At a glance, this may seem like a pretty straightforward topic. However, the difference between there is and there are is not as easy as you might assume.
Use there is when the subject of a sentence is singular.
· There is a taxi waiting for you outside.
· There is a good reason why I haven't told you my secret yet.
· There is some leftover soup for lunch.
Use there are when the subject is plural.
· There are twenty taxis outside the airport.
· There are lots of reasons why I haven't told you my secret yet.
· There are only two pieces of pie left.
Seems simple, right? But what if the subject is something like "a range of options" or "a bunch of pedestrians"? "Range" and "bunch" are singular, but "options" and "pedestrians" are plural.
Use there is when you want to draw attention to the group as a whole.
· There is a range of options. (the focus here is on the range, not on the options.)
· There is a bunch of pedestrians. (the focus is on the bunch, not on the pedestrians who compose the bunch.)
Use there are when you want to draw attention to the items in a group.
· There are a range of options.
· There are a bunch of pedestrians.
I did once have an editor tell me always to use there are when speaking about a group, but that editor did not do her research correctly. When you're talking about a single group made up of many parts, there is and there are are both appropriate terms to use.
YOU ARE READING
Things Every Writer Should Know (but Most Don't)
Non-FictionYou have a wonderful idea for a story, and that is fantastic! But how can you make sure that poor mechanics don't distract your writers from your message? I address some of the most common errors in writing and tell you how to fix them.
