seems to be as lovely as you!
You're sweet. There are some chips on the walls and dust on the shelves, but this room is comfortable. It's my favorite place in the house. Adding the piano to this room made it absolutely wonderful! Take care, Gabriel.
I take issue with your analysis of the example you provide at ca 3:25. In fact things is not the subject but rather the object of the preposition, of. It cannot also be the subject of are. The actual subject is lot, a singular form. Thre's a lot is acually correct.
Hi Brian. Like I said, "there is/there are" seems like a simple topic, right? I found myself double-checking things quite often! :)
Most grammar resources list "a lot of" as a quantifier among other words like "many" and "much." It's similar to "hardly any" or "a number of" in that they are all whole units. "A lot of" means "many" just like "a number of" means "several" or "some."
I don't agree that "a lot of" fits in the category of collective nouns like "a herd of" or "a pack of." Perhaps "a lot of" started out that way, but we perceive the phrase today as a unit, a multiword quantifier. Douglas Biber et al identify "There" as an anticipatory subject (in his discussion of the existential "there.") What follows BE is delayed information, but the information we present dictates subject-verb agreement. Another way to look at it is by changing the verb tense. Would you say, "There was a lot of things" or "There were a lot of things"? I'd go with WERE, just as I'd say, "There were many things." The quantifier doesn't change the plurality of "things."
Remember that "There's" before a plural noun sounds very natural to us because it's a contraction. It's something we've gotten used to in everyday conversation. So I'd agree that "There's a lot of things" is perfectly fine, but only in informal English.
I hope this helps! Thanks for the discussion. :)
Nice madame txs
You're welcome. Kind wishes to you!
Love youuuuuuu
Thank you!
Good
Thanks!
Hi, I am Kim living in Korea. I am preparing to open an English academy. I would like to ask you if you would like to use your contents to try and use it. I wonder if I should be allowed to write copyright and permission.
Hello. You're welcome to link and embed. I only ask that you don't download and reload or distribute for profit. Teachers at your academy are welcome to download and show a video within the classroom. Many teachers provide links to students for viewing outside of class. Thank you.
I learn that in my school
Thanks for reviewing with me.
I am from Bangladesh
Hello! Welcome to my channel.
My sister's cats jump into my car to investigate it. It is okay to say 'There's a cat in my car' but if both cats are in it, which they were recently, I would say 'There are cats in my car.'
LOL Those cats were very curious! Fun examples. ;)
They are very inquisitive :>)
Hi my sweet teacher thank you for your lesson
You're very welcome!
I like your matreshkas :))
Thank you! I like them a lot, too! :)
Hi Mrs. Jennifer thank you for lessons. 🙏😘
From Indonesia
You're welcome. Regards from the USA!
there is 8-bit sound
You mean the sound quality, right? I went through a long period of problems with compatibility between my editing software and my video files. After much experimenting, I finally improved the situation by converting the recorded files into another format before importing them into my editing software. I think the sound is better in my most recent videos. I hope you'll check some of them out. Regards!
@@Englishwithjennifer No problem, it was pretty much only a joke. The video anyway was really good and helpful.
may be know
There are or is anything
Is there anything?
There is something.