'What is' and 'what are'—two phrases that often trip up learners of English. But once you grasp their distinct roles, they become as clear as day.
Let’s start with ‘what is.’ This phrase typically precedes a singular noun or an uncountable noun. Picture yourself at a restaurant, glancing at the menu, curious about a dish you've never tried before. You might ask the waiter, "What is this special dish?" Here, you're inquiring about one specific item—the essence of it—and thus use ‘is’ to reflect its singular nature.
Similarly, if you find yourself staring into a mysterious box and wonder what lies within, you'd pose the question: "What is in the box?" Again, whether it's one object or many inside doesn’t matter; your focus remains on that single entity—the box itself.
Now let’s pivot to ‘what are.’ This phrase comes into play when we’re dealing with plural nouns. Imagine visiting a zoo where multiple animals share a cage; your curiosity piques as you lean closer to see them better. You’d likely ask someone nearby: "What are in the cage?" The plurality here indicates there’s more than one creature involved—hence using ‘are’ aligns perfectly with grammatical rules.
The same logic applies when encountering several items scattered across a floor. A simple inquiry like “What are on the floor?” acknowledges that there could be numerous objects lying around rather than just one.
It’s also essential to remember how uncountable nouns fit into this equation. No matter how many components make up something like water or sand—they remain classified as singular for grammatical purposes. So if you're parched in the desert and spot something shimmering ahead—a bottle—you would naturally inquire: “What is in that bottle?”
In summary:
- Use ‘is’ for singular nouns (e.g., What is this?).
- Use ‘are’ for plural nouns (e.g., What are those?).
- Uncountable nouns always take ‘is’ (e.g., What is information?). By keeping these distinctions clear in mind while speaking or writing English, you'll navigate conversations much more smoothly.