The word “there” have multiple functions. In verbal and written English, the word can be used as an adverb, a pronoun, a noun, an interjection, or an adjective.
- Adverb
This word is classified as an adverb if it is used to modify a verb in the sentence. For example, in the sentence below:
They went there only to find out that it was postponed.
The word “there” is considered as an adverb because it describes the verb “went.”
Definition:
a. in or at that place
- Example:
- We went on to London and stayed there two weeks.
b. at that point or stage
- Example:
- Stop right there before you say something you’ll regret.
- Pronoun
Sometimes, the word “there” is categorized under pronouns, if it is used to replace a noun in the sentence. For instance, in the sample sentence below:
Hello there!
The word “there” is considered as a pronoun because it substitutes the name of the person, in this case, You.
Definition:
a. used as an indefinite substitute for a name
- Example:
- Hi there!
- Noun
There are also some cases wherein the word “there” is considered as a noun, which refers to a particular point or place. Take for example, the sentence below:
There is no there and no here in pure space.
The word “there” is used as a noun, which refers to a location.
Definition:
a. that place; that point
- Example:
- You take it from there.
- Interjection
Other times, the word “there” is categorized as an interjection, when it is used to exclaim or emphasize something. In the sample sentence below:
There, it’s finished!
The word “there” is used for emphasis or to draw attention to a particular thing.
Definition:
a. used to focus attention on something and express satisfaction or annoyance at it
- Example:
- There, I told you my parents wouldn’t mind!
- Adjective
In some cases, the word “there” is considered as an adjective when it is used to modify a noun or a pronoun, as seen in the sample sentence below:
She is there to answer any questions you might have.
The word “there” modifies the pronoun “she” and is therefore considered as an adjective.
Definition:
a. capable of being relied on for support or help
- Example:
He is always there for her.
b. used for emphasis, especially after a demonstrative pronoun or a noun modified by a demonstrative adjective
- Example:
- Those guys there can tell you.
The word there is a commonly used word that can be difficult to classify because of its various roles in a sentence. There can be used as an adverb, pronoun, adjective, and sometimes as an interjection. But in grammatical constructions like there is or there are, there is considered an expletive. This tiny word can create a lot of confusion because the context can be so varied.
Study the following guide to help you understand how to label and classify the various roles of the word there.
The chart can help, but also pay close attention to specific grammatical constructions when there is or there are start the sentence. In these contexts, the word there is classified as an expletive. An expletive is an “extra word” not grammatically related to the rest of the sentence. Mind you, starting a sentence with these constructions will lead to wordy sentence writing, and they’re usually too passive for most written compositions. This occurs because expletives are used to postpone the subject to build a little suspense for the reader. Authors like to use it like a bit of “seasoning” to keep readers tuned in. Here’s an example sentence demonstrating these structures:
There are explosives hidden under the railway bridge! (Delayed Subject — explosives)
vs.
Explosives are hidden under the railway bridge! (There is omitted to get to the point.)
You can tell the first example expresses more drama, right? Used sparingly, expletive constructions with there is or there are can be titillating. Just be careful!
Hint: If a sentence beginning with a there is or there are construction can be rewritten without the word there, you are working with the expletive form of the word.
In closing, there’s also the soothing phrase, “There, there…”, but we will save that for another time! Thanks for reading!
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Grammar
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Sentence structure
Summary
The word there functions as the subject of a sentence to introduce a situation that exists. It is then called the existential there.
Examples
- There’s an elephant in the garden.
- There are three eggs left in the tray.
- There is something I needed to tell you.
- There were hundreds of daffodils dancing in the field.
What is existential there?
The word there can be used as a dummy subject to say that something happens or exists. When used as such, the pronoun there doesn’t refer to anything specific but merely introduces a situation that exists. It is therefore called the existential there or anticipatory there.
Examples
- There is a cat in my hat.
not “Is a cat in my hat”
- There’s a storm coming.
- There is no reason to worry.
- There’s still hope and plenty of it.
A clause needs a subject, which tells us whom or what the sentence is about. When a subject isn’t available, there functions as the subject. Such usage is perfectly natural in both speech and writing.
Example
- Correct: There’s some ice-cream for you in the freezer
Incorrect: Is some ice-cream for you in the freezer.
Incorrect: Some ice-cream is for you in the freezer.
Note
Apart from the word there, the empty it is also used as a dummy subject in English.
Example
- Correct: It’s Sunday morning.
Incorrect: Is Sunday morning.
When is there used as subject?
There is used as a subject to talk about time and place, and quantity and number.
Existence of a situation
- There’s always hope.
Not “Is a storm coming.” We could say, “A storm is coming,” but that would sound unidiomatic.
- There’s no such thing as a good lie.
- There is something I wanted to check with you.
When or where
- There is light at the end of this tunnel.
Not “Light is there at the end of this tunnel.”
- There is a full moon tonight.
- There’s a strange spot on the wall.
Quantity and number
- There are many ways to solve this problem.
- There are only three apples left in the basket.
- There is a lot of water in the ocean.
Note
There is used not only to assert the existence of something but also to negate it.
Example
- There isn’t a cloud in the sky.
In general, use there to introduce a new topic, to quantify, and to assert the existence of something.
Examples
- There is also the issue of credibility.
- There are numerous ways to solve this problem.
- There’s a path that leads down to the river.
Existential there + be verb
Since existential there as subject presents new information and describes the existence of something, it is usually followed by forms of the be verb— there is/are, there was/were, there will be.
Examples
- There’s a mouse in the house.
- There is something we need to talk about.
- There isn’t any money left.
- There are three questions you must answer.
- There are many things that I would like to say to you.
- There was no reason to panic.
- There were seven ways out of the forest, but we didn’t know that.
- There will be cake and ice-cream after dinner.
Only in formal and literary styles is existential there used with verbs other than the be verb.
Examples
The next morning, when Thomasin withdrew the curtains of her bedroom window, there stood the Maypole in the middle of the green, its top cutting into the sky.
In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.
And then there came the pounding of another drum, as if another giant were coming yards behind him, and each giant, intent on his own drum, gave no notice to the rhythm of the other.
— Anne Rice, Interview with the Vampire (1976)
Once upon a time, there lived a boy and a girl.
Agreement with real subject
To check whether to use is or are after the existential there, find the real subject of the sentence. Remember that the word there is just a dummy subject used to introduce the real one. The verb used should agree with the real subject of a sentence.
Examples
- There is an elephant in the garden.
The real subject, “an elephant,” is singular. Use the singular verb “is.”
- There are three elephants in the garden.
Aside from the fact that this must be a pretty big garden, what we know is that the real subject is “three elephants.” Use the plural verb “are.”
- There are an elephant and a giraffe in the garden.
The real subject, “an elephant and a giraffe,” is a plural compound subject. Use “are.”
In informal communication, particularly in speech, there is or there’s is often used in both singular and plural constructions.
Examples
- There’s a bus to George Town leaving every half hour from here.
- There’s three buses going every day to George Town.
- There’s a few almonds left, if you want one.
In formal writing, however, contractions like there’s are generally avoided, and the distinction between there is and there are is maintained.
Examples
- But there is an exception to this rule.
- But there are a few exceptions to this rule.
The real subject of the sentence, “a few exceptions,” is plural.
With indefinite subject
Existential there is preferred in sentences with an indefinite subject (An indefinite subject is someone or something that is unknown). Using there to introduce such a subject places focus on it.
Examples
- There’s someone I would like you to meet.
Note how there wouldn’t work with a definite subject: “There’s Jenny I would like you to meet” sounds wrong, but there works perfectly to introduce an unknown “someone.”
- There’s something I should tell you.
- We looked out the window, and there was a man standing in our garden with a spade in his hand.
- There are people who still believe in truth and justice.
- There are stories in every life, if we only listen.
In passive constructions
There may be used as a dummy subject when the speaker or writer wants to distance themselves from a statement. It can also be used in passive constructions where the doer or agent is relatively unimportant.
Examples
- Impersonal: There is no evidence of fraud in this case.
More personal: We found no evidence of fraud in this case. - Impersonal: There are three steps to remember in the process.
More personal: You should remember three steps in the process. - Impersonal: There have been protest marches across universities.
More personal: Students have held protest marches across universities.
Note
There as subject introduces an objective or impersonal assertion. This can sound evasive in certain situations.
Example
- Impersonal (evasive): There may be reason to believe that the president’s statement is false.
More personal (less evasive): We have reason to believe that the president’s statement is false.
Overuse
Unfortunately, the word there is easily overused as the subject of a sentence. A dummy subject like there is not required in sentences that describe an action rather than a state and where the performer of the action can be clearly identified. When you have a clear and direct agent, using there can make a sentence unnecessarily wordy and vague.
Before you start a sentence with there, check whether you can provide a more specific subject instead. This will help you convey a clearer picture to the reader.
Examples
- Poor: There are three hypotheses that we tested.
Better: We tested three hypotheses. - Poor: There have been many theories.
Better: Researchers have advanced many theories. - Poor: There were two jobs I worked while in college.
Better: I worked two jobs while in college.
Many sentences starting with existential there can be rewritten to provide more specific details. This is especially true of sentences where the real verb isn’t the be verb but another verb.
Examples
- Poor: There are many who believe
Better: Many analysts believeThe verb here is believe rather than are.
- Poor: There are studies that have been conducted
Better: Studies have been conducted - Poor: There is a need
Better: We see a need - Poor: There are issues to consider
Better: We should consider certain issues
Examples from literature
In the following sentences from famous novels, examine how there is used as subject to introduce the existence of a situation or an indefinite subject.
Examples
There was no possibility of taking a walk that day.
The studio was filled with the rich of roses, and when the light summer wind stirred amidst the trees of the garden, there came through the open door the heavy scent of the lilac, or the more delicate perfume of the pink-flowering thorn.
— Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890)
In the town, there were two mutes and they were always together.
There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it.
— C. S. Lewis, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (1952)
This time there would be no witnesses.
— Douglas Adams, Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency (1987)
There was even a bit of sullen thunder now, not the outgoing sort that cracks the sky but the other sort, which hangs around the horizons and gossips nastily with other storms.
Once upon a time, there was a woman who discovered she had turned into the wrong person.
— Anne Tyler, Back When We Were Grownups (2001)
The word “there” is used as a noun, which refers to a location.
Contents
- 1 Is the word there an adverb?
- 2 What type of word is here or there?
- 3 Which pronoun is there?
- 4 Which type of adverb is there?
- 5 Is the word there an adjective?
- 6 What kind of adjective is there?
- 7 Are Here and there adverbs?
- 8 Is there any or is there a?
- 9 Is it on their way or on there way?
- 10 Is there an adverb of place?
- 11 How many kinds of pronouns are there?
- 12 Is some a word?
- 13 What are the 3 types of adverbs?
- 14 What are the adjectives words?
- 15 What are the 8 types of adverbs?
- 16 Is all an adjective or adverb?
- 17 Can there be a verb?
- 18 What are types of noun?
- 19 What is noun example of noun?
- 20 What are the three types of adjectives?
Is the word there an adverb?
The word “there” is a commonly used word that can be difficult to classify because of the various roles it can play in a sentence. There can be used as an adverb, pronoun, noun, or adjective, and sometimes as an interjection.
What type of word is here or there?
adverbs
Here and there are adverbs.
Which pronoun is there?
Other Types of Pronoun
| Pronoun Type | Members of the Subclass |
|---|---|
| Possessive | mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs |
| Reflexive | myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, oneself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves |
| Reciprocal | each other, one another |
| Relative | that, which, who, whose, whom, where, when |
Which type of adverb is there?
Since verbs are such integral parts of our everyday language, their modifiers are also multi-faceted. To start, there are five types of adverbs you should familiarize yourself with: adverbs of degree, frequency, manner, place, and time.
Is the word there an adjective?
In some cases, the word “there” is considered as an adjective when it is used to modify a noun or a pronoun, as seen in the sample sentence below: She is there to answer any questions you might have. The word “there” modifies the pronoun “she” and is therefore considered as an adjective.
What kind of adjective is there?
There are three degrees of adjectives: Positive, comparative, superlative. These degrees are applicable only for the descriptive adjectives.
Are Here and there adverbs?
Here and there are common adverbs of place. They give a location relative to the speaker. With verbs of movement, here means “towards or with the speaker” and there means “away from, or not with the speaker”.
Is there any or is there a?
We must use ‘a’ with singular countable nouns and ‘any’ with uncountable nouns. We use ‘is’ with both singular countable nouns and uncountable nouns.’ There is only one, so we have to use the singular form.
Is it on their way or on there way?
on the way
Also, on one’s way. In the process of coming, going, or traveling; also, about to come. For example, The mail plane is on the way, or She is on her way out the door, or Winter is on the way.
Is there an adverb of place?
The most common adverbs of place are ‘here’ and ‘there’. We use ‘here’ when the position is near the speaker, and ‘there’ when the position is further away.
How many kinds of pronouns are there?
There are four types of pronouns: subject pronouns, object pronouns, possessive pronouns, and demonstrative pronouns. Pronouns are one of the eight parts of speech. Pronouns take the place of a person, place, or thing in sentences once the context is understood.
Is some a word?
What type of word is ‘some’? Some can be a pronoun, an adverb or a determiner – Word Type.
What are the 3 types of adverbs?
Now, there are three kinds of adverbs, and they are as follows.
- Simple adverbs.
- Interrogative adverbs.
- Relative adverbs.
What are the adjectives words?
Adjectives are words that describe the qualities or states of being of nouns: enormous, doglike, silly, yellow, fun, fast. They can also describe the quantity of nouns: many, few, millions, eleven.
What are the 8 types of adverbs?
There are at least eight different kinds of adverbs and these are adverbs of manner, adverbs of frequency, adverbs of time and place, adverbs of relative time, adverbs of degree, adverbs of quantity, adverbs that focus, adverbs that function as attitude markers.
Is all an adjective or adverb?
In spoken and written English, the word “all” has several functions. It can be used as a adjective, an adverb, a noun, or a pronoun. This word can be categorized as an adjective if it is used to introduce a noun in the sentence. Generally, the word “all” expresses the entire quantity or extent of something.
Can there be a verb?
The most common verb used to express existence in English is the verb “be,” and sentences beginning with “there is” or “there are,” for example, are extremely common in English.
What are types of noun?
Types Of Nouns
- Common noun.
- Proper noun.
- Concrete noun.
- Abstract noun.
- Collective nouns.
- Count and mass nouns.
What is noun example of noun?
A noun is a word that refers to a thing (book), a person (Betty Crocker), an animal (cat), a place (Omaha), a quality (softness), an idea (justice), or an action (yodeling). It’s usually a single word, but not always: cake, shoes, school bus, and time and a half are all nouns.
What are the three types of adjectives?
Adjectives, depending on their function, are of three types: adjectives of quality, quantity, and number. These three types differ in their roles of describing what kind, how much, or how many.
Table of Contents
- When we use their and there?
- What words are expletives?
- Does expletive mean swear word?
- What is a Nominalization word examples?
- Are gerunds Nominalizations?
- What is Nominalization in English language?
- Why is Nominalisation formal?
- What is Passivization?
- How do you do Passivization?
- What is the first step to Passivization?
- Why do we need to apply Passivization?
- How do you use passivation in a sentence?
- What is meaning of passivation in English?
- What is passivation English?
- What is passivation in pharmaceutical industry?
- What is passivation process?
- What is passivation explain with example?
- Is passivation a special process?
- What chemicals are used in passivation?
- Can passivation be removed?
The word “there” have multiple functions. In verbal and written English, the word can be used as an adverb, a pronoun, a noun, an interjection, or an adjective. This word is classified as an adverb if it is used to modify a verb in the sentence.
When we use their and there?
Their is the possessive pronoun, as in “their car is red”; there is used as an adjective, “he is always there for me,” a noun, “get away from there,” and, chiefly, an adverb, “stop right there”; they’re is a contraction of “they are,” as in “they’re getting married.”
What words are expletives?
(linguistics) A word without meaning added to fill a syntactic position. The definition of an expletive is a crude or obscene expression, or an unnecessary word or phrase used to fill space in a sentence for grammar or rhythm purposes. An example of an expletive is saying “damn it.”
Does expletive mean swear word?
The word “expletive” is also commonly defined as a profanity or curse word, apart from its grammatical function.
What is a Nominalization word examples?
Nominalizations are nouns that are created from adjectives (words that describe nouns) or verbs (action words). For example, “interference” is a nominalization of “interfere,” “decision” is a nominalization of “decide,” and “argument” is a nominalization of “argue.”
Are gerunds Nominalizations?
Nominalization is the process of producing a noun from another part of speech. This post is about nouns formed from verbs. The least-disguised nominalized verb is the gerund: the present participle form of the verb used as a noun: Hiking can be arduous.
What is Nominalization in English language?
In English grammar, nominalization is a type of word formation in which a verb or an adjective (or another part of speech) is used as (or transformed into) a noun. In transformational grammar, nominalization refers to the derivation of a noun phrase from an underlying clause.
Why is Nominalisation formal?
Nominalisation is a useful skill to have in academic writing because it conveys an objective, impersonal tone. As a consequence of using nominalisation, your writing will be more abstract and more formal. Nominalisation is a noun phrase generated from another word class, usually a verb.
What is Passivization?
In English grammar, passivization is the transformation of a sentence from an active form to a passive form. Passivization is also known as raising. Through the process of passivization, the direct object of an active declarative sentence can become the subject of a passive sentence.
How do you do Passivization?
Notes of Passivization
- agent + verbi + patient –> patient + form of be + past participle verbi (+ agent)
- mentioning the agent is optional.
- the verb in the active sentence changes from transitive to intransitive in the passive.
What is the first step to Passivization?
1. Turning an active sentence or clause into a corresponding PASSIVE sentence or clause: Jane opened the door becoming The door was opened by Jane. 2. Prepositional verbs, such as look at and approve of, often occur in the passive. …
Why do we need to apply Passivization?
Answer. Answer: Nominalisation is a useful skill to have in academic writing because it conveys an objective, impersonal tone. It can also make the text more concise by packing a great deal of information into a few words. …
How do you use passivation in a sentence?
Examples of passivation
- Frequent passivation, along with the strict exclusion of water and greases, must be undertaken.
- The oxide removal conduces also as surface passivation.
- This is known as surface passivation, a critical step that made possible the ubiquity of silicon integrated circuits.
What is meaning of passivation in English?
Passivation, in physical chemistry and engineering, refers to a material becoming “passive,” that is, less affected or corroded by the environment of future use. As a technique, passivation is the use of a light coat of a protective material, such as metal oxide, to create a shell against corrosion.
What is passivation English?
transitive verb. 1 : to make inactive or less reactive passivate the surface of steel by chemical treatment. 2 : to protect (something, such as a solid-state device) against contamination by coating or surface treatment.
What is passivation in pharmaceutical industry?
Passivation For The Pharmaceutical Industry The passivation process chemically bathes metals to remove impurities left behind from the manufacturing of the instrument and provides a protective oxide layer to make sure that no future impurities are able to mar your metal, most commonly, in the form of rusting.
What is passivation process?
The passivation process is a method of improving the corrosion resistance of stainless steel parts by removing ferrous contaminants like free iron from their surface, restoring them to their original corrosion specifications.
What is passivation explain with example?
As defined in MIL-STD-753C, the passivation process is the final treatment/cleaning process used to remove iron from the surface of corrosion resistant steel parts such that a more uniform formation of a passive surface is obtained thus enhancing corrosion resistance.
Is passivation a special process?
Special processes that are provided by ElectroLab that are considered stand-alone processes and have their own specifications are: Electroless Nickel. Passivation.
What chemicals are used in passivation?
There are three chemicals broadly used for passivating stainless steel; phosphoric acid, nitric acid and citric acid.
Can passivation be removed?
A. Mr Tarantella. The treatments described can remove some of the effects of Passivation. The Passivation treatment itself consists of selective removal of iron from the surface and the leaving behind of Oxides of chrome and nickel that protect the base from further corrosion.