Exercise 1
Put in there is/was or it is/was . Some sentences are questions (is there … ? / is it … ? etc.) and some are negative (isn't/wasn't ).
1) The journey took a long time. ________ a lot of traffic.
2) What’s this restaurant like? ________ good?
3) _____ something wrong with the computer. Can you check it for me?
4) I wanted to visit the museum, but ________ enough time.
5) 'What's that building? ________ a hotel?' 'No, ________ a theatre.'
6) How do we get across the river? ________ a bridge?
7) A few days ago ________ a big storm, which caused a lot of damage.
8) I can't find phone. ________ in bag – I just looked.
9) It's often cold here, but ________ much snow.
10) 'How was your trip?' ‘________ a disaster. Everything went wrong.'
11) _____ anything on television, so I turned it off.
12) '________ a bookshop near here?' 'Yes, ________ one in Hudson Street.'
13) When we got to the cinema, ________ a queue outside. ________ a very long queue, so we decided not to wait.
14) I couldn't see anything. ________ completely dark.
15) _____ difficult to get a job right now. ________ a lot of unemployment.
Show answers
1)
1 There was
2 Is it
3 There's / There is
4 there wasn't
5 Is it … it's I it is
6 Is there
7 there was
8 It isn't / it's not
9 there isn't
10 It was
11 There wasn't
12 Is there … there's / there is
13 there was … It was
14 It was
15 It's / It is … There's / There is
Exercise 2
Read the first sentence and then write a sentence beginning There … .
1) The roads were busy yesterday. ________
2) This soup is very salty. There ________ in the soup.
3) The box was empty. ________ in the box.
4) The film is very violent. ________
5) The shopping mall was crowded. ________
6) I like this town – it's lively. ________
Show answers
2)
1 There was a lot of traffic.
2 There's I There is a lot of salt in the soup. or … too much salt …
3 There was nothing in the box. or There wasn't anything in the box.
4 There's I There is a lot of violence in the film.
5 There were a lot of people in the shopping mall.
6 There is a lot to do in this town. / There is a lot happening in this town.
Exercise 3
Complete the sentences. Use there will be , therewouldbe etc. Choose from:
will may would wouldn't should used to (be) going to
1) If people drove more carefully, ________ fewer accidents.
2) 'Do we have any eggs?' 'I'm not sure. ________ some in the fridge.'
3) I think everything will be OK. I don't think ________ any problems.
4) Look at the sky. ________ a storm.
5) 'Is there a school in the village?' 'Not now. ________ one, but it closed.'
6) People drive too fast on this road. I think ________ a speed limit.
7) If people weren't aggressive, ________ any wars.
Show answers
3)
1 there would be
2 There may be
3 there will be / there'll be or there are going to be
4 There's going to be / There is going to be
5 There used to be
6 there should be
7 there wouldn't be
Exercise 4
Are these sentences right or wrong? Change it to there where necessary.
1) They live on a busy road. It must be a lot of noise. ________
2) It's a long way from house to the nearest shop. ________
3) After the lecture it will be an opportunity to ask questions. ________
4) I like where I live, but it would be nicer to live by the sea. ________
5) Why was she so unfriendly? It must have been a reason. ________
6) It's three years since I last went to the theatre. ________
7) A: Where can we park the car?
B: Don't worry. It's sure to be a car park somewhere. ________
8) It was Ken's birthday yesterday. We had a party. ________
9) The situation is still the same. It has been no change. ________
10) It used to be a church here, but it was knocked down. ________
11) I was told that it would be somebody to meet me at the station, but it wasn't anybody. ________
12) I don't know who'll win, but it's sure to be a good game. ________
Show answers
4)
1 There must be a lot of noise
2 OK
3 there will be an opportunity
4 OK
5 There must have been a reason.
6 OK
7 There's sure to be a car park somewhere.
8 OK
9 There has been no change.
10 There used to be a church here
11 there would be somebody … but there wasn't anybody.
12 OK
Interactive Phonemic Chart
Learn all of the vowel and consonant sounds in American English with this interactive phonemic chart.
