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I have some grammar questions about 'there'

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May 04th 2012 12:46
i suddenly have some questions about 'there'

in my book

There is (the book) on the desk
There was (John's book) under the piano.
There was (my book) in the classroom
There was (John) under the chair
There was (he) in the seminar

All of sentences are 'x'
I hope to understand it.
superEGO
May 04th 2012 12:55
  • There is (the book) on the desk

  • There is (the a book) on the desk

 
  • There was (John's book) under the piano.

  • There was (John's book) under the piano.

    ??
    John's book was under the piano.

 
  • There was (my book) in the classroom

  • There was (my book) in the classroom

    ??
    My book was in the classroom.

 
  • There was (John) under the chair

  • There was (John) under the chair

    John was under the chair.

 
  • There was (he) in the seminar

  • There was (he) in the seminar

    He was AT the seminar. (He attended the seminar)
    He was IN the seminar. (He participated in the seminar [as a presenter])

 
  • All of sentences are 'x'

  • All of sentences are 'x'

    ????????????

 
"There is" is happening now.
"There was" happened in the past.

There is a book on the table NOW.
There was a book on the table YESTERDAY.
There will be a book on the table TOMORROW.
May 04th 2012 13:05 Hoon
Hi. superEGO
Thanks for your correction.
I just want to know why i have not to use these sentences. ^^
May 05th 2012 14:00 superEGO
The meaning of your sentences is not clear. They can mean **MANY** things. It is very strange to put words in () "parenthesis", so it's difficult to know what it is that you want to say :)
Meri J.
May 05th 2012 15:56
  • There is (the book) on the desk

  • There is a book on the desk. OR: The book is on the desk.

 
  • There was (John's book) under the piano.

  • John's book was under the piano.

 
  • There was (my book) in the classroom

  • My book was in the classroom

 
  • There was (John) under the chair

  • John was under the chair. (OR: John was there, under the chair.)

 
  • There was (he) in the seminar

  • He was at the seminar. (OR: He was there at the seminar.)

 
  • All of sentences are 'x'

  • All of sentences are marked 'x', meaning 'incorrect', but I don't know why they are incorrect.

 
Good question! :)

The original sentences were incorrect, because "there is/are"/"there was/were" should match with INdefinite things or people.

Examples:
There is A book on the table.
There was A man at the door.
There were SOME children under the table.
There is SOMEthing I must tell you.
Is there ANYthing else?
("A", "any" and "some" are INdefinite articles.)

When you speak/write about SPECIFIC/DEFINITE things or people, you can't use "there is/are"/"there was/were."

Instead, you should just use "is"/"are"/"was"/"were" (without "there").

THE books are on the chair.
JOHN is at the door.
JOHN'S cat was under the table.
MY children were in the kitchen.
Is THAT book still on the table?

I hope this helps :)

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i suddenly have some questions about 'there' in my book There is (the book) on the desk There was (John's book) under the piano. There was (my book) in the classroom There was (John) under the chair There was (he) in the seminar All of sentences are 'x' I hope to understand it.


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