There is / There are — Describing the House

A2 — grammar, vocabulary, listening, reading, writing

Sofía: In my apartment there is a small studio where I design. There are plants everywhere!

Ben: In my hostel room there is one bed... and there isn't a window. Classic Ben luck.

Kenji: Are there many rooms in your house? In Japan, my family's house is very small.

Abuela Carmen: In my old house there was a garden with mango trees. Now there is a parking lot there...

Common mistake: “There is two bedrooms in my house.” — Correct: “There are two bedrooms in my house.”

We use 'there is' and 'there are' to say what exists in a place — one form for singular things and one for plural, unlike Spanish 'hay'.

• 🍳 kitchen — room where meals are cooked
• 🛋️ living room — room for family relaxation
• 🛏️ bedroom — private room with a sleeping bed
• 🚿 bathroom — room with sink, shower and toilet
• 🪴 balcony — elevated outdoor terrace platform
• 🏡 garden — outdoor plot with plants and green lawn
• 🧊 fridge — chilled cabinet for food preservation
• 🛋️ sofa — comfortable cushioned long seat
• 🪵 table — flat raised surface on sturdy legs
• 🪑 chair — seat with support for one person
• 🪟 window — transparent wall glass for natural light
• 🚪 door — swinging entry panel to enter a room

• There is a big sofa in the living room.
• There are two bedrooms and a small kitchen.
• There is an oven and a fridge in the kitchen.
• In Abuela Carmen's old house, there was a garden with mango trees.
• There isn't a garage in Sofía's building.
• There aren't any plants in Ben's room.
• There isn't an elevator, but there are stairs.
• Is there a shower in the bathroom?
• Are there two beds in the room?
• How many rooms are there in your house?
• Is there a garden? Yes, there is.
• Are there any windows? No, there aren't.
• Is there an oven in the kitchen? Yes, there is.

Practice

1. ___ two bedrooms in my apartment. (There are, There is, There am)
2. There is ___ oven in the kitchen. (an, a, two)
3. Is there a garage? ___ (Yes, there is., Yes, it is., Yes, there are.)
4. We use 'there are' with plural nouns: 'there are two beds'.
5. We choose 'an' by the sound, not the letter: 'an oven' but 'a window'.
6. There ___ a big sofa in the living room.
7. There ___ four chairs in the kitchen.
8. When Abuela Carmen was young, there ___ no supermarkets in her town.
9. Unscramble: there, is, a, mirror, in, the, bathroom
10. Unscramble: are, there, two, bedrooms, in, your, house
11. Find the mistake: There is two bedrooms in my house.
12. Find the mistake: There are a garden behind the house.
13. Find the mistake: In the kitchen there is a oven.
14. There is a garage. — Write the negative form.
15. There are two windows in the bedroom. — Write the yes/no question.
16. Is there a shower in the bathroom? — Answer with a short answer (Yes).
17. There is a TV in the bedroom. — Write the negative form.
18. There aren't any stairs in the house. — Write the affirmative form (use 'some').
19. Is there a garden in your house? (short answer)
20. Are there five bathrooms in your house? (short answer)

Listening

Sofía: Kenji, how is your new house?

Kenji: It's great! There are three bedrooms and there is a beautiful garden.

Ben: Is there a garage?

Kenji: Yes, there is. But there isn't a car — my host family rides bicycles!

Sofía: Are there any plants in your room?

Kenji: No, there aren't. But there is a big window with a view of the mountains.

Reading

FOR RENT — Apartment in Laureles, Medellín. There are two bedrooms and a bright living room. There is a modern kitchen with an oven and a big fridge. There isn't a garage, but there is parking on the street. In the bathroom there is a shower and a large mirror. Are there pets in the building? Yes — there are cats, dogs and one very loud parrot. Price: $1.800.000 per month. Call Sofía Reyes.

• There are two bedrooms in the apartment.
• There is a garage.
• There is an oven in the kitchen.
• There aren't any animals in the building.