Happy new year to everyone!
i would like to ask which is correct
On the first floor there is a kitchen, a living room and a bathroom
or
On the first floor there are a kitchen, a living room and a bathroom
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Hi, Foteini,
@Foteini posted:Happy new year to everyone!
i would like to ask which is correct
On the first floor there is a kitchen, a living room and a bathroom
or
On the first floor there are a kitchen, a living room and a bathroom
In modern English, the first noun in the series is the one that attracts 'is' or 'are'. When the first noun in the series is singular, you should use 'there is', but if it is plural, you should use 'there are'. So, the answer to your question is 'there is'.
@Foteini posted:i would like to ask which is correct
On the first floor there is a kitchen, a living room and a bathroom
or
On the first floor there are a kitchen, a living room and a bathroom
Hello, Foteini—I agree with Ahmed_btm. This is a controversial topic and one that very few grammar books address, but most of the few that do take the position that we are to follow the proximity principle in this type of case.
The verb following existential "there" (used as the grammatical subject of a finite clause) should agree with the first member of the compound logical subject. As a native speaker, I know that this is what sounds better.
- There are two bedrooms and a bathroom on the second floor.
- There is a bathroom and two bedrooms on the second floor.
- ?? There are a bathroom and two bedrooms on the second floor.
Happy New Year!