Tonight, two mice. They are cousins. One lives in the country, and one lives in the town.
Aesop’s Fables · Part 2 · Be, there is, there are, have got
The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse
Is, are, there is, there are, has got and have got: the grammar for describing a place, a house and a table full of food, with Marcos, Demetria, Philo and Sophia.
🐭 Play the story too: in the gamebook, you are the Country Mouse.Play the gamebook →
SOPHIA
MARCOS
I want to live in the town. There is cake in the town!
The fable
After Aesop
The Country Mouse has got a little house in a field. It is small, but it is warm. One day, his cousin, the Town Mouse, comes to visit. The Country Mouse gives her nuts and seeds.
“Your house is nice,” says the Town Mouse, “but it is very quiet. Come to the town with me! My house is big. There are cakes, and there is cheese!”
So the two mice go to the town. The Town Mouse’s house is enormous. There is a long table, and there are wonderful things to eat.
But then the door opens. There is a big cat! And there are two dogs! The mice run and hide in a hole in the wall.
“Is it always like this?” asks the Country Mouse. “Thank you, cousin, but I’m going home.”
A little bread in peace is better than cake in fear.
Be: am, is, are
DEMETRIA
The house is small. The mice are cousins. I am hungry!
SOPHIA
Yes. I am, you are, he / she / it is, we / they are. Short forms: I’m, you’re, he’s, it’s, they’re. Negative: isn’t, aren’t, I’m not.
There is, there are
PHILO
In Spanish, we say ‘hay’ for one thing and for many things.
SOPHIA
In English, it changes. One thing: there is (there’s). There is a cat. Many things: there are. There are two dogs. Questions: Is there…? Are there…?
Have got, has got
MARCOS
The Town Mouse has got a big house. I have got a small bag.
SOPHIA
Good, Marcos. I / you / we / they have got. He / she / it has got. Negative: haven’t got, hasn’t got. Question: Have you got…? Has she got…?
Sophia’s summary
| Form | Use | From the fable |
|---|---|---|
| am, is, are | to describe people and things | The house is small. They are cousins. |
| there is | one thing (or uncountable) | There is a cat. There is cheese. |
| there are | more than one thing | There are two dogs. |
| Is there…? / Are there…? | questions | Is there any cheese? |
| have got / has got | to have, to own | She has got a big house. |
Practice
Answer all the questions, then press “Check my answers”. You can try again as many times as you like.
A · Choose the best answer
Choose the right word.
1. The Country Mouse ___ happy.
2. There ___ two dogs in the room.
3. There ___ a cat at the door!
4. The Town Mouse ___ got a big house.
5. We ___ hungry!
6. ___ there any cheese?
B · Complete the sentence
Write the missing word or words.
7. I got a small house.
8. There any cats in the country.
9. The mice scared.
10. My cousin got a cat.
C · Right or wrong?
Is the sentence correct English?
11. “There is three cakes on the table.”
12. “I am hungry.”
13. “She have got a big house.”
Now visit the town yourself. Will you stay, or go home?Play the gamebook →