FluencyLab
GrammarHub
Use there to introduce the existence of something. Use it to refer to a specific thing or situation, and in expressions about weather, time, distance, and temperature.
Overview
Use there to introduce the existence of something. Use it to refer to a specific thing or situation, and in expressions about weather, time, distance, and temperature.
Form and rules
Use there + be to introduce something new: There is a shop near here.
After you introduce the thing, use a normal pronoun such as it to refer to it: There is a shop. It is open.
Use it for weather: It's raining. It's cold.
Use it for time and dates: It's six o'clock. It's Monday.
Use it for distance: It's five kilometres from here to the airport.
A closer look
There introduces the existence of something new. It refers to a specific thing or situation that is already known or understood.
English also uses it as an empty subject in expressions about weather, time, distance, and general conditions: It's raining; It's late; It's five kilometres.
Examples
There is a new café. It's very popular.
It's sunny today.
It's half past eight.
It's a long way to the station.
There were three messages. They were all from Ana.
Common mistakes
Use there to introduce the existence of the bank.
Weather expressions use it as the subject.
Ready to practise?
The test combines multiple choice, gap completion, error correction, and sentence building so students have to recognise and produce the grammar, not simply reread the rule.