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How many books are (there) on the table?

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Latest post Wed, Feb 7 2007 4:53 PM by Marius Hancu. 4 replies.
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Anonymous  +  325386 Wed, 07 Feb 07 01:17 AM

Is there any difference in meaning or nuance?

(a) How many books are there on the table?

     ("there is/are ..." structure)

(b) How many books are on the table?

     (no "there is/are ..." structure)

I need your help. Thank you.
Anonymous
Grammar Geek  +  325387 Wed, 07 Feb 07 01:19 AM

I really don't see a difference.
Grammar Geek
Joined on Tue, Jan 10 2006
Veteran Member 19,506
Barbara, who answers in American English. My housekeeping skills attest to the truth of the second law of thermodynamics: Left to themselves, things get more and more random!
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Anonymous, 2 yr 275 days ago

Thank you, Barbara.

Then, which do you use more often, (a) or (b)?

  (a) How many books are there on the table?

  (b) How many books are on the table?

Grammar Geek  +  325611 Wed, 07 Feb 07 02:50 PM

If we have already been talking about the books, I may ask a. But mostly, I would use b.
Grammar Geek
Marius Hancu  +  325668 Wed, 07 Feb 07 04:53 PM
Mind, you can have this read as:

(a) How many books are there on the table?
or as
(a) How many books are            there on the table? read with a pause, similar to:
(a) How many books are, there on the table?
(in which case "there" is "over there")
Marius Hancu
Joined on Wed, Apr 26 2006
Veteran Member 11,673
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