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  • How to Use There Is / There Are in English

    How to Use There Is / There Are in English

    One of the first grammar structures English learners study is there is and there are. These phrases are very useful when talking about the existence or location of people, places, and things. In this post, we’ll look at how to make affirmative statements, negative statements, contractions, and yes/no questions with there is/there are. We’ll also explore common mistakes and give you plenty of examples so you can practice.

    1. Affirmative Statements with There is / There are

    We use there is with singular nouns (one person or thing) and there are with plural nouns (two or more people or things).

    • There is + singular noun
      • There is a bookstore near the university.
      • There is an ATM in the grocery store.
      • There is a park close to downtown.
    • There are + plural noun
      • There are fresh apples in the grocery store.
      • There are two theaters next to the mall.
      • There are a lot of trees in the park.

    👉 Tip!

    Think of there is/there are as a way to “point out” that something exists or is located somewhere.

    2. Negative Statements with There is / There are

    To say that something does not exist or is not located somewhere, add not for singular nouns. Add not any for plural nouns.

    • There is not + singular noun
      • There is not a gym next to the university.
      • There isn’t a library in my neighborhood.
    • There are not + any + plural noun
      • There are not any zoos close to my house.
      • There aren’t any buses late at night.

    3. Contractions

    In spoken English, contractions make sentences shorter and more natural.

    • There is → There’s
      • There’s a park in front of the bank.
      • There’s a hair salon in the mall.

    ⚠️ Important!

    We usually do not contract ‘There is’ in a negative statement. The ‘Be’ verb ‘is’ and the negative ‘not’ are usually contracted instead.

    ⚠️ There’s not a park in my neighborhood.

    ✅ There isn’t a park in my neighborhood.

    We do not contract there are.

    ❌ You cannot say “There’re.” Always use the full form: There are…

    4. Yes/No Questions and Short Answers with There is / There are

    We often use there is/there are to ask questions about places and things.

    • Is there + singular noun?
      • Is there a hospital near the bus stop? → Yes, there is. / No, there isn’t.
      • Is there a fire station next to the convenience store? → No, there isn’t.
    • Are there + (any) + plural noun?
      • Are there theaters close to your house? → Yes, there are.
      • Are there any hotels downtown? → Yes, there are.
      • Are there any churches in your neighborhood? → No, there aren’t.

    👉 Note!

    The word any is optional but very common in plural questions.

    5. Common Mistakes to Avoid

    • ❌ There is two restaurants near here.
      ✅ There are two restaurants near here.
    • ❌ There are a park in the city center.
      ✅ There is a park in the city center.
    • ❌ There’re many people in the stadium.
      ✅ There are many people in the stadium.

    Let’s Practice!

    Exercise A

    Fill in the blank with There is or There are. Use contractions when possible.

    1. ____ a bank near my house.
    2. ____ a mall next to the post office.
    3. ____ coffee shops in your neighborhood.
    4. ____ four bookstores in the mall.
    5. ____ six people at the bus stop.
    6. ____ an ATM in front of the bank.
    7. ____ books at the library.
    8. ____ a parking lot behind the grocery store.

    Exercise B

    Change the affirmative statements in Exercise A into negative statements. You will write 8 negative statements. Use contractions when possible.

    Exercise C

    Write a Yes/No question using the given information.

    1. a mall / near the bus stop
    2. convenience stores / near here
    3. coffee shops / downtown
    4. a bank / across from / the museum
    5. parks / close to / your house
    Check Your Answers

    Scoring & Feedback

    🔵 18 – 21 Correct

    Excellent work! 🎉 You are ready to use ‘There is’ and ‘There are’ in  your daily life. Keep using them in your everyday conversations and writing.

    🟢 15 – 17 Correct

    Good effort! ✅ You are on the right track. Review the ones you missed and keep practicing.

    🔴 0 – 14 Correct

    No Worries! 🌱 You’re learning, and that’s what matters. Take a moment to review the examples and do the quiz again.

    Want more reading, writing, listening, and speaking practice? Check out the Essential English series on Amazon!

    Conclusion

    Use the simple present every day when you talk about your life. Practice asking Yes/No questions. The more you practice, the easier it becomes! Subscribe for updated content from Beyond English!

    Leave a comment below!

    And remember . . . Practice . . . Practice . . . Practice!!

  • Yes/No Questions and Short Answers for ESL Students: A Quick Guide

    Asking and answering questions is one of the most important skills in English. In this lesson, we will look at Yes/No questions in the simple present tense and how to give short answers.

    What Are Yes/No Questions?

    A Yes/No question is a question that can be answered with ‘Yes‘ or ‘No‘.

    ✅ Examples

    • Do you like pizza? Yes, I do.
    • Does she live in San Antonio? No, she doesn’t.
    • Is he your teacher? Yes, he is.

    You do not need to give long answers. A short answer is correct and natural.

    How to Make Yes/No Questions in the Simple Present

    There are two main ways:

    1. With a Be verb (am, is, are)

    For Yes/No questions, the Be verb comes before the subject.

    a. Use ‘am’ with the subject pronoun ‘I’

    b. Use ‘is’ with the subject pronouns ‘He, She, and It’. We also use ‘is’ with plural subjects.

    ✅ Examples

    • Am I late?
    • Is he your teacher?
    • Is she your sister?
    • Is it hot today?
    • Is Lucia at the park?

    c. Use ‘are’ with the subject pronouns ‘You, We, and They‘. We also use ‘are’ with plural subjects.

    ✅ Examples

    • Are you from Mexico?
    • Are we late for class?
    • Are they students?
    • Are Alejandra and Diego in Barcelona?

    2. With Do / Does

    In Yes/No Questions, the verbs ‘do‘ and ‘does‘ are helping (auxiliary) verbs. They do not add meaning. They only help make the sentence correct.

    ‘Do‘ and ‘Does‘ are used with a main verb in Yes/No Questions in the simple present.

    ‘Do’ or ‘Does’ comes before the subject. The base form of the main verb comes after the subject.

    Use ‘Do‘ with the following subject pronouns ‘I, you, we, and they‘. We also use ‘Do’ with plural subjects.

    ✅ Examples

    • Do I have a test today?    
    • Do you want pizza for dinner tonight?     
    • Do we need our computers for class?  
    • Do they drive to class?     
    • Do your dogs like to play in the river?

    Use ‘Does‘ with the following subject pronouns ‘He, She, and It‘. We also use ‘Does’ with singular subjects.

    ✅ Examples

    • Does he speak Chinese fluently?      
    • Does she work at a bank?
    • Does it snow a lot in South Texas?
    • Does Gabriela play the guitar?

    Short Answers

    1. Use Yes or No + a Subject Pronoun + a Be Verb + (not).

    ✅ Examples

    • Am I in your class? → Yes, you are. / No, you aren’t.
    • Is he from Argentina? → Yes, he is. / No, he isn’t.
    • Is she at the coffee shop? → Yes, she is. / No, she isn’t.
    • Is it cold outside right now? → Yes, it is. / No, it isn’t.
    • Is John in your class? → Yes, he is. / No, he isn’t.
    • Are you ready for class? → Yes, I am. / No, I’m not.
    • Are we on the right bus? → Yes, we are. / No, we aren’t.
    • Are they students? → Yes, they are. / No, they aren’t.
    • Are Gabi and Patricia friends? → Yes, they are. / No, they aren’t.

    2. Use Yes or No + a Subject Pronoun + Do / Does + (not).

    a. If the question uses ‘Do‘, the short answer also uses ‘Do‘.

    ✅ Examples

    • Do I have a test today?  →  Yes, you do. / No, you don’t.  
    • Do you play soccer? → Yes, I do. / No, I don’t.
    • Do we have a test today? → Yes, we do. / No, you don’t.
    • Do they like Rock music? → Yes, they do. / No, they don’t.
    • Do your cats sleep a lot? → Yes, they do. / No, they don’t.

    b. If the question uses ‘Does‘, the short answer also uses ‘Does‘.

    ✅ Examples

    • Does he work at a bank? → Yes, he does. / No, he doesn’t.
    • Does she live in Madrid? → Yes, she does. / No, she doesn’t.
    • Does it rain a lot in April? → Yes, it does. / No, it doesn’t.
    • Does Rocio play the piano? → Yes, she does. / No, she doesn’t.

    👉 Remember! Don’t just say ‘Yes‘ or ‘No‘. Use a short answer to sound polite and clear.

    Common Mistakes with Yes/No Questions and Short Answers

    1. Forgetting Do / Does

    ❌ You like pizza?
    ✅ Do you like pizza?

    Students often forget that we need ‘do / does‘ to form the question in the simple present (except with be verbs).

    2. Using the Wrong Verb Form

    ❌ Does she likes coffee?
    ✅ Does she like coffee?

    👉 Remember! After ‘does‘ the verb stays in the base form (no “-s”).

    3. Mixing Up ‘Do‘ and ‘Does‘

    ❌ Do he live here?
    ✅ Does he live here?

    👉 Use ‘do’ with ‘I, you, we, they‘ and plural subjects. Use does with ‘he, she, it‘ and singular subjects.

    4. Incorrect Short Answers

    ❌ Yes, she do.
    ✅ Yes, she does.

    ❌ No, he don’t.
    ✅ No, he doesn’t.

    👉 Always match the helping verb do and does with the subject.

    5. Forgetting the Be verb

    ❌ She your teacher?
    ✅ Is she your teacher?

    👉 With ‘am, is, are‘ you don’t need ‘do / does‘.

    6. Only Saying “Yes” or “No”

    ❌ Teacher: Do you have your homework?
    Student: Yes.
    ✅ Yes, I do.

    👉 Just saying ‘Yes‘ or ‘No‘ can sound rude or unfinished. Always give the short answer.

    Let’s Practice!

    A. Yes/No Questions

    Each Yes/No question has a mistake. Rewrite it correctly.

    1. You like pizza?
    2. Do she speak English?
    3. Are he your brother?
    4. Does they go to school on Saturdays?
    5. She is a doctor?
    6. Do it rains a lot in April?
    7. Is you a student?
    8. They are happy?
    9. Does Maria likes ice cream?
    10. Are it cold today?

    B. Short Answers

    Choose the correct short answer.

    1. Do you like coffee?
      a) Yes, I is.
      b) Yes, I do.
      c) No, I doesn’t.
    2. Does she speak English?
      a) Yes, she does.
      b) Yes, she do.
      c) No, she don’t.
    3. Is he your brother?
      a) Yes, he are.
      b) Yes, he is.
      c) No, he doesn’t.
    4. Are they at school?
      a) No, they aren’t.
      b) No, they doesn’t.
      c) Yes, they do.
    5. Do we have class today?
      a) Yes, we are.
      b) No, we don’t.
      c) Yes, we does.
    Check Your Answers

    Scoring & Feedback

    🔵 13 – 15 Correct

    Excellent work! 🎉 You are ready to use the simple present in Yes/No questions in  your daily life. Keep using them in your everyday conversations and writing.

    🟢 11 – 12 Correct

    Good effort! ✅ You are on the right track. Review the ones you missed and keep practicing.

    🔴 0 – 10 Correct

    No Worries! 🌱 You’re learning, and that’s what matters. Take a moment to review the examples and do the quiz again.

    Want more reading, writing, listening, and speaking practice? Check out the Essential English series on Amazon!

    Conclusion

    Use the simple present every day when you talk about your life. Practice asking Yes/No questions. The more you practice, the easier it becomes! Subscribe for updated content from Beyond English!

    Leave a comment below!

    And remember . . . Practice . . . Practice . . . Practice!!!

  • Negative Statements in the Simple Present: A Quick Guide

    Negative Statements in the Simple Present: A Quick Guide

    What Are Negative Statements in English?

    When you want to say something is not true in English, you use a negative statement.

    Negative statements are very common. They help us talk about things that don’t happen, things we don’t have, or things that are not true.

    Negative Statements with Be Verbs  

    If the verb is Be (am, is, are), add not after it.

    ✅ Examples

    • I am not tired.
    • He is not from Guatemala.
    • She is not at school.
    • It is not hot today.
    • You are not a teacher.
    • We are not in class right now.
    • They are not friends.
    • Karina is not sad.
    • Regina and I are not in the library.

    Contractions for Negative Statements

    Contractions are very common in spoken English

    There are two types of contractions for negative statements:

    1. Contract the subject pronoun (or a singular noun) and the Be verb.

    ✅ Examples

    • I’m not tired.
    • He’s not from Guatemala.
    • She’s not at school.
    • It’s not hot today.
    • You’re not a teacher.
    • We’re not in class right now.
    • They’re not friends.
    • Karina’s not sad.

    2. Contract the Be verb and not. 

     (Remember! You cannot contract am and not)

    ✅ Examples

    • He isn’t from Guatemala.
    • She isn’t at school.
    • It isn’t hot today.
    • You aren’t a teacher.
    • We aren’t in class right now.
    • They aren’t friends.

    (Remember! You cannot contract a plural noun and the Be verb are)

    Negative Statements in the Simple Present with Other Verbs   

    In negative statements, the verbs do and does are helping (auxiliary) verbs. They do not add meaning. They only help make the sentence correct.

    Do and Does are used with a main verb in negative statements in the simple present.

    ⚠️ Important: After do not or does not, the main verb is always in the base form (no –s).

    Subject-Verb Agreement

    Do and Does have to ‘agree’ with the subject of the sentence.

    1. Use do not (don’t) with the following subjects:

                            I

                            You

                            We

                            They

                            Plural Nouns

    ✅ Examples

    • I don’t like pizza.
    • You don’t speak French.
    • We don’t have class on Monday. It’s a holiday.
    • They don’t drive at night.
    • The dogs don’t play in the mud after it rains.

    2. Use does not (doesn’t) with the following subjects:

                           He

                            She

                            It

                            Singular Nouns

    ✅ Examples 

    •  He doesn’t play soccer.
    • She doesn’t watch TV.
    • It doesn’t snow in July in San Antonio.
    • The teacher doesn’t give a lot of homework.

    Common Mistakes in Negative Sentences

    Remember! After do not (don’t)or does not (doesn’t), the main verb is always in the base form (no –s).

    ❌ He doesn’t plays soccer.
    ✅ He doesn’t play soccer.

    ❌ Regina doesn’t likes sushi.  
    ✅ Regina doesn’t like sushi.

    Quick Review of Negative Statements in the Simple Present

    • With Be: Subject + Be verb + not
    • With Other Verbs: Subject + don’t/doesn’t + base verb

    Let’s Practice!

    A. Affirmative or Negative?

    Look at these sentences. Which are negative statements?

    1. You play soccer very well.
    2. She plays the guitar.
    3. They don’t like coffee.
    4. I live in Texas.
    5. He is the best teacher in the universe! 
    6. We don’t have class on Saturdays.

    B. Fill in the Blank

    Use the verb in (parentheses) to make a negative statement. Use all possible contractions.

    1. I ________ (be) at home.
    2. She ________ (like) chocolate.
    3. Alejandra _____ (be) on vacation. She’s working.
    4. They ________ (be) in the classroom.
    5. He ________ (play) tennis.
    6. We ________ (watch) TV in the morning.
    7. You ________ (be) late. You’re on time!
    8. Maria ________ (speak) Japanese.
    9. The dog ________ (be) hungry.
    10. The students ______ (love) grammar class.
    11. It ______ (rain) much in August.
    Check your Answers

    Scoring and Feedback

    🔵 15 – 17 Correct

    Excellent work! 🎉 You are ready to use the simple present in negative statements in  your daily life. Keep using them in your everyday conversations and writing.

    🟢 11 – 14 Correct

    Good effort! ✅ You are on the right track. Review the ones you missed and keep practicing.

    🔴0 – 10 Correct

    No Worries! 🌱 You’re learning, and that’s what matters. Take a moment to review the examples and do the quiz again.

    Want more reading, writing, listening, and speaking practice? Check out the Essential English series on Amazon!

    Conclusion

    Use the simple present every day when you talk about your life. Practice making negative statements about yourself, your family, and your routine. The more you practice, the easier it becomes! Subscribe for updated content from Beyond English!

    Leave a comment below!

    And remember . . . Practice . . . Practice . . . Practice!!!