“There was” and “there were” are both correct, but they are used in different situations.
The main difference is simple: use there was with a singular noun or an uncountable noun, and use there were with a plural noun.
For example, “There was a problem” is correct because problem is singular, while “There were several problems” is correct because problems is plural.
This grammar rule can seem confusing because sentences beginning with there do not follow the usual subject-verb pattern at first glance.
The important thing is to look at the noun that comes after the verb. Once you identify whether that noun is singular, plural, or uncountable, choosing between there was and there were becomes much easier.
This guide explains the difference, gives practical examples, covers common mistakes, and shows how the forms work in American and British English.
Quick Answer
Use there was before a singular or uncountable noun: “There was a car outside” and “There was some water on the floor.” Use there were before a plural noun: “There were two cars outside.” The noun after was/were determines which form you need.
Why Do People Confuse “There Was” and “There Were”?
People often confuse these expressions because there is placed at the beginning of the sentence, making it easy to forget what the verb agrees with.
Compare:
- There was a student in the room.
- There were three students in the room.
The word there does not determine whether you use was or were. Instead, look at the noun that follows the verb:
- a student → singular → was
- three students → plural → were
This construction is called an existential there construction. It is commonly used to say that something exists, is present, happened, or was located somewhere.
The First Word: “There”
There is often used at the beginning of a sentence to introduce a person, thing, or situation.
Examples:
- There was a problem.
- There were two problems.
- There is a restaurant nearby.
- There are several restaurants nearby.
In these sentences, there does not mean a physical location. It introduces the subject of the sentence.
Do not confuse this use with there meaning a place:
- There was a book on the table. → There introduces the sentence.
- The book is over there. → There refers to a place.
The Second Word: “Was”
Was is the past tense of be used with singular subjects, such as I, he, she, it, and singular nouns.
In the expression there was, use was when the noun that follows is singular or uncountable.
Examples:
- There was a mistake.
- There was one person outside.
- There was an accident yesterday.
- There was some noise downstairs.
- There was a lot of traffic.
The important point is that uncountable nouns are treated as singular in English.
The Second Word: “Were”
Were is the past tense of be used with plural subjects and with you.
In there were, use were when the noun that follows is plural.
Examples:
- There were two mistakes.
- There were many people outside.
- There were several accidents last year.
- There were some problems with the computer.
- There were a lot of students in the classroom.
If the noun is clearly plural, there were is normally the correct choice.
There Was vs. There Were: Comparison Table
| Expression | Use it with | Example |
|---|---|---|
| There was | Singular countable noun | There was a dog outside. |
| There was | Uncountable noun | There was some milk in the fridge. |
| There were | Plural noun | There were three dogs outside. |
| There were | Plural noun with quantity | There were many people at the event. |
A quick way to decide is to ignore there temporarily and identify the noun:
There was + singular/uncountable noun
There were + plural noun
When Should You Use “There Was”?
Use there was when you are talking about one person, one thing, or an uncountable amount of something in the past.
Singular nouns
- There was a book on my desk.
- There was an empty chair near the window.
- There was a strange sound outside.
- There was one student in the classroom.
Uncountable nouns
- There was some water on the floor.
- There was a lot of traffic this morning.
- There was enough food for everyone.
- There was too much noise in the room.
When Should You Use “There Were”?
Use there were when you are talking about two or more people or things in the past.
Examples:
- There were two books on my desk.
- There were five students in the classroom.
- There were several cars outside.
- There were many questions after the lesson.
- There were some interesting ideas in the discussion.
The plural noun tells you that were is required.
10+ Examples of “There Was” and “There Were”
Here are practical examples showing the difference:
- There was a problem with my phone.
One problem was present. - There were several problems with my phone.
More than one problem was present. - There was a beautiful garden behind the house.
Garden is singular. - There were three beautiful gardens behind the houses.
Gardens is plural. - There was some coffee in the cup.
Coffee is uncountable. - There were two cups of coffee on the table.
Cups is plural. - There was an interesting movie on television last night.
Movie is singular. - There were several interesting movies on television last night.
Movies is plural. - There was a lot of traffic on the road.
Traffic is uncountable. - There were many cars on the road.
Cars is plural. - There was one person waiting outside.
Person is singular. - There were ten people waiting outside.
People is plural. - There was enough time to finish the work.
Time is uncountable in this meaning. - There were enough chairs for everyone.
Chairs is plural.
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Using “there was” with a plural noun
Incorrect: There was many students in the class.
Correct: There were many students in the class.
Students is plural, so use were.
Mistake 2: Using “there were” with an uncountable noun
Incorrect: There were some water in the bottle.
Correct: There was some water in the bottle.
Water is normally uncountable, so it takes the singular form was.
Mistake 3: Looking at “there” instead of the noun
Incorrect thinking: “There is one word at the beginning, so I should use was.”
The correct approach is to identify the noun:
- There was a car.
- There were two cars.
Mistake 4: Confusing “there” with “their”
There can introduce a sentence or refer to a place.
Their shows possession.
- There were two children outside.
- Their children were outside.
These words sound similar in many varieties of English, but they have different meanings.
A Simple Memory Trick
Remember:
One → was
More than one → were
Think of these pairs:
- There was one cat.
- There were two cats.
- There was a problem.
- There were several problems.
For uncountable nouns, think of them as one amount:
- There was some water.
- There was a lot of information.
American vs. British English
The basic rule is the same in both American and British English: there was generally goes with a singular or uncountable noun, while there were goes with a plural noun.
However, informal speech can sometimes produce variation, especially when a sentence begins with there and contains a compound subject or a phrase that sounds complicated.
For formal writing and careful speech, follow the standard agreement rule:
- There was a reason.
- There were several reasons.
Learners should use the standard forms because they are clear, widely accepted, and appropriate in academic and professional English.
Similar Words and Expressions
Several expressions are related to there was and there were.
There is
Use there is for a singular noun or an uncountable noun in the present:
- There is a problem.
- There is some milk in the fridge.
There are
Use there are with plural nouns in the present:
- There are two problems.
- There are several books on the desk.
There will be
Use there will be for future situations:
- There will be a meeting tomorrow.
- There will be several changes next year.
There has been
Use there has been with a singular or uncountable noun:
- There has been a mistake.
- There has been some confusion.
There have been
Use there have been with a plural noun:
- There have been several mistakes.
- There have been many changes.
Final Verdict: There Were or There Was?
The choice is straightforward once you identify the noun following the verb.
Use there was with:
- A singular countable noun
- An uncountable noun
Use there were with:
- A plural noun
For example:
- There was a student in the room.
- There were five students in the room.
- There was some information on the website.
When you are unsure, find the noun and ask: Is it one thing, an uncountable amount, or more than one thing? That question will usually give you the correct answer immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is “there were” always used for plural nouns?
In standard English, yes. There were is normally used when the noun being introduced is plural: “There were three children outside.”
Is “there was” correct with an uncountable noun?
Yes. Uncountable nouns generally take singular verb agreement, so we say “There was some water” and “There was a lot of information.”
Which is correct: “there was two” or “there were two”?
There were two is correct in standard English because two indicates a plural noun: “There were two students in the room.”
Which is correct: “there was a lot” or “there were a lot”?
It depends on the noun after a lot of. Use there was a lot of water because water is uncountable. Use there were a lot of people because people is plural.
Can I say “there was people”?
In informal speech, you may hear “there was people,” but in standard English, there were people is the correct form because people is plural.
What is the difference between “there was” and “there were”?
There was introduces a singular or uncountable noun, while there were introduces a plural noun. “There was a problem” and “There were several problems” illustrate the difference.
Is “there was” singular or plural?
There was is used with singular or uncountable nouns. The word was is the singular past form of be in this construction.
How can I remember the difference between “there was” and “there were”?
Use the simple rule: one or an uncountable amount = was; more than one = were. For example, “There was a car” but “There were two cars.”
Remember This
There was + one thing or an uncountable noun.
There were + two or more things.
Examples:
- There was a book.
- There was some water.
- There were two books.
- There were many people.
The key is not the word there. Look at the noun that follows was/were.
Conclusion
Choosing between there was and there were is mainly a matter of subject-verb agreement. Use there was with a singular noun or an uncountable noun, and use there were with a plural noun. This rule works in everyday conversation, academic writing, and most formal situations.
The easiest way to remember it is to check the noun after the verb. If you are talking about one thing or an uncountable amount, choose was. If you are talking about two or more things, choose were. With this simple habit, sentences such as “There was a problem” and “There were several problems” become easy to choose correctly.
