there is (are) a lot of

Writers often default to "there is," but when the real subject that follows is plural, that verb creates an agreement error. The rule is simple: the verb after "there" must match the number of the true subject that usually comes later.

Quick answer: match the verb to the noun that follows

Use "there is" with singular or uncountable nouns; use "there are" with plural nouns. Find the real subject and make the verb agree.

Wrong: There is a lot of apples on the table. →
Right: There are a lot of apples on the table.
If the noun is plural (apples, mistakes, students), choose "are."
Quantifiers that signal plurals: two, several, many, dozens, a number of, a lot of → use "are."

Core explanation: why "there" doesn't determine number

"There" is an expletive or placeholder. It doesn't act as the subject; the true subject typically follows the verb. The verb must agree with that following noun.

Examples of subjects that set the verb: countable plurals (apples), quantified phrases (many mistakes, several students) and constructions like "a number of" that take a plural verb.

Quick check: locate the noun after the verb - is it singular or plural? Use "is" for singular/uncountable, "are" for plural.

Real usage and tone: contractions, formality, and "there's"

In speech and informal writing, people often say "there's" with plural nouns ("There's two options"). That usage is common and usually understood, but it reads as informal and is risky in formal documents.

Formal: There are three reasons I am late. (preferred in reports, emails to clients, academic writing)
Informal/conversational: There's three reasons I'm late. (acceptable in dialogue and casual messages)
When in doubt, prefer "there are" for clarity and correctness in written work.

Examples: work, school, and everyday sentences

Below are realistic wrong/right pairs you can copy. When you see quantifiers (many, several, a lot of, two), switch to "are" if the head noun is plural.

Work - Wrong: There is many issues with the client report. → Work -
Right: There are many issues with the client report.
Work - Wrong: There is a number of outstanding invoices. → Work -
Right: There are a number of outstanding invoices.
School - Wrong: There is several experiments left to run. → School -
Right: There are several experiments left to run.
School - Wrong: There is a lot of data points missing from the chart. → School -
Right: There are a lot of data points missing from the chart.
Casual - Wrong: There is two beers in the fridge. → Casual -
Right: There are two beers in the fridge.
Casual - Wrong: There is many reasons I love this city. → Casual -
Right: There are many reasons I love this city.
Casual - Usage: Spoken: There's five people waiting. → Accepted in speech; revise for writing.
Wrong: There is dozens of comments to review. →
Right: There are dozens of comments to review.

Rewrite help: three quick rewrites you can use now

If a sentence starts "There is..." followed by a plural idea, either change the verb to "are" or rewrite to lead with the subject for clarity and punch.

Formal/neutral fix: Wrong: There is a lot of complaints about the new system. →
Right: There are a lot of complaints about the new system.
Tight rewrite: Wrong: There is several tasks left on the list. →
Right: Several tasks remain on the list.
Lead with the subject: Wrong: There is two reasons I can't attend. →
Right: I can't attend for two reasons.

Try your own sentence

Test the full sentence, not just the phrase. Context usually clarifies whether "is" or "are" fits.

Fix your sentence: a 4-step checklist

Use this quick routine whenever you spot "there is" or "there's."

Locate the real subject - the noun after the verb.
Decide: is it singular, plural, or uncountable?
Use "is" for singular/uncountable; use "are" for plural.
If the sentence feels clunky, rewrite with an active subject or a tightened structure.

Wrong: There is a lot of students in the class. →
Right: There are a lot of students in the class.

Memory tricks and quick signals

Two fast checks you can do at a glance:

Scan for numbers or quantifiers (two, three, many, several, dozens, a lot) - they usually require "are."
Swap "there is" for "here is." If "here is" sounds wrong, you likely need "are." Example: "Here are two reasons" sounds right; "Here is two reasons" sounds wrong.

Keep a sticky note: "Number = Are" until it becomes automatic.

Signal words that force "are": two, three, many, several, dozens, a lot of, a number of, the students, the errors

Similar mistakes to watch for

Writers often confuse related constructions that affect verb choice:

"A number of" vs "the number of" - "A number of students are absent." vs "The number of students is high."
Collective nouns - "The team is ready" (team as a unit) vs "The teams are ready" (plural)
"There's" with plurals - common in speech but best avoided in formal writing.

Wrong: The number of errors are high this quarter. →
Right: The number of errors is high this quarter.

Punctuation, hyphenation, and spacing notes

These issues often appear alongside agreement mistakes and distract readers.

Contractions: don't mix up it's (it is/it has) and its (possessive).
Hyphenate compound modifiers before nouns: "10-year-olds" not "10 year olds."
Use one space after periods and commas; bad spacing makes grammar harder to spot.

Correct: There are 10-year-olds enrolled in the program.
Wrong: There is10 students here. →
Right: There are 10 students here.

FAQ

Is "there's" wrong with plural nouns?

In spoken and informal writing, "there's" is often used with plurals. In formal writing, prefer "there are" when the logical subject is plural.

Which is correct: "There is a lot of people" or "There are a lot of people"?

"There are a lot of people" is correct because "a lot of people" is a plural phrase and requires "are."

Do I always change "there is" to "there are" when I see plural nouns?

Yes-if the noun after the verb is a countable plural, use "are." Keep "is" for singular or uncountable nouns (There is water).

How do I fix "There is a number of errors"?

Use "There are a number of errors." Remember that "a number of" takes a plural verb, while "the number of" takes a singular verb ("The number of errors is growing").

Can editing tools catch these errors?

Many grammar checkers flag subject-verb agreement. For tricky sentences, run the full sentence through a checker or apply the four-step checklist to confirm the correct verb.

Want to be sure your sentence agrees?

Use the checklist above and, when possible, run sentences through a grammar tool as a second check. Small habits-scanning for quantifiers and preferring "there are" in formal writing-quickly eliminate most errors.

If you want a fast second opinion, paste your sentence into a checker to confirm subject-verb agreement and consider a tightened rewrite if the sentence feels wordy.