There is and without using there is
There is a man standing in front of the parking lot.
A man is a man standing in front of the parking lot. What is the difference between the two?
sanjay
Expert
2 answers 
The two have identical meaning. However, starting a sentence with "there is" is considered both wordy and weak. The writer is, like, beating around, you know, the bush when a simple, more direct usage would serve. The following all mean the same thing:
Weak -- There is a man standing in front of the parking lot.
Strong - A man is standing in front of the parking lot.
Stronger -- A man stands in front of the parking lot.
The use of a "to be" verb-form such as "is standing" is considered to be weaker than the active form "stands".
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answered Apr 29 '12 at 15:10
Jeff Pribyl
Grammarly Fellow
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Thanks. Then, where do we use "there is" and "there are"?
First, just because it is considered "weak" does not mean it can always before avoided when starting a sentence. Nine times out of ten, your sentence can be rewritten to avoid the usage.Second, the usage is acceptable when it occurs within a sentence. For instance --> "The man standing over there is my uncle.'
add commentTo answer your second question:
Use "there is" if the noun is singular, and use "there are" when the noun is plural.
There is a man standing in front of the parking lot.
There are a few men standing in front of the parking lot.
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answered Apr 30 '12 at 05:32
Yoko
New member
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