When you say "there __ a cat and two dogs", you say there IS or there ARE?

Question

Dear all, I know "There are two dogs and a cat" is much much better.

But this is a question for children who just start to learn English as their second language. And the school made this questions on purpose. So please tell me how "NATIVE SPEAKERS" say when they say such a lousy sentence. Thank you very much.

Answer 1

"are" is correct, but following with "a" is confusing. How about "there are two dogs and a cat"

Answer 2

depends on how you use it in a sentence... like....I saw a cat and two dogs playing around the garden.....There is a cat and two dogs for sale at the mall.yes, there are three animals but the first word is" a cat" meaning only singular therefore you use"there is a cat".Why are asking the use of IS and ARE?

Answer 3

Native speakers will say "is" because our brain will automatically make the verb agree with the seemingly singular subject of cat.

However, from a strictly grammatical point of view "are" is correct since there is a compound subject.

Answer 4

you use IS for cat......but in this case I would use are and reverse it: say the following:

"There are two dogs and a cat!"

that sounds one trillion times better.

normally when listing many things you list the multiples first. Example:

there are two men, a woman and a child.

There are 5 apples, 3 oranges, a banana and a pear

to say "there are a cat and two dogs sounds wrong even though it may be right.

THERE ARE TWO DOGS AND A CAT! :)

Answer 5

are is correct and I agree saying there are 2 dogs and a cat is much easier and correct.

Answer 6

OK, I'm not getting this from a grammar textbook or anything, but I am known as the "Grammar Nazi" to friends and family.

I would say "is" because I just could not get my mouth to say "there are a cat..." I would say "There is a cat and two dogs." Or, "There are three animals."

I think "is" is right.

Answer 7

If you meant there is a cat and there are two dogs, you should use IS. If you meant that the room had a cat and two dogs, use ARE.

Answer 8

There IS a cat and two dogs.

"There ARE a cat and two dogs." is a violation of Subject-Verb Agreement.

Go with IS, because IS applies to only the cat and not the dog.

Answer 9

there is a cat and two dogs. it's easier to say and understand. teach those kiddies well!!!

Answer 10

Grammatically it should be "are".
A lot of native speakers will say "is" or more likely "there's" though. (Even me, when I'm not in my Goddess of Grammar cape.)