"It has" or "There is"

"It has" or "There is"

by Alessandro Ursic, PC MUIC

​These sentences have an error that is very common for Thai students. Can you find it?

• ​In Thailand has many temples.

• ​In Thailand it has many temples.

• ​In Thailand there has many temples.

The parts in red show you

the error in the sentences.

• ​In Thailand has many temples.

• ​In Thailand it has many temples.

• ​In Thailand there has many temples.

This error happens because

many students translate from Thai...

• ในประเทศไทยมีวัดมากมาย

​In other words, students apply a version of the verb "มี" (mii), which in Thai means "to have".

However, the English language is different!

​1) You can use the verb "to have" only if you have a subject before it.

​

​2) A subject cannot start with a preposition, so "in Thailand" is NOT a subject because "in" is a preposition.

​

​3) Then, how can you say the Thai "มี" if there is no subject before?

Easy: you "create" a subject by using

​"there + (to be)".

​

​The right form of "to be" depends on:

​1) The tense you want to use, which depends on the time reference.

​

​2) The noun after the verb "to be". Is it singular or plural?

Here are some examples in the present simple:

​1) In Thailand there are many temples.

​

​2) On the table there is a book.

​

​3) There are many temples in Thailand.

​

​4) There is a book on the table.

Here are some examples in the past simple:

​1) There were many people at the cinema yesterday.

​

​2) Yesterday at the cinema there were many people.

​

​3) There was a cockroach in my room last night.

​

​4) Last night there was a cockroach in my room.

Here are some examples in the present perfect:

​1) There has been an increase in the number of students in the last year.

​

​2) There have been many problems since I moved here.

​

Here are some examples in the future simple:

​1) There will be a lot of people at the concert tomorrow.

​

​2) There will be rain next week.

​

Multiple Choice

In this class ________ 20 students.

• have

• there is

• it has

• there are

Multiple Choice

This classroom _______ no windows.

• there is

• has

• have

• there are

Multiple Choice

_________ a problem that I would like to discuss.

• there are

• has

• there is

• there have

Multiple Choice

Yesterday _______ a protest in front of the campus.

• had

• there were

• there is

• there was

Multiple Choice

_______ many people who protested here last month.

• there was

• there were

• there had

• there are

Multiple Choice

When the Covid-19 emergency ends, ______ many tourists who will come to Thailand.

• there is

• it will be

• there will be

• there were

Multiple Choice

Since I started studying here, _______ an increase in the number of foreign students.

• there is

• there have been

• there was

• there has been

Multiple Choice

___________ many people who believe that sex education should be taught in schools.

• It has

• There are

• Have

• There was

Multiple Choice

Last night, on my bed ________ a gecko.

• there was

• there is

• there are

• there has been

Multiple Choice

________ a new rule that forbids students to eat in the classroom.

• Has

• It has

• There is

• There are