Though they are homophones, there, their, and they’re have very different meanings. Don’t get caught using the wrong word!

There Is vs There Are

Sentences that begin with there are called inverted sentences. An inverted sentence is one in which the subject follows the verb. This can make subject/verb agreement a little tricky. How do you know when to use there is or there are? It’s easy! Look for the subject after the verb—in this case, after is or are.

Example

There are wolves everywhere in these woods.

In this example, the subject is wolves. Since wolves is plural, the sentence needs there are. 

If the sentence weren’t inverted, it would be written like this:
Wolves are everywhere in these woods.

Example

There is a wolf standing in front of the bathroom.

Wolf is the subject in this sentence, and since it is singular, the sentence uses there is.

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Writing Concepts