You use there in front of certain verbs when you are saying that something exists, develops, or can be seen. Whether the verb is singular or plural depends on the noun which follows the verb. There remains considerable doubt over when the road will be completed.

Understanding the Context

There is sometimes used by way of exclamation, calling attention to something, especially to something distant; such as in the phrases There, there!, See there! and Look there! Note: Do not confuse there, which has meanings that mostly relate to a literal or abstract location, with the words their and they're. Their has to do with what belongs to or is associated with them (" their new car"), while they're is a contraction of "they are" ("when they're ready").

Key Insights

We can use there at the start of a clause as a type of indefinite subject. This means that we can put the actual subject at the end of the clause and so give it emphasis or focus (underlined below): … Define there. there synonyms, there pronunciation, there translation, English dictionary definition of there. in or at that place: The book is over there. Not to be confused with: their – possessive case of they: It is their book.

Final Thoughts

they're – they are: They’re working... When do we use “there”? While “their” is a seemingly simple word, with two distinct uses and a clear meaning, “there” is a little bit more complex, in regard to the contexts where it may appear. To be clear, “there” is mainly used as an adverb, expressing a location or a particular place. There are 27 meanings listed in OED's entry for the word there, six of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

there, adv., n., & int. meanings, etymology and more | Oxford English ... Used to express sympathy, concern, etc. when repeated.