Thread: there is/are (out smarted by KG3??)

This week we have been having loads of ASEAN events, and the kids are giving brief presentations each morning. I printed off some pictures, with questions on the back, and laminated them. A few kids in each class have some of these picture/question cards, and one such picture is of the various ASEAN flags.

One of the questions on the back of this card was... "what colours are there on the flag?" and I gave an example answer.. "there is red and blue".

Even as I was writing it out I was thinking it is a bit of a tricky one. In the question 'colour' is a countable noun, but in the answer it is sort of uncountable... there are 2 red and 1 blue?? 2 red and 1 blue what?

So, a kid came to me and told me her mum thinks the answer should be... "there are red and blue". The kids English isn't high enough for me to be able to explain my reasoning, and I also wanted to make sure was reasoning was sound before the parent asks me personally.

Cheers

So it should be: "There are two colors in the Thai flag" ?

If I was asking how many colours there are, that would be the answer... But I was asking what colour there are, so "there is red and there is white"

---Update---

I missed that one there are 3 colours on the Thai flag; there is red, white and blue.

IMO there are only two colors in the Thai flag - red and blue. Black and white are no colors.
Of course the scientists don't agree with that, saying white is ALL colors and black is NONE - that sounds like nonsense to me!
They are technically right, BUT - tell your students to draw a Thai flag, how many pencils do they need?
Do you have a copier? A printer? A camera? Is it color or black and white?
When you wash your clothes you seperate them into - yes, you guessed it: B&W and color!
"She wears colorful clothes." Does she wear black and white?
Does a rainbow have black and white? No, it shows colors.
If you look at a black and white charcoal drawing, do you say: "...nice colors!"?
Don't give me the scientific proof that it's all waves and that they are all colors.
Black and white are shades of light, colorless shades of light.

Sorry for changing the subject but we had the plural thing answered, no?

---Update---

Originally Posted by you_me_no_savy_talk_talk

But I was asking what colour there are, so "there is red and there is white"

You answered your own question! If you ask what colors "there are" you can't answer "there is" if there is more than one.

---Update---

Originally Posted by WilliamBlake

There is red and there is blue.

Agreed, but why not say: "There are red and blue?"

Because they are both still singular... you could say, "there are red and blue rectangles", but you can't say "there are red and blue"

---Update---

I know that the correct answer to the question "what colours are there?" would be.. "there is red and blue"... just a case of explaining the reason behind it.

There is Henry and Pat and Pat's dog at the corner.

Henry and Pat and Pat's dog is at the corner.

and a bottle of pop??

There is Labrador, Pekinese and Schnauzer in it. And occasionally Pat.