There is/are an apple and two pears on the table.

[Soleil]

Hello! Which sentence is correct?
- There is an apple and two pears on the table.
- There are an apple and two pears on the table.

 

[5jj]

Play safe and say "There are two pears and an apple on the table".

 

[Soleil]

Play safe and say "There are two pears and an apple on the table".

Thank you for your advice but I'd like to find out if there is a rule on this grammar topic.

 

[jutfrank]

I'd teach you to use the first sentence.

Think of the sentence as using an ellipted 'there'-be' phrase.

There is an apple and [there are] two pears on the table.
There are two pears and [there is] an apple on the table.

Play safe and say "There are two pears and an orange on the table".

What's safe exactly?

Would you say 'There are an apple and a pear on the table'?

 

[Barque]

Think of the sentence as using an ellipted 'there'-be' phrase.

There is an apple and [there are] two pears on the table.

Agreed.

You could also say "There's an apple and two pears..." The contraction of "There is" gives you more freedom.

 

[5jj]

I might.

 

[jutfrank]

I might.

I'd imagine you might be in a minority.

 

[5jj]

What's safe exactly?

The form I suggested is acceptable to everybody.

 

[jutfrank]

The form I suggested is acceptable to everybody.

What could the objections of those who find certain forms unacceptable be?

 

[Lycidas]

Play safe and say "There are two pears and an apple on the table".

What if the sentence had "a pear and an apple"? There wouldn't be this safe option.

Here's another possible safe option, though. We can delay the other part of the compound subject, or use "as well as" or "along with":

There is an apple on the table, and two pears.
There is an apple on the table, as well as two pears.
There is an apple on the table, along with two pears.

 

[Tarheel]

If I had to talk about the fruit on the table, I might say:

There's an apple on the table, and there are two pears.

 

[sitifan]

GRAMMAR NOTES FOR THERE
The verb following THERE is singular or plural according to the number of the subject that follows the verb: There is a message for you. There are patients in the waiting room. With compound subjects in which all the coordinate words are singular, a singular verb often occurs, although the plural may also be used: There was (or were ) a horse and a cow in the pasture. When a compound subject contains both singular and plural words, the verb usually agrees with the subject closest to the verb, although a plural verb sometimes occurs regardless, especially if the compound has more than two elements: There were staff meetings and a press conference daily. There was (or were ) a glass, two plates, two cups, and a teapot on the shelf.
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/there

 

[Tarheel]

If I had to talk about the fruit on the table, I might say:

There's an apple on the table, and there are two pears.

I like that one.

 

[5jj]

I have highlighted some important words:

GRAMMAR NOTES FOR THERE
The verb following THERE is singular or plural according to the number of the subject that follows the verb: There is a message for you. There are patients in the waiting room. With compound subjects in which all the coordinate words are singular, a singular verb often occurs, although the plural may also be used: There was (or were ) a horse and a cow in the pasture. When a compound subject contains both singular and plural words, the verb usually agrees with the subject closest to the verb, although a plural verb sometimes occurs regardless, especially if the compound has more than two elements: There were staff meetings and a press conference daily. There was (or were ) a glass, two plates, two cups, and a teapot on the shelf.
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/there

 

[Tdol]

You could also say "There's an apple and two pears..." The contraction of "There is" gives you more freedom.

I would.

 

[White Hat]

Not a teacher

Can't we just say 'There are an apple and two pears on the table'? Plain and simple. Doesn't 'an' stand for 'one'? To be honest, 'There is an apple and two pears' sounds as if 'apple and two pears' were a single entity.

 

[5jj]

Not a teacher

Can't we just say 'There are an apple and two pears on the table'? Plain and simple. Doesn't 'an' stand for 'one'? To be honest, 'There is an apple and two pears' sounds as if 'apple and two pears' were a single entity.

People have different opinions on this. There is no universally accepted 'correct' form.

 

[Barque]

Can't we just say 'There are an apple and two pears on the table'? Plain and simple.

It sounds odd. Not plain and simple. The problem is that while there are rules, there are also lots of exceptions to them. And custom trumps rules every time.

 

[Barque]

To be honest, 'There is an apple and two pears' sounds as if 'apple and two pears' were a single entity.

Perhaps, but it also sounds natural.

 

[Tarheel]

Not a teacher

Can't we just say 'There are an apple and two pears on the table'? Plain and simple. Doesn't 'an' stand for 'one'? To be honest, 'There is an apple and two pears' sounds as if 'apple and two pears' were a single entity.

In what scenario would that sentence need to be said in the first place? Having said that, if I am talking to somebody on the phone and they ask me what's on the table I would say, "There's some fruit. There's an apple, and there are two pears."