Whether you are writing a university essay, polishing a corporate report, or drafting an email to your team, choosing between there is many or there are many can cause sudden hesitation. At first glance, both sound familiar to the ear because native speakers frequently blur the lines in everyday speech.
However, in standard English grammar, “there are many” is almost always the correct choice.
In this complete guide, you will learn the exact rule governing this phrase, understand why the confusion happens, see over 75 categorized examples, and test your knowledge with a short quiz.
Quick Answer: Is It “There Is Many” or “There Are Many”?
The Short Answer: Use “there are many.”
- Correct: There are many reasons to attend the summit.
- Incorrect: There is many reasons to attend the summit.
The word “many” modifies a plural countable noun (such as reasons, people, options, or challenges). Because the true subject of the sentence is plural, the linking verb must also be plural: are, not is.
The only historical or literary exception is the idiomatic phrase “there is many a…” (e.g., “There is many a slip between the cup and the lip”), where “a” forces the following noun into the singular form. Outside of this specific literary idiom, “there are many” is the undisputed standard.
The Grammar Rule Explained: Dummy Pronouns and Inversion
To understand why “there are many” is correct, look at how sentences beginning with the word “there” work.
1. “There” Is an Expletive (Dummy) Subject
In normal English sentence structure, the subject comes first, followed by the verb:
- Two cars (subject) + are (verb) + in the driveway.
When you begin a sentence with “there,” the syntax is inverted. “There” is not the real subject; it functions as a dummy pronoun or expletive. Its only job is to state the existence of something.
Here is the rewritten section with natural, clean phrasing and no math symbols or arrows:
2. The True Subject Follows the Verb
Because the word “there” has no number of its own (it is neither singular nor plural), the verb must match the actual subject that comes directly after it:
- There is + [singular noun] becomes: There is a solution.
- There are + [plural noun] becomes: There are solutions.
3. “Many” Demands a Plural Noun
The word “many” is only used with plural, countable nouns:
- Many books, many ideas, many factors, many citizens.
Because the noun following “many” is always plural, the verb must always be plural to match it. The standard sentence pattern is:
There + are + many + [plural noun]
(For example: “There are many options.”)
Quick Comparison: “There Is” vs. “There Are”
| Construction | Grammatical Status | Correct Usage Example | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|---|
| There are many… | Standard / Correct | There are many applicants today. | “Applicants” is plural; requires plural verb are. |
| There is many… | Incorrect | “Is” is singular; conflicts with plural “applicants.” | |
| There is much… | Standard / Correct | There is much work left to do. | “Work” is uncountable (singular mass noun). |
| There’s many… | Informal Spoken Only | There’s many things to see. | Common in fast speech, but grammatically incorrect in writing. |
| There is many a… | Literary / Idiomatic | There is many a tale about this castle. | “A” makes the subsequent subject grammatically singular. |
Why Do People Say “There’s Many”?
If “there is many” is grammatically wrong, why do we hear it so frequently on television, podcasts, and daily conversations?
- The Convenience of the Contraction: In spoken English, the tongue naturally prefers contractions. “There’s” rolls off the tongue much faster than “there are.”
- Cognitive Delay: When speaking, people often utter “There’s…” before they have decided whether the noun they are about to say is singular or plural.
- Colloquial Dialects: Certain regional dialects in the UK, the US, and Ireland treat “there’s” as an invariant discourse marker regardless of plurality.
Writing Rule: While casual speech tolerates “there’s many,” formal, academic, and business English strictly requires “there are many.”
80+ Categorized Examples
To help you gain complete confidence, review the practical examples below categorized by context.
1. Basic Everyday Examples
- Correct: There are many birds resting on the telephone wire.
- Correct: There are many apples left in the basket.
- Correct: There are many cars parked along the street.
- Correct: There are many chairs in the empty classroom.
- Correct: There are many pictures hanging on the gallery wall.
- Correct: There are many flowers blooming in the front garden.
- Correct: There are many paths leading up the mountain.
- Correct: There are many windows in the living room.
- Correct: There are many clean plates in the cupboard.
- Correct: There are many children playing in the park.
2. Daily Conversation Examples
- Correct: “Are there many seats remaining for the evening show?”
- Correct: “There are many reasons why I chose not to move abroad.”
- Correct: “Don’t rush; there are many trains running this afternoon.”
- Correct: “There are many grocery stores within walking distance.”
- Correct: “I noticed there are many new faces at the neighborhood meeting.”
- Correct: “There are many things we still need to pack before tomorrow.”
- Correct: “Do you think there are many vegetarian options on the menu?”
- Correct: “There are many good cafes downtown if you want to study.”
- Correct: “We checked online, and there are many positive reviews for this hotel.”
- Correct: “There are many ways to get downtown from here without taking a cab.”
3. Intermediate Sentence Structures
- Correct: There are many cultural differences between the two neighboring provinces.
- Correct: Although it rained, there are many hikers still on the trail.
- Correct: There are many historical documents stored in the city archive.
- Correct: Despite the delays, there are many flights departing on schedule.
- Correct: There are many software updates that require an immediate system restart.
- Correct: In urban centers, there are many community gardens managed by volunteers.
- Correct: There are many warning signs along the steep coastal cliffs.
- Correct: While the book is old, there are many lessons that remain relevant today.
- Correct: There are many freelance designers competing for the same contracts.
- Correct: In this collection, there are many rare coins dating back to the Roman Empire.
4. Workplace and Business Writing Examples
- Correct: There are many stakeholders who must approve the annual budget before Friday.
- Correct: There are many cost-reduction strategies outlined in the quarterly review.
- Correct: In the current economic climate, there are many risks associated with rapid expansion.
- Correct: There are many supply chain bottlenecks affecting inventory levels across the region.
- Correct: We found that there are many redundant steps in our client onboarding pipeline.
- Correct: There are many candidates who meet the baseline qualifications for the director position.
- Correct: There are many avenues for revenue generation outside of our core SaaS offering.
- Correct: According to the audit, there are many discrepancies in the fiscal ledger.
- Correct: There are many compliance requirements under the new data privacy framework.
- Correct: There are many competitors entering the clean energy market this quarter.
5. Professional Email Examples
- Correct: “Please note that there are many attachments included in this project handover.”
- Correct: “There are many agenda items we must cover during tomorrow’s sync.”
- Correct: “I noticed there are many unassigned tickets currently in the engineering queue.”
- Correct: “There are many open questions regarding the revised client contract.”
- Correct: “Thank you for reaching out; there are many opportunities for us to collaborate.”
- Correct: “There are many dates available next week if you would like to reschedule the call.”
- Correct: “As discussed, there are many variables that could alter our final delivery timeline.”
- Correct: “There are many positive takeaways from the feedback survey sent to customers.”
- Correct: “Please review the slide deck, as there are many minor data corrections.”
- Correct: “There are many department leads copied on this message for visibility.”
6. Academic and Research Writing Examples
- Correct: There are many empirical studies that corroborate this psychological hypothesis.
- Correct: In contemporary sociology, there are many competing theories regarding urbanization.
- Correct: There are many peer-reviewed articles analyzing the effects of ocean acidification.
- Correct: While the hypothesis is compelling, there are many statistical anomalies in the dataset.
- Correct: There are many historical records indicating trade between the two ancient civilizations.
- Correct: In quantum physics, there are many models that attempt to reconcile general relativity.
- Correct: There are many methodologies suitable for gathering qualitative demographic data.
- Correct: The author demonstrates that there are many structural flaws in the treaty.
- Correct: In this control group, there are many indicators of consistent physiological recovery.
- Correct: There are many citations missing from the secondary literature review.
7. Current Affairs and Media Reporting Examples
- Correct: There are many polling stations operating with extended hours during the election.
- Correct: Across Europe, there are many legislative measures being introduced to regulate AI.
- Correct: There are many humanitarian organizations providing relief in the flood zone.
- Correct: Analysts report that there are many factors driving the current price of crude oil.
- Correct: In the wake of the storm, there are many communities without electrical power.
- Correct: There are many international observers monitoring the peace negotiations.
- Correct: Economists argue that there are many indicators pointing toward an interest rate cut.
- Correct: There are many local councils protesting the national infrastructure cuts.
- Correct: Following the announcement, there are many questions regarding defense spending.
- Correct: Around the world, there are many protests advocating for environmental reforms.
8. The Rare Literary Exception: “There is many a…”
These examples demonstrate the only construction where “there is” pairs with “many.” Notice that each following noun is singular:
71. Correct (Literary): There is many a man who has regretted a hasty decision.
72. Correct (Literary): There is many a ship that has vanished in those waters.
73. Correct (Literary): There is many a lesson to be learned from our failures.
74. Correct (Literary): There is many a quiet evening spent by the hearth.
75. Correct (Literary): There is many a dream forgotten in the morning light.
10 Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them
Review these typical subject-verb agreement errors:
| Incorrect Sentence | Correct Sentence | Grammar Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| There are many reasons to reconsider. | “Reasons” is plural; requires plural verb “are.” | |
| There are many people waiting outside. | “People” is an irregular plural noun; never pair with “there’s.” | |
| There is much milk left. | “Milk” is uncountable; requires singular “is” + “much.” | |
| There are many factors involved. | “Factors” is plural; requires “are.” | |
| Are there many questions? | “Questions” is countable; use “many” with plural verb “are.” | |
| There is many a thing to fix. | “Many a…” must always be followed by a singular noun. | |
| There is a lot of water.* | “Water” is uncountable; “a lot of” takes the number of the noun. | |
| In this report, | In this report, there are many errors. | Academic/formal writing forbids casual singular contractions with plural nouns. |
| Are there many tickets left? | Inverted question form: verb must match plural “tickets.” | |
| There is much traffic on the highway. | “Traffic” is non-count; use “much” with “there is.” |
Simple Memory Tricks
Use these two mental checks whenever you write:
Trick 1: Flip the Sentence
Remove the word “there” and rearrange the sentence so the subject comes first:
- Many reasons are present $\rightarrow$ Therefore: There are many reasons.
- You would never say: “Many reasons is present.”
Trick 2: The Finger Test
Put your finger over the word “there.” Look at the noun that comes after the verb:
- If the noun has an -s (plural, like books or ideas), pick the verb that does not have an -s (are).
- If the noun is singular (like a book), pick the verb that has an -s (is).
Practice Exercises
Fill in the blanks with “there is”, “there are”, or “there is many a”:
- _______________ many avenues we have yet to explore.
- _______________ many a traveler who lost their path in the blizzard.
- _______________ many structural defects in the foundation of the bridge.
- In our department, _______________ many talented engineers.
- _______________ much confusion surrounding the new tax brackets.
Exercise Answers:
- There are (avenues is plural)
- There is many a (traveler is singular)
- There are (defects is plural)
- There are (engineers is plural)
- There is (confusion is uncountable)
5-Question Quiz
Test your mastery. Choose the best option for each sentence:
1. Which sentence is grammatically correct for a formal cover letter?
A) There is many skills I can bring to this position.
B) There’s many skills I can bring to this position.
C) There are many skills I can bring to this position.
D) There is many a skills I can bring to this position.
2. Complete the sentence: “According to the latest census, ________ many cities facing water shortages.”
A) there is
B) there are
C) there’s
D) there be
3. Identify the error in this sentence: “There is many challenges facing small businesses this year.”
A) Change “facing” to “faced”
B) Change “businesses” to “business”
C) Change “is” to “are”
D) The sentence is already correct.
4. When is the phrase “there is many” grammatically acceptable?
A) When followed by plural proper nouns.
B) When speaking rapidly in academic debates.
C) Only in the archaic/literary construction “there is many a [singular noun].”
D) Whenever “a lot of” can be substituted.
5. Which form matches an uncountable noun like “evidence”?
A) There are many evidence
B) There is many evidence
C) There are much evidence
D) There is much evidence
Quiz Answer Key and Explanations
- C: There are many skills I can bring to this position.
Explanation: “Skills” is a plural countable noun. Formal correspondence requires the plural verb “are.” - B: there are
Explanation: “Cities” is plural, requiring “there are.” “There’s” is an informal contraction of “there is.” - C: Change “is” to “are”
Explanation: “Challenges” is the real subject and is plural. The dummy pronoun construction requires “there are.” - C: Only in the archaic/literary construction “there is many a [singular noun].”
Explanation: Phrases like “there is many a slip” are the only standard instance because the determiner “a” keeps the following subject singular. - D: There is much evidence
Explanation: “Evidence” is an uncountable (mass) noun. Uncountable nouns take the singular verb “is” and the quantifier “much,” not “many.”
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on ”There Is Many or There Are Many”
Can I write “there’s many” in an essay or business report?
No. While “there’s many” is common in spoken English, it represents a grammatical contraction of “there is many.” In professional, academic, or formal writing, it is considered a subject-verb agreement error. Always write “there are many.”
Why is “many” always paired with plural nouns?
In English syntax, “many” is a determiner and quantifier reserved exclusively for countable, plural nouns (e.g., many desks, many miles). For mass or non-count nouns, English uses “much” or “a great deal of” (e.g., much sugar, much patience).
What is the difference between “there are many” and “there are several”?
Both are grammatically plural and take “are.” The difference lies in degree: “several” typically refers to an imprecise small number (more than two, but fewer than “many”). “Many” denotes a large, substantial quantity.
Is “there are a lot of” better than “there are many”?
“There are many” is more concise, precise, and preferred in formal and academic writing. “A lot of” is slightly more colloquial, though grammatically versatile because it works with both plural count nouns (there are a lot of people) and uncountable nouns (there is a lot of water).
How do I handle negative sentences: “there aren’t many” or “there isn’t many”?
Use “there aren’t many” (there are not many). Because the following noun is plural, the negative form must also retain the plural verb are. Example: “There aren’t many tickets left for the conference.”
Summary and Key Takeaways
- Default Rule: Always use “there are many” when referring to plural objects, people, concepts, or instances.
- The Syntax Behind It: “There” is an expletive (dummy) pronoun; the true subject appears after the verb. Because “many” modifies plural nouns, the verb must be plural (are).
- Avoid the Spoken Trap: Do not let the common spoken contraction “there’s many” slip into your written work.
- The Singular Exception: Only use “there is many a…” in poetic or literary contexts where a singular noun immediately follows “a.”
Mastering subject-verb agreement with dummy pronouns ensures your writing remains crisp, professional, and grammatically impeccable across any medium.
Disclaimer
This article is provided for educational and informational purposes to assist writers, students, and ESL learners in mastering standard English grammar conventions. While descriptive linguistic variations exist in colloquial speech and regional dialects, the advice presented here adheres to prescriptive standards used in international academia, professional business communications, and recognized style manuals (including Chicago, AP, and Oxford).
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