“There is no” and “there are no” are negative existential phrases in English used to express the absence of something. The choice between them hinges entirely on one thing: the noun that follows. There Is No vs There Are No.
Most writers freeze mid-sentence here — and that hesitation costs credibility.
Master this single rule and your writing instantly sounds sharper, more confident, and more professional. Whether you’re crafting a formal report or a casual email, getting this right separates fluent writers from everyone else.
Why This Confusion Happens (And Why It Actually Matters)
Here’s the root of the problem: most people focus on the word “there” rather than on the noun that follows the verb. “There” feels like the subject. It’s the first word in the sentence. It commands attention.
But it isn’t the subject. Not even close.
In English grammar, “there” is called a dummy subject — a placeholder that fills the subject slot without carrying any real meaning. The true subject is the noun that comes AFTER the verb. And that noun is what controls whether you use is or are.
This matters in the real world. In professional emails, academic papers, or job applications, a subject-verb agreement error signals carelessness. It’s the kind of mistake that quietly undermines credibility before your reader even processes your main point.
The Grammar Foundation: Existential Sentences Explained Simply
Sentences that start with “there is” or “there are” are called existential sentences. Their job is simple: they announce that something exists (or doesn’t).
The structure works like this:
There + verb (is/are) + real subject + rest of sentence
Ask yourself: “What exists?” Whatever answers that question IS your grammatical subject. Match the verb to that noun — not to “there.”
Sentence breakdown:
| Element | Example |
|---|---|
| Dummy subject | There |
| Verb | are |
| Real subject | no seats |
| Rest of sentence | available tonight |
“There are no seats available tonight.”
The real subject is seats — plural. So the verb is are. Simple once you see it.
“There Is No” — Exactly When to Use It
With Singular Countable Nouns
A singular countable noun refers to exactly one, individual, separable thing. Think: a car, a pen, a phone, a solution, a chance. If you can put a or an in front of it, it’s singular countable.
The pattern: There is no + singular countable noun
- There is no car in the driveway.
- There is no solution to this equation.
- There is no chance of rain today.
- There is no rule without an exception.
✅ Correct: There is no lesson scheduled for Friday. ❌ Incorrect: There is no lessons scheduled for Friday.
The “a/an test” is your fastest shortcut here. Can you say “a lesson”? Yes. So use there is no lesson.
With Uncountable (Mass) Nouns
This is where most grammar confusion piles up. Uncountable nouns — also called mass nouns — refer to things that can’t be counted individually. They have no plural form. You don’t say “two milks” or “three informations.”
Classic examples:
- Liquids: water, milk, coffee, tea
- Materials: wood, steel, plastic, flour, rice, sugar
- Abstract concepts: honesty, happiness, freedom, knowledge, truth, pain, betrayal
- Activities: studying, swimming, driving
- Systems: electricity, traffic, equipment, furniture, information, advice, money
Because these nouns are grammatically singular, they ALWAYS pair with “there is no.” No exceptions.
- There is no milk left in the fridge.
- There is no furniture in that apartment.
- There is no information available yet.
- No advice fits every situation.
- There is no traffic at 3 AM.
Golden Rule: If a noun has no plural form, use “there is no.” Every time.
With Gerunds and Infinitives
Gerunds (verb + -ing used as a noun) are always grammatically singular. Treat them exactly like singular nouns.
- There is no running in the hallway.
- There is no smoking on these premises.
- There is no turning back now.
- There is no denying the truth.
Infinitives work the same way:
- There is no way to know for certain.
- There is no reason to panic.
These phrases appear constantly in formal writing, official signage, and professional communication. Getting them right signals fluency.
With Collective Nouns Acting as a Single Unit
Collective nouns — words like team, staff, family, audience, committee — can be singular OR plural depending on whether the group acts as one unit or as individual members. There Is No vs There Are No.
When the group acts as a unit, there is no use.
- There is no committee willing to approve the budget.
- There is no team capable of defending that title this season.
“There Are No” — Exactly When to Use It
With Plural Countable Nouns
Plural countable nouns refer to more than one countable item. Cars, chairs, students, bottles, children, criteria, players, lessons — if it’s multiple and countable, it pairs with “there are no.”
- There are no seats available.
- There are no messages in your inbox.
- There are no students registered for that course.
- There are no bottles left on the shelf.
- There are no shoes in her size.
✅ Correct: There are no children enrolled this semester. ❌ Incorrect: There are no children enrolled this semester.
The “Many Test” — Your Foolproof Shortcut
Can you naturally say “many [noun]”? If yes, you need “there are no.”
- Many students → There are no students ✅
- Many chairs → There are no chairs ✅
- Many advices ← . This sounds wrong. That’s because advice is uncountable → There is no advice ✅
Run this test whenever you’re unsure. It works almost every time.
With Collective Nouns When Members Act Separately
When collective nouns describe members acting as individuals rather than a unified body, use ” there is no:
- No teams are willing to practice in this heat.
- There are no groups interested in the project.
Compare:
- There is no team ready (team as a single unit)
- There are no teams ready (multiple separate teams)
The Trickiest Cases Most Guides Skip
Nouns That Can Be Both Countable and Uncountable
Some nouns shift meaning based on context. This is called a semantic shift — and it changes which phrase you use. There Is No vs There Are No.
| Noun | Uncountable Meaning | Countable Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| experience | general life experience | specific experiences |
| time | the concept of time | specific instances |
| paper | the material | documents/newspapers |
| light | illumination in general | specific light sources |
| work | effort/labor | artistic works |
- There is no time (the concept) ✅
- There are no times when this is acceptable (specific instances) ✅
- There is no light in here (general illumination) ✅
- No lights are working on this floor (individual light fixtures) ✅
Context-dependent meaning determines everything. Always ask: am I referring to the substance/concept, or to individual, countable instances?
Fractions, Percentages, and Quantified Expressions
This is a particularly sneaky area of English syntax. The rule hinges on what the number or fraction refers to.
- There is no 10% discount available → refers to a single discount rate ✅
- There are no discounts available → refers to multiple discounts ✅
| Quantified Expression | Use |
|---|---|
| no amount of patience | there is no amount of patience |
| no type of treatment | there is no type of treatment |
| no kinds of vegetables | there are no kinds of vegetables |
| no groups of students | there are no groups of students |
Quantifiers like no amount of, no type of, no kind of typically introduce uncountable or singular concepts → use there is no. Quantifiers like no kinds of, no types of, no groups of introduce plural ideas → use there are no.
“There’s No” — The Contraction Trap
“There’s” is a contraction of “there is.” Grammatically, it should only precede singular or uncountable nouns.
- ✅ There’s no milk.
- ✅ There’s no problem.
- ❌ There are no rules. ← This is a grammatical error.
So why does “there are no rules” sound so natural? Because in spoken English and informal speech, native speakers constantly compress phrases. Rhythm and speed override strict grammar rules in casual conversation. There Is No vs There Are No.
Here’s where the line falls:
| Context | Acceptable? |
|---|---|
| Text message to a friend | Use “there are no rules.” |
| Business email | “There are no rules” reflects real speech |
| Academic essay | Always, “there are no rules.” |
| Quoted dialogue in fiction | “There’s no rules” reflects real speech |
| Formal report | Never use the contracted form before a plural |
Written English demands precision. Spoken English trades precision for flow. Know which one you’re producing.
“There Are No” vs “There Aren’t Any” — A Real Difference
These two constructions mean essentially the same thing but carry different weight.
- There are no options — formal, direct, emphatic
- There aren’t any options — slightly less formal, softer
In formal writing, “there are no” is stronger and cleaner. In casual speech, “there aren’t any” sounds more natural. Both are grammatically correct — the choice is about register and tone.
Real-World Examples Side by Side
| Context | There Is No ✅ | There Are No ✅ |
|---|---|---|
| Workplace email | There is no update from the client yet. | There are no vacancies at this time. |
| Academic writing | There is no evidence to support this claim. | Legal/formal documents |
| Everyday speech | There’s no milk left. | There are no seats on the train. |
| Signage / official notices | There is no entry after 9 PM. | There are no refunds on sale items. |
| Legal / formal documents | There is no obligation to respond. | There are no exceptions to this policy. |
| Social media | There is no way this is real. | There are no words for this. |
The 5 Most Common Grammar Errors — And How to Fix Them
Error 1 — “There Is No” Before Plural Nouns
❌ There is no students in the classroom. ✅ There are no students in the classroom.
Students are a plural countable noun. The real subject is plural, so the verb must be plural.
Error 2 — Pluralizing Uncountable Nouns
❌ There are no informations available. ✅ There is no information available.
❌ There are no advices on the website. ✅ There is no advice on the website.
Information and advice are classic uncountable nouns. They have no plural form in standard English grammar. Adding an s is one of the most telltale signs of a language learner still building fluency. There Is No vs There Are No.
Other frequently mispluralized uncountables:
| Wrong | Right |
|---|---|
| There are no furnitures | There is no furniture |
| There are no equipments | There is no equipment |
| There are no traffics | There is no traffic |
| There are no knowledges | There is no knowledge |
| There are no moneys | There is no money |
Error 3 — Ignoring the Real Subject
❌ There is no chairs at the table. ← writer focused on “there,” ignored “chairs” ✅ There are no chairs at the table.
Always ask: what exists? The answer — chairs — is your grammatical subject. Plural noun, plural verb. There Is No vs There Are No.
Error 4 — Collective Noun Confusion
❌ There are no committee ready to vote. ✅ There is no committee ready to vote. (acting as one body) ✅ There are no committees ready to vote. (multiple separate committees)
Collective nouns cause linguistic ambiguity even for native speakers. The key is always: are they acting as one, or as many?
Error 5 — Dragging Informal Contractions into Formal Writing
❌ There’s no candidates who qualify. (formal job posting) ✅ There are no candidates who qualify.
“There’s” in front of a plural noun is an agreement error — harmless in a text message, damaging in a professional document. There Is No vs There Are No.
6 Pro Tips to Get This Right Every Single Time
Tip 1 — Ask “What exists?” That noun is your real subject. Match the verb to it, not to “there.”
Tip 2 — Run the “a/an” test Can you put a or an before the noun? → Use there is no. A solution? A chance? A rule? → There is no solution. There is no chance. There is no rule.
Tip 3 — Run the “many” test Can you say many [noun] naturally? → Use there are no. Many students? Many chairs? Many lessons? → There are no students. There are no chairs. There are no lessons.
Tip 4 — Uncountable nouns always = singular. Mass nouns have no plural form. They always take their. No exceptions. Memorize the most common ones: information, advice, furniture, equipment, traffic, knowledge, money, happiness, and honesty.
Tip 5 — Gerunds are always singular. Any -ing noun is treated as one concept: There is no running, smoking, or turning back.
Tip 6 — When stuck, sidestep it entirely. “No tickets remain” or “No update exists” — restructuring the sentence eliminates the choice. A handy escape hatch for formal writing when you’re not 100% sure. There Is No vs There Are No.
Quick-Reference Cheat Sheet
The One-Question Rule:
What exists in this sentence? → That’s your subject → Is it singular or plural? → Choose is/are accordingly.
| Noun Type | Example | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Singular countable | solution, car, rule | there is no |
| Plural countable | solutions, cars, rules | there are no |
| Uncountable/mass | information, advice, furniture | there is no |
| Gerund | running, smoking, turning back | there is no |
| Collective (as unit) | team, committee, family | there is no |
| Collective (as individuals) | teams, committees, families | there are no |
Decision Flowchart:
Is the noun countable?
├── YES → Is it singular or plural?
│ ├── Singular → THERE IS NO
│ └── Plural → THERE ARE NO
└── NO (uncountable/mass noun) → THERE IS NOConclusion
Understanding the difference between “there is” and “there are” comes down to one simple question: what’s the real subject? Singular or uncountable nouns take there is no. Plural nouns take there are no. There Is No vs There Are No. That’s the whole rule.
Mastering the difference between “there is” and “there are” instantly sharpens your writing. It builds credibility. It eliminates hesitation. There Is No vs There Are No. Now you have the tools — use them every time you write. There Is No vs There Are No.
FAQs
What is the basic rule for “there is no” vs “there are no”?
Use there is no with singular or uncountable nouns. Use there are no with plural nouns. Match the verb to the noun after it — not to “there.”
Is “there’s no rules” grammatically correct?
No. “There’s” means “there is” — so pairing it with a plural noun like rules is a subject-verb agreement error. Always write “there are no rules” in formal contexts.
Can uncountable nouns ever use “there are no”?
Never. Uncountable nouns like information, advice, furniture, and equipment have no plural form. They always take “there is no” — without exception.
Why do native speakers say “there’s no problems” in conversation?
Spoken English prioritizes speed and rhythm over strict grammar rules. This informal contraction is widely accepted in casual speech but remains incorrect in written English.
How do I quickly decide which phrase to use?
Run the “many test” — if many fits before the noun, use there are no. If a/an fits, use there is no. Takes one second and works every time.
