Is there...?

We use is there and are there to ask about things in places such as cities, homes, hotels, or workplaces.

Questions

Use is there for one thing:

1. Is there a bank near here?
2. Is there a toilet in the building?
3. Is there a meeting today?

Use are there for more than one thing:

1. Are there any restaurants nearby?
2. Are there two offices on this floor?
3. Are there any emails for me?

Short answers

For is there:

1. Yes, there is.
2. No, there isn’t.

For are there:

1. Yes, there are.
2. No, there aren’t.

Using “any”

We often use any in questions, especially for plural nouns:

1. Are there any shops near your house?
2. Are there any problems?

Common situations

We use these questions to ask about:

1. places: Is there a supermarket?
2. work: Are there any meetings today?
3. travel: Is there a bus stop nearby?
4. hotels: Are there any free rooms?

Simple rule

Use is there for one thing.

Use are there for more than one thing.