I’m studying:
Try the activities, then check your answers.
Try the activities, then check your answers.
Choose a short recording.
Describe the past
Use there was for one thing or an uncountable noun. Use there were for plural things.
There was a café here.
There were two shops on this street.
There was a café here.Was places the existence of the café in the past.
Ask and make negatives
Put was or were before there in questions. Use wasn’t or weren’t in negatives.
Was there a station here?
There weren’t any trees.
Describe a future change
Use there will be for singular and plural things. Use won’t be for a negative.
There will be a new park.
There won’t be any cars in this area.
Guided practice
Say or write your answer first. Compare form and meaning with the model.
1. Complete: There ___ a small shop here in 2005.
Compare a model and explanation
was
A small shop is singular.
2. Complete: There ___ three windows before.
Compare a model and explanation
were
Three windows is plural.
3. Make a question: There was a garden.
Compare a model and explanation
Was there a garden?
Invert was and there.
4. Make negative: There were benches.
Compare a model and explanation
There weren’t any benches.
Use weren’t and any in this negative.
5. Complete: There will ___ a new road.
Compare a model and explanation
be
Will takes the base form be.
6. Make plural: There will be a tree.
Compare a model and explanation
There will be trees.
Will be does not change for plural nouns.
7. Correct: There will have a new café.
Compare a model and explanation
There will be a new café.
Existence uses be, not have.
8. Describe a change: no park before; a park next year.
Compare a model and explanation
There wasn’t a park before. There will be a park next year.
Keep the two times explicit.
A short conversation
Listen first, then open the transcript when useful.
Open the conversation transcript
A: Was there a cinema here before?
B: Yes, but there weren’t any cafés.
A: What will be here next year?
B: There will be a library and two cafés.
Listening checks
Listen to each extract or open its transcript. These three questions have a separate score.
There will be a new park.Will be describes a future situation; the model represents a proposal.
Mastery quiz
Choose the best answer for each situation. The score is out of eight.
Use it in your own words
Speaking 1
Describe two things that existed in your area before.
Reveal a possible response
There was a small market. There were fewer houses.
Success check: Use was and were appropriately.
Speaking 2
Invent two future changes for a street.
Reveal a possible response
There will be a park. There won’t be any cars.
Success check: Use will be and won’t be.
Put it all together
Describe a place before, now and next year. The future can be imaginary.
Reveal a possible response
There was a car park. Now there’s a garden. Next year there will be a café beside it.
Success check: Keep each time clear.
Take it with you
I can describe what existed before and what will exist later.
