There is or it is?

Use there is/are to say that something exists, especially the first time you mention it, and use it once you already know what you are talking about, or for weather, time and distance. There is a cafe on this street. It is very popular.

The rule

There is/are introduces new information: it tells the listener that something exists in a place for the first time. Once the thing is known, you stop saying there and switch to it (or they for a plural thing).

It also has a second job with no real meaning at all: English uses it for weather, time, distance and general conditions, because every sentence needs a subject. It is raining. It is nine o'clock. It is two kilometres to the beach.

Form

Examples

• There is a new shop on this street.
• It is very popular with students.
• There are two windows in this room.
• It is cloudy this morning.
• It is about ten minutes to the station.

Common mistakes

• ❌ It is a shop near my house. → ✅ There is a shop near my house. Use there is to introduce something new; it needs the listener to already know what it refers to.
• ❌ There is raining today. → ✅ It is raining today. English always uses it for weather, never there, even though many languages use their own word for exist here.
• ❌ There is nine o'clock. → ✅ It is nine o'clock. Time, like weather, always takes it.
• ❌ There is a cat in the garden. There is very small. → ✅ There is a cat in the garden. It is very small. Once you introduce something with there is, switch to it to say more about it.