It and There: Basic uses for time, weather, and existence

English is a bit bossy about subjects. You always need a "Who" or a "What" before the verb. But what if you are talking about the weather? The sky isn't exactly a person! This is where it comes in. We call it a "dummy subject." It doesn't have a real meaning of its own; it just fills the gap. There works similarly but with a different job. While it describes a situation or a fact, there introduces something new to the conversation. Think of there as a finger pointing at something. If you want to say a cafe is nearby, you point and say, There is a cafe. If you want to say the cafe is good, you use it to describe the situation: It is a good cafe.

1. 1For weather, time, and dates: It + is + [Adjective/Noun]. Example: It is cold.
2. 2For distances: It + is + [Distance] + from/to. Example: It is 2km to the station.
3. 3For singular existence: There + is (or there's) + [Singular Noun]. Example: There is a cat.
4. 4For plural existence: There + are + [Plural Noun]. Example: There are three cats.
5. 5To ask a question: Swap the order. Is it...? or Is there...? or Are there...? Example: Is it Monday? or Is there a taxi?
6. 6For negatives: Add not. It is not raining. or There is not a problem.

You use it when you are talking about the environment or the general state of things. Imagine you are walking outside. You look at the sky and say, It is sunny. You look at your watch and say, It is 3 PM. You feel the wind and say, It is windy. You also use it for distances when giving directions. If someone asks how far the museum is, you say, It is a ten-minute walk. Use there when you want to tell someone that something is available or present. Imagine you are at a job interview. You might look at the office and say, There are many people here. Or if you are ordering food at a restaurant, you might ask, Is there any fish on the menu? There is all about existence and availability.

Do not use it to talk about people you already know by name or relationship. If your friend Sarah is at the door, say She is here, not It is here. Unless you think Sarah is a delivery package, avoid using it for humans! Also, do not use there for the weather. We never say There is sunny. Sunny is a description, not an object. You can say There is sun, but that sounds a bit poetic and strange for daily life. Stick to It is sunny. Finally, don't use it when you are introducing a list of things. Use there for that. Instead of saying It is a pen and a book on the table, say There is a pen and a book on the table.

The biggest mistake is forgetting the subject entirely. Many people say "Is hot today" or "Is a problem." In English, this is a big no-no. You must say It is hot today and There is a problem. Another mistake is mixing up is and are with there. Remember, there is is for one thing, and there are is for two or more. Even native speakers mess this up in casual speech (they often say there's for everything), but for your exams and professional life, keep them separate. Think of it like a grammar traffic light: one car gets is, two cars get are!

You might confuse it with this. Use this when you are physically pointing at or touching a specific object. Use it for the general situation. For example, This is my phone (holding it) vs It is 9 PM (the time). You might also confuse there with they. Use they when you have already mentioned the people or things and you want to describe them. Use there to introduce them for the first time. For example: There are two doctors in the room. They are very busy. First, you show they exist (there), then you describe them (they).