There Remains a Problem

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There Remains a Problem

In this lesson, you can present a remaining issue with appropriate agreement.

Created by , British English teacher.

I’m studying:

Try the activities, then check your answers.

Choose a short recording.

Before you start

State an unresolved issue with there.

See one possible response

There is one remaining question.

You prepare a short fictional archive report: some questions remain unresolved, two catalogues exist and a dispute arose over a date.

What you will practise
  • Present a remaining issue with appropriate agreement.
  • Distinguish existing material from a newly arising issue.
  • Reformulate existential presentation without changing what exists or remains.

Respond before revealing. Preserve participant roles, source limits and register; justify a valid alternative where the context permits it.

Present an unresolved matter

There remains introduces something still present or unresolved: There remains one question about the date. The following noun phrase controls agreement in the careful written target: there remain two questions. The construction is often more formal than a question remains.

There remains one gap in the catalogue.

There remain two questions about the photograph’s date.

They consider exactly one remaining unresolved discussion card on a small isolated document stand, with a closed reviewed folder and thoughtful expressions. The single card represents one question without a written question mark.
There remains one question.The careful written pattern has singular remains.

Existence and emergence

Selected verbs such as exist and arise work in existential presentations: There exist two versions; there arose a disagreement. These are not interchangeable with every verb. Exist presents existence; arise presents emergence, not necessarily its cause.

There exist two handwritten versions of the list.

During the review, there arose a question about the author’s initials.

Exist and arise present different meanings

Existence

There exist two versions.

The versions are present; creation is not reported.

Emergence

There arose a disagreement.

The issue emerged; its cause is not specified.

Choose the verb for what the report says, rather than substituting every verb into this pattern.

Choose presentation or an established topic

There remains a problem introduces the problem into the discussion. The problem remains refers back to an established problem. In an ordinary conversation, There’s still a problem may be clearer than a marked formal construction. Choose wording for the audience, not just variety.

There remains an unresolved question about the date.

That question remains unresolved despite the new evidence.

They now consider exactly two remaining discussion cards on the same small stand, equally unresolved. No extra questions or completed answers implied.
There remain two questions.The plural noun takes remain in this target pattern.

Guided practice

Say or write your answer first. Then compare the meaning and grammar with the model.

1. There ___ three unexplained marks. Use remain.

Compare a model and explanation

There remain three unexplained marks.

The careful written target agrees with the plural phrase.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

2. Two versions are known to be present; no claim is made about when they appeared. Use exist.

Compare a model and explanation

There exist two versions.

Exist states existence rather than emergence.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

3. There arose a disagreement during the review. Does this identify who caused it?

Compare a model and explanation

No.

The emergence is stated without assigning a cause.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

4. There remains one problem with the date. Treat the problem as already mentioned.

Compare a model and explanation

The problem with the date remains.

The definite subject makes it the established topic.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

5. There smiled the archivist at the desk. You merely mean the archivist smiled; no literary presentation is intended.

Compare a model and explanation

The archivist smiled at the desk.

Ordinary verbs do not all take existential there naturally in neutral reporting.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

6. Explain There remain several unresolved matters to a new visitor.

Compare a model and explanation

There are still several things we haven’t resolved.

The conversational paraphrase preserves the unresolved plurality.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

7. There exist two copies. Can you paraphrase this as Exactly two copies have ever existed?

Compare a model and explanation

No.

The original does not establish an all-time exact total.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

8. Two lists are available. One dating problem is unresolved. A new question about initials emerged yesterday.

Compare a model and explanation

There exist two lists. There remains one unresolved dating problem. Yesterday, there arose a question about the initials.

Each verb contributes a distinct status; a less marked report may vary the wording.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

A short conversation

Listen to the exchange, then take one role. The speaker labels identify roles; do not narrate them.

Open the conversation transcript

Archivist: There remains one problem with the date on the photograph.

Editor: Is it the question we discussed yesterday?

Archivist: Yes. That question remains unresolved, although two new copies exist.

Editor: Then we should report the new material without claiming the date is settled.

Listening checks

Listen to each extract, then choose the best answer. These three questions have their own score.

1. What is presented as unresolved?
Read the listening transcript

There remain two unresolved questions about the catalogue. The rest of the entries have been checked.

2. What is established?
Read the listening transcript

There exist two handwritten versions, but we do not know when either was made.

3. What happened during the review?
Read the listening transcript

During the review, there arose a question about the initials. No one has answered it yet.

Answer key with explanations

  1. What is presented as unresolved?

    Two questions.: Remain and the following plural phrase identify them.

    Compare all choices
    • Two questions.: Remain and the following plural phrase identify them.
    • The existence of the catalogue itself.: The issue concerns questions about it.
    • Every entry in the catalogue.: The remainder is stated as checked.

  2. What is established?

    Two versions are present in the account.: Existence is stated without creation dates.

    Compare all choices
    • One version definitely caused the other.: No causal relation is supplied.
    • Two versions are present in the account.: Existence is stated without creation dates.
    • Exactly two versions have ever existed.: The all-time total is not established.

  3. What happened during the review?

    A question emerged.: Arose concerns emergence.

    Compare all choices
    • Every earlier question disappeared.: No such resolution is claimed.
    • The initials were definitively identified.: The question remains unanswered.
    • A question emerged.: Arose concerns emergence.

Mastery quiz

Choose the best answer for each situation. The score is out of eight.

1. Choose the careful written agreement.
2. Which verb most directly presents existence rather than emergence?
3. What changes in The problem remains compared with There remains a problem?
4. Does there arose a dispute identify a responsible person?
5. Which is a neutral conversational alternative to There exist three copies?
6. Which statement about existential verb choice follows from the lesson?
7. A report says There remains a question. Which inference is safe?
8. Which edit preserves the evidence?
Answer key with explanations

  1. Choose the careful written agreement.

    There remain two inconsistencies.: The following noun phrase is plural.

    Compare all choices
    • There remaining two inconsistencies.: A finite verb is missing.
    • There remains two inconsistencies.: This is not the selected careful agreement target.
    • There remain two inconsistencies.: The following noun phrase is plural.

  2. Which verb most directly presents existence rather than emergence?

    exist: Exist states that something exists.

    Compare all choices
    • exist: Exist states that something exists.
    • arise: Arise presents something emerging.
    • disappear: Disappear expresses ceasing to be present.

  3. What changes in The problem remains compared with There remains a problem?

    The problem is treated as an established topic.: The definite subject normally refers back to an identifiable problem.

    Compare all choices
    • There must now be two problems.: The change does not alter the count.
    • The problem is treated as an established topic.: The definite subject normally refers back to an identifiable problem.
    • The problem is necessarily solved.: Remains does not express resolution.

  4. Does there arose a dispute identify a responsible person?

    No.: It introduces the emergence of a dispute without naming a causer.

    Compare all choices
    • Yes, always the report’s author.: That person is not grammatically supplied.
    • Yes, always the nearest named person.: There is no such reference rule.
    • No.: It introduces the emergence of a dispute without naming a causer.

  5. Which is a neutral conversational alternative to There exist three copies?

    There are three copies.: It preserves existence and number.

    Compare all choices
    • There are three copies.: It preserves existence and number.
    • Three copies are certain to be made tomorrow.: This changes existing material into a future event.
    • Three copies have never existed.: This reverses the claim.

  6. Which statement about existential verb choice follows from the lesson?

    Use established patterns such as there remains or there arose, not a rule for every action verb.: Verb choice is restricted and tied to the construction.

    Compare all choices
    • Any verb becomes existential when there replaces a personal subject.: This falsely treats there as a general substitute for a referential subject.
    • Use established patterns such as there remains or there arose, not a rule for every action verb.: Verb choice is restricted and tied to the construction.
    • All existential constructions must use be and can never use another verb.: That excludes the established non-be patterns taught here.

  7. A report says There remains a question. Which inference is safe?

    A question is still unresolved or outstanding in this context.: Remains presents continued relevance.

    Compare all choices
    • The question has been answered completely.: That contradicts the unresolved context.
    • No one has ever asked another question.: That all-time claim is unsupported.
    • A question is still unresolved or outstanding in this context.: Remains presents continued relevance.

  8. Which edit preserves the evidence?

    Two versions exist, but the date remains uncertain.: Existence and uncertainty are kept separate.

    Compare all choices
    • Two versions exist, but the date remains uncertain.: Existence and uncertainty are kept separate.
    • Two versions exist, so the date is proved.: The inference is not supplied.
    • The date is uncertain, so no version exists.: Uncertainty about dating does not deny existence.

Use it in your own words

Present an issue

Introduce one remaining problem and two remaining questions, keeping agreement clear.

Reveal a possible response

There remains one problem with the cover image. There remain two questions about the captions.

  • Match singular and plural
  • Present unresolved matters

Use fictional editorial issues.

Change audience

Give a formal existence statement, then make it conversational without changing the facts.

Reveal a possible response

There exist two versions of the recording. More simply, there are two versions.

  • Preserve number and existence
  • Explain the register choice

Either formulation may be useful in the right context.

Put it all together

A fictional exhibition has three surviving posters, one unresolved date and a newly raised question about an artist. Give an accurate report, then a plain spoken summary.

Reveal a possible response

There exist three surviving posters. There remains one unresolved date, and a question has arisen about the artist. In plain terms, we have three posters, but we still need to check the date and the artist’s identity.

  • Distinguish existence, continuation and emergence
  • Preserve uncertainty
  • Adapt to the audience

Do not infer that the artist’s identity has been established.

Take it with you

Selected verbs such as remain and arise extend existential presentation. Keep agreement and informational purpose clear. Not every action verb belongs in this pattern.