Dec. 22nd, 2013

corvi: (Default)
Today I ran into someone wondering why Chinese speakers who learn English use the 'incorrect' contraction "there're" for "there are." I am a native English speaker, and I say "there're" too; it rhymes with "terror". This calls for a Very Unscientific Internet Poll!

Poll #14751 There're
Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 12


Do you use "there're" as a contraction for "there are"? Such as "There're ten books on that shelf."

View Answers

No, and I would consider it incorrect English.
0 (0.0%)

Not personally, but if someone said it around me, I wouldn't blink.
5 (41.7%)

Yes, in spoken but not written English.
3 (25.0%)

Yes, in both spoken and written English.
4 (33.3%)

If you don't use "there're", do you use a different contraction?

View Answers

I would say "There's ten books on that shelf."
3 (37.5%)

I would say, "There're ten books on that shelf."
3 (37.5%)

I would say, "There are ten books on that shelf," and use no contraction at all.
2 (25.0%)

Approximately what dialect of English do you speak?

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