THERE IS / THERE ARE

A noun renames a person, place or thing. If a noun is viewed as countable if:

A or an can be used in front of it : a table, an egg
It has a plural form : there are two tables
It can be used in a question with how many: How many rooms are there?
A number can be used before it: four computers
If a noun is viewed as uncountable:
a/an cannot be used in front of it: Cereal is healthy
it does not have a plural form: I like butter (NOT BUTTERS)
it can be in a question with how much: How much sugar would you like?
a number isnt used in front of it: It has little caffeine.
it always takes a singular verb: Milk is good for you.
*** En si los sustantivos contables son aquellos que puedes contar (poner un numero antes
del sustantivo: una mesa pero no una agua Todos los liquidos como agua, leche, cerveza,
vino son no contables (EN ESPAOL PUEDE SER DISTINTO). Tambien las carnes son
no contables como pollo, pescado etc.
TABLE
USING THERE IS / ARE WITH COUNTABLE and UNCOUNTABLE
NOUNS
Countable
Uncountable
Singular
Plural
One form
(+)There is a chair.
There are some chairs.
There is some water
(-) There isnt a table.
There arent any tables.
There isnt any cheese.
(?) Is there a bathroom? Are there any bathrooms? Is there any coffee?
Conclusions from the table:
With countable nouns we have two forms: singular and plural and when we refer to
uncountable nouns we only use one form.
When we use the singular form with countable nouns we use a/an and with plurals we use
some/any.
With the uncountable nouns we do not use a/an and we can use some/any
With countable nouns some/any means an indefinite number
With uncountable nouns some/any means a portion of

Conclusiones:
Como vemos cuando un sustantivo es contable hay dos formas: singular y plural pero con
los no constables solo hay una forma. Nunca usen la forma plural cuando usen los no
contables. Tambin cabe resaltar que cuando usamos el some /any con los contables
significa algunos/algunas o en negativo ningun pero cuando se usa con los no contables
quiere decir algo de. Veamos:
There are some books on the table. (Hay algunos libros)
There arent any books. (No hay ningun lbro) Ojo que en espaol se usa la forma singular
de libro pero en ingls no.
Are there any books? (Hay algn libro)
There is milk. (Hay algo de leche)
There isnt any milk. (No hay nada de leche)
Is there any milk? (Hay algo de leche?)