What is there on the table?

Question

What is there on the table?

What are there on the table?

I would like to know if the latter is correct too. Thank you.

Answer 1

I'm not sure why, but it's like this:

What is there on the table? = correct

What are there on the table? = incorrect

Answer 2

Hi Nila

What is there on the table?

What are there on the table?

You do not need the word "there" in your first sentence.

"What is on the table?" is grammatically correct and less wordy.

For your second sentence, "What are there on the table?" you should change it to: "What are those on the table?" Using the plural form "those" agrees with the plural "are" and makes a grammatically correct sentence.

The best sounding sentences would be:

What is on the table?

What are those on the table?

Answer 3

I don't think that I have ever heard: What are there on the table?

I have only heard: What is there on the table?

I think it is also common to say: What is on the table? (without the "there")

I can't give you a grammatical explanation for why I don't think What are there on the table? is correct. It just doesn't sound right to me.

Perhaps someone else can give an explanation or, please, correct me if I'm wrong about this.

I agree. - --Mariana--, Jun 12, 2010

Thank you, Marianne! - Pajaro44, Jun 12, 2010

Answer 4

What is there on the table?=incorrect.

What are there on the table?=incorrect.

You could say:'What are those on the table?'(2nd answer), and you could say:'What is on the table?' or 'What is that on the table?'(1st answer)

The 2nd answer could be possible to this topic, but the 1st answer? I'd have to agree on it. - Shadowfan10, Jun 12, 2010

Answer 5

“That” and “those” are pronouns to replace objects “things”.

“There” is a pronoun commonly used for a location. In this case, “on the table” is the location.

“What is on the table?” = “What is there?” Asking what is in/on that location.

Referring to the picture: http://blog.americanfeast.com/images/Restaurant Table.jpg

What is on the table? A table setting for four is on the table.

What is that on the table? That is a napkin on the table.

What are those on the table? Those are forks on the table.

To go overboard on pronouns:

What is that on there? What is that over there?

What are those on there? What are those over there?

Keep in mind using many pronouns makes the sentence ambiguous.

Sorry, the photo would not link. - 00a52084, Jun 12, 2010

Answer 6

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Answer 7

Alright, now it's good to know the usage of "what". Thanks, Marianne

I disagree. - --Mariana--, Jun 12, 2010

The rule for "what" may be that Fidalgo but it is just not used. I disagree also. - Yeser007, Jun 12, 2010

what is there...maybe, what are there...no way - Yeser007, Jun 12, 2010

Thank you so much, Marianne and Mr Yesero - Fidalgo, Jun 12, 2010