| 单词 | there |
| 例句 | there adverbUSAGE there is, there are These phrases, though sometimes useful, can also be the enemies of a lean writing style, as several commentators have observed—e.g.: • “The habit of beginning statements with the impersonal and usually vague there is or there are shoves the really significant verb into subordinate place instead of letting it stand vigorously on its own feet.” (David Lambuth et al., The Golden Book on Writing; 1964.) • “The there construction is not to be condemned out of hand; it is both idiomatic and common in the best literature; it is clumsy and to be avoided with a passive verb; and in view of the prejudice against it [for promoting wordiness], the writer who uses it discriminatingly should take heart and be prepared to defend himself, for defense is indeed possible.” (Roy H. Copperud, American Usage and Style: The Consensus; 1980.) When is the phrase there is defensible? When the writer is addressing the existence of something. That is, if the only real recourse is to use the verb exist, then there is is perfectly fine—e.g.: “There is unlimited competition for our entertainment dollars.” ( Kansas City Star; Sept. 21, 1997.) Otherwise, though, the phrase should typically be cut—e.g.: “There is wide support among congressional Republicans for a flat tax.” ( Dallas Morning News; Sept. 20, 1997.) (A possible revision: “Congressional Republicans tend to support a flat tax.” Or: “Many congressional Republicans support a flat tax.”) The phrase there is wide support has become a cliché among political commentators. And it robs the sentence of a good strong verb. The number of the verb is controlled by whether the subject that follows the inverted verb is singular or plural. Mistakes are common—e.g.: • “He said there is [read there are ] several truckloads of nuclear waste.” ( Knoxville News-Sentinel; Apr. 18, 1996.) • “There seems [read there seem ] to be two key reasons for Capriati's renaissance.” ( USA Today; Jan. 26, 2000.) Especially when followed by a negative, there has in many minds come to represent a single situation. It therefore often appears, though wrongly, with a singular verb—e.g.: “ There wasn't [read there weren't ] any other witnesses. ” ( Austin American-Statesman; Dec. 9, 1994.).Usage notes show additional guidance on finer points of English usage. |
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