There is / there are

Forma affermativa

Singolare: THERE IS

• There is a car. (C'è una macchina.)
• There is a problem. (C'è un problema.)
• There is an accident. (C'è un incidente.)

Plurale: THERE ARE

• There are two cars. (Ci sono due macchine.)
• There are many people. (Ci sono molte persone.)
• There are several witnesses. (Ci sono diversi testimoni.)

Contrazione

• There's a car (singolare);
• There're two cars (plurale, meno comune);
• In genere si scrive there are per evitare ambiguità.

Forma negativa

Singolare

• There is not = There isn't
• There isn't a car. (Non c'è una macchina.)
• There's no car. (Non c'è macchina — alternativa con NO.)

Plurale

• There are not = There aren't
• There aren't any people. (Non ci sono persone.)
• There are no people. (Non ci sono persone — con NO.)

Differenza ANY vs NO

• There aren't any cars (negativa con any);
• There are no cars (negativa con no);
• Significato simile, struttura diversa.

Forma interrogativa

Singolare

• Is there a problem? (C'è un problema?)
• Is there anyone here? (C'è qualcuno qui?)

Plurale

• Are there any witnesses? (Ci sono testimoni?)
• Are there other cars involved? (Ci sono altre macchine coinvolte?)

Risposte brevi

• Yes, there is. / No, there isn't.
• Yes, there are. / No, there aren't.

Differenza THERE IS vs IT IS

THERE IS

• Esistenza/presenza: c'è qualcosa nel posto;
• Es.: There is a car in front of the house. (C'è una macchina davanti alla casa.)

IT IS

• Identificazione: ciò è qualcosa;
• Es.: It is a red car. (È una macchina rossa.)

Esempio combinato

• There is a car. It is my friend's car.
• (C'è una macchina. È quella del mio amico.)

Tempi diversi

Passato: there was / there were

• There was an accident yesterday. (C'è stato un incidente ieri.)
• There were two witnesses. (C'erano due testimoni.)

Futuro: there will be

• There will be a meeting tomorrow. (Ci sarà una riunione domani.)
• There won't be any traffic. (Non ci sarà traffico.)

Presente perfetto: there has/have been

• There has been an accident. (C'è stato un incidente — appena successo.)
• There have been many problems. (Ci sono stati molti problemi.)

Going to: there is going to be

• There is going to be a storm. (Ci sarà una tempesta.)

Uso pratico

Descrivere luoghi

• There is a police station near here.
• There are many shops in this street.
• There isn't a bank in this village.

Descrivere quantità

• There are five people in the room.
• There is a lot of traffic.
• There aren't many witnesses.

Per domande

• Is there a hospital nearby?
• Are there any restrooms?

Per la Polizia Locale

Sinistri stradali

• There are two cars involved. (Ci sono due macchine coinvolte.)
• There is one injured person. (C'è un ferito.)
• Is there an ambulance coming? (Sta arrivando un'ambulanza?)
• Are there any witnesses? (Ci sono testimoni?)
• There was a head-on collision. (C'è stato uno scontro frontale.)

Sopralluoghi

• There is something suspicious here.
• There are signs of a break-in.
• There aren't any visible damages.

Notifiche

• There is a fine of 100 euros.
• There are 60 days to pay.
• Is there a procedure to appeal?
• There is no discount for late payment.

Direzioni

• There is a parking lot 100 meters from here.
• There are two banks in this area.
• Is there a hotel nearby?

Esempi di dialogo

Sinistro stradale

• Officer: "Are there any injured?"
• Witness: "Yes, there is one person hurt."
• Officer: "Are there other vehicles involved?"
• Witness: "No, there aren't. Just the one car."

Sopralluogo

• Officer: "Is there any sign of forced entry?"
• Owner: "Yes, there are scratches on the lock."
• Officer: "Are there any cameras?"
• Owner: "No, there aren't."

Direzioni

• Tourist: "Is there a hotel nearby?"
• Officer: "Yes, there are two hotels in the area."
• Tourist: "How far is it?"
• Officer: "There is one 5 minutes from here."

Errori comuni

1. Confondere singolare/plurale

• ❌ There is two cars → ✅ There are two cars
• ❌ There are an accident → ✅ There is an accident

2. Forma negativa

• ❌ There isn't cars → ✅ There aren't any cars
• ❌ There no is problem → ✅ There isn't a problem

3. Confondere there/it

• ❌ It is a problem here → ✅ There is a problem here
• ❌ There is my book → ✅ It is my book

4. Domande

• ❌ There is a problem? → ✅ Is there a problem?
• ❌ Are there is two cars? → ✅ Are there two cars?

Quiz mentale

Complete with there is / there are:

1. _____ a car in the parking lot. → There is
2. _____ many people in the office. → There are
3. _____ any witnesses? → Are there
4. _____ an accident yesterday. → There was
5. _____ no problem with this. → There is

Per il concorso

Domanda tipica

"How do you express existence in English using there is/there are?"

Risposta:

Forma affermativa:

• There is + singolare: There is a car (c'è una macchina);
• There are + plurale: There are two cars (ci sono due macchine);

Forma negativa:

• There isn't / There aren't;
• Alternativa: there is no / there are no;

Forma interrogativa:

• Is there...? / Are there...?;
• Risposte brevi: Yes, there is/are. No, there isn't/aren't;

Tempi:

• Passato: there was / there were;
• Futuro: there will be;
• Presente perfetto: there has/have been;

Per la PL: descrivere sinistri (There are two cars), situazioni (Is there an ambulance?), notifiche (There is a fine), direzioni (Is there a hotel nearby?);

Differenza con IT IS: there is = esistenza/presenza; it is = identificazione.