🏠 Lesson 3.3: There is / There are — My Home

Welcome home! In this lesson you learn how to say what is in a place — a room, a house, a street. You use two small phrases: "there is" and "there are." You also learn small words like in, on, and under. Then you can describe the world around you.

📚 What You'll Learn

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

Use there is and there are. Make negatives and questions too
Use prepositions of place — in, on, under, next to, between, behind, in front of
Name the rooms of a home and common furniture
Describe a room or your home in a few sentences

⏱️ Estimated Time: ~50 minutes

🎯 Project: Describe your room or home in 6 or more sentences using there is / there are and prepositions of place.

In This Lesson

🔤 New Words in This Lesson

Here are some useful words from this lesson. Tap 🔊 to hear a word.

there is — you use it for one thing (There is a bed.)
there are — you use it for two or more things (There are two chairs.)
under — below something (The cat is under the table.)
next to — at the side of something
between — in the middle of two things
shelf — a flat board on a wall for books
wardrobe — a big cupboard for your clothes

Saying What's in a Place

Look around your room right now. Maybe there is a window. Maybe there are two chairs. In English, we want to say that something is in a place. We do not say "a window is." We start with a small phrase: there is or there are.

This is a very useful pattern in English. You can use it to describe your home, your town, a photo, or a hotel room. When you can say "there is" and "there are," you can describe almost anything. 🖼️

🧠 Mindset

You already know how to look at a room and see what is inside. That is easy for you. The only new thing today is the English words. Do not try to be perfect. Try to be understood. A learner says "There is one table, two chair." This is very good, even with a small mistake! Speak first. Fix small things later. 🌱

There is / There are

The rule is easy. It depends on one thing. Do you talk about one thing or more than one thing?

There is + one thing (singular): There is a sofa in the living room.
There are + two or more things (plural): There are two bedrooms.

We also use there is for things we do not count. For example, water or furniture: There is some water in the glass.

Use	Full form	Example
One thing (singular)	There is a…	There is a table in the kitchen.
Many things (plural)	There are …	There are three chairs.
Uncountable	There is some…	There is some water on the floor.

💡 The short way: "There's"

When we speak, we almost always make there is shorter. We say there's /ðɛərz/. So "There is a lamp" becomes "There's a lamp." Both are correct. There's sounds more natural.

We do not usually make there are shorter. Say and write the full there are.

⚠️ Important: Look at the word right after is/are. There is a bed and two lamps — we use is because the first thing (a bed) is one thing. Look at the next word!

Negatives & Questions

To say something is not in a place, add not. We usually use the short forms isn't and aren't.

Type	Singular / Uncountable	Plural
Positive	There is a garden.	There are two windows.
Negative	There isn't a garden.	There aren't any windows.
Question	Is there an elevator?	Are there any chairs?
Short answer	Yes, there is. / No, there isn't.	Yes, there are. / No, there aren't.

In a question, we change the order: There is → Is there…? and There are → Are there…?

✅ Answer with the same words

Here is an easy trick for short answers. Use the same small words from the question.

Is there a balcony? → Yes, there is. / No, there isn't.

Are there any stores? → Yes, there are. / No, there aren't.

⚠️ Don't say "Yes, there's." for a short answer — say the full "Yes, there is."

Some & Any

Maybe you saw the words some and any above. Here is the easy rule. It is easier than it looks.

📖 The simple rule

Use SOME in positive sentences: There are some plants.

Use ANY in negatives and questions: There isn't any furniture. · Are there any stores?

Sentence type	Word	Example
Positive (+)	some	There are some books on the shelf.
Negative (−)	any	There aren't any towels in the bathroom.
Question (?)	any	Are there any chairs in the hall?

💡 One friendly note

We use some / any with plural things (chairs, plants). We also use them with uncountable things (water, furniture). With one thing, just use a / an: There is a mirror. Do not worry. You will learn this slowly with practice.

Prepositions of Place

Now you can say what is in a place. Next, let's say where it is. Small words called prepositions of place tell us where something is. Look at each one with its meaning and example.

Preposition	Meaning	Example
in	inside something	The keys are in the drawer.
on	on top of / touching a surface	The lamp is on the table.
under	below something	The cat is under the table.
next to / beside	at the side of	The chair is next to the desk.
between	in the middle of two things	The lamp is between the sofa and the wall.
behind	at the back of	The garden is behind the house.
in front of	at the front of	The car is in front of the garage.
above / over	higher than (not touching)	There is a mirror above the sink.

💡 One picture, many prepositions

Imagine a small living room. Watch how the same cat moves 🐈:

The cat is on the sofa.
The cat is under the table.
The cat is next to the lamp.
The cat is between the two armchairs.
The cat is behind the door.
The cat is in front of the TV.

Same room, same cat. Only the small word changes. That small word gives all the meaning!

⚠️ Watch out: We say "in front of" (three words together), not "in front." The opposite of "in front of" is behind, not "back of."

Rooms & Furniture

To describe a home, you need the words for its rooms and the things inside them. Read each word out loud.

🚪 Rooms of a home

kitchen — where you cook
bedroom — where you sleep
bathroom — where you wash
living room — where you relax
dining room — where you eat
hall — the entrance area
garden — outside, with plants
garage — for the car
balcony — a small outdoor space

🛋️ Furniture & things

sofa — long soft seat
armchair — soft chair for one
bed — for sleeping
table
chair
desk — table for working
fridge — keeps food cold
stove — for cooking (UK: cooker)
TV — television
lamp — a light
shelf — for books
wardrobe — for clothes
mirror
sink — for washing
shower
window
door

💬 Culture & register note

In American English, you live in an apartment and take the elevator. In British English, an apartment is often a flat, and an elevator is a lift. "Stove" is American; "cooker" is British. Both are correct. This course uses the American words. 🌍

Dialogue & Phrases

Here is Sara. She shows her friend Tom her new apartment. Read both parts out loud. Look for every there is / there are and preposition.

Tom: Wow, your new apartment is nice! How many rooms are there?
Sara: Thanks! There are four rooms. There's a living room, a kitchen, a bedroom, and a bathroom.
Tom: Is there a balcony?
Sara: Yes, there is! It's behind the living room. Come and see.
Tom: Nice. Are there any plants on it?
Sara: There are some plants, yes — between the two chairs.
Tom: And in the living room? Is there a TV?
Sara: There's a TV on the wall, and there's a sofa in front of it.
Tom: Is there a garage?
Sara: No, there isn't. But there's an elevator, so it's easy.
Tom: It's a lovely home, Sara.

Here are the best phrases from the conversation. Keep them ready for your project.

How many rooms are there? There are four rooms. There's a… Is there a…? Are there any…? Yes, there is. No, there isn't. It's next to the… It's between the… and the… Come and see!

Practice & Project

🏋️ Exercise 1: Choose is or are

Objective: Pick the correct form for singular or plural.

Write is or are in each gap.

There a sofa in the living room.
There two bedrooms.
There a mirror above the sink.
There three windows in the kitchen.
There some water on the floor.
There four chairs at the table.

✅ Answer

1. is (a sofa) · 2. are (two bedrooms) · 3. is (a mirror) · 4. are (three windows) · 5. is (water — uncountable) · 6. are (four chairs)

🏋️ Exercise 2: some or any?

Objective: Choose the right word for positives, negatives, and questions.

Fill each gap with some or any.

There are plants on the balcony.
There isn't furniture in the empty room.
Are there stores near your house?
There are books on the shelf.
There aren't towels in the bathroom.

✅ Answer

1. some (positive) · 2. any (negative) · 3. any (question) · 4. some (positive) · 5. any (negative)

🏋️ Exercise 3: Choose the right preposition

Objective: Match the position to the correct word.

Choose the best preposition for each picture.

The lamp is sitting on top of the table. → The lamp is the table. (on / under)
The cat is below the bed, hiding. → The cat is the bed. (above / under)
The lamp has a sofa on its left and a wall on its right. → The lamp is the sofa and the wall. (between / behind)
The garden is at the back of the house. → The garden is the house. (in front of / behind)
The keys are inside the drawer. → The keys are the drawer. (in / on)
The car is parked directly before the garage door. → The car is the garage. (in front of / next to)

✅ Answer

1. on · 2. under · 3. between · 4. behind · 5. in · 6. in front of

🎯 Your Project: Describe Your Home

Now describe your own room or home out loud! Speak to a partner, a teacher, or your phone. Try to say 6 or more sentences with there is / there are and prepositions.

(3 min) Choose one room, or your whole home. Look around it, or think about it.
(4 min) Write 6+ sentences. Use there is and there are. Say how many things there are.
(3 min) Add where things are with prepositions: The lamp is on the desk. The bed is next to the window.
(2 min) Add one negative (There isn't a…). If you can, add one question for your partner (Is there a…?).
(3 min) Say it all out loud, or record it. Listen one time if you record it.

Model answer: This is my bedroom. There is a bed next to the window. There is a small desk in front of the wall, and there is a lamp on the desk. There are two shelves above the desk, with some books on them. There is a wardrobe behind the door. There isn't a TV in my room, but there is a big window. It's a quiet, happy room. Is there a window in your room?

✅ Project Completion Checklist

☐ I described one room or my home
☐ I used there is and there are
☐ I said how many of something there are
☐ I used at least three prepositions of place
☐ I included one negative (There isn't…)
☐ I said 6 or more sentences out loud

🎯 Quick Quiz

Question 1: Which sentence is correct?

Question 2: Complete: "Are there ___ chairs in the hall?"

Tips & Common Mistakes

✅ Do's

Look at the word right after is/are. One thing → is. Many → are.
Use the short form there's when you speak. It sounds natural.
Practice prepositions with real things. Put a pen on, under, next to, behind a cup. Say each one.
Answer questions with the full form: Yes, there is. / No, there aren't.

❌ Common Mistakes

⚠️ Watch Out

"There have a table." ❌ — English does not use have here. Say There is a table. ✅
"There is two chairs." ❌ — Two is plural. Say There are two chairs. ✅
"There are any plants." ❌ — Use some in positives. Say There are some plants. ✅
"Yes, there's." ❌ — For short answers, use the full Yes, there is. ✅
"in front the house" ❌ — Keep all three words: in front of the house. ✅

📓 Learning Journal

Keep building your learning journal. After this lesson, take five minutes to write down:

Key concepts you learned
Things that clicked for you
Questions or confusion points to revisit
Ideas you want to try
Your progress and feelings about learning English

✍️ This lesson's prompt: Describe your dream home in a few sentences. What rooms are there? What is in your favorite room, and where is it? Is there a garden, a balcony, or a big kitchen? Use there is / there are and prepositions. Have fun imagining it! 🏡

📝 Lesson Summary

🎓 Key Takeaways

Use there is for one thing (or uncountable), and there are for two or more.
Negatives: there isn't / there aren't. Questions change to Is there…? / Are there…?
Use some in positives; use any in negatives and questions.
Prepositions of place — in, on, under, next to, between, behind, in front of, above — tell us where something is.

🎉 What You've Accomplished

You can now describe the world around you! You can say what is in a room. You can say how many things there are. You can say where each thing is. That is a big step! You started with single words. Now you make full, useful sentences. Look around your home and try it now. 🎉

❓ Common Questions at This Stage

Do I always have to say "there's" instead of "there is"?

No. Both are correct. There's is the short form for speaking. For careful writing, or for short answers like "Yes, there is," use the full form.

How do I choose is or are when there's a list?

Look at the first thing after is/are. There is a bed, two lamps, and a chair — the first thing (a bed) is one thing, so we use is. This becomes easy with practice.

When do I use "in" and when do I use "on"?

Use in for inside something (in the box, in the room). Use on for on top of something (on the table, on the wall). Think: in = inside, on = touching the top.

🔭 Looking Ahead

In Lesson 4.1, we talk about what you can and can't do. We call this your abilities. We also use it to talk about food. You will learn to say "I can cook" and "Can you swim?"

✅ Before the Next Lesson

Say five sentences about your kitchen using there is / there are.
Point to three things and say where they are (on, under, next to).
Write your dream-home journal entry.

🌟 Encouragement for the Journey

You just learned to describe a whole home in English — every room, every thing, and where it is. This is real, everyday English. Keep looking around and naming what you see. The more you describe, the easier it becomes. See you in Lesson 4.1! 👋