Have you ever paused while writing a sentence and wondered whether to use “here is” or “here are”? It’s a common point of confusion because both expressions introduce something that follows, but the correct choice depends on the noun that comes after them—not always the word that immediately follows in the sentence.
Whether you’re writing an email, giving a presentation, completing schoolwork, or simply trying to improve your English, understanding the difference between here is and here are will help you sound more natural and grammatically correct.
In this guide, you’ll learn when each expression is correct, why the difference exists, common mistakes to avoid, and how to choose the right one confidently in both spoken and written English.
Quick Answer: Here Is vs. Here Are
Both here is and here are are grammatically correct. The difference is based on subject-verb agreement.
- Use here is when the noun being introduced is singular or uncountable.
- Use here are when the noun being introduced is plural.
Use “here is” when introducing one person, one thing, or an uncountable noun.
Use “here are” when introducing two or more people or things.
Examples:
- “Here is your passport.”
- “Here are your keys.”
What Do “Here Is” and “Here Are” Mean?
Both expressions begin with the adverb here, which points to something nearby or introduces something that is about to be presented. The only difference is the verb form used.
Here Is
Here is combines:
- here (an adverb indicating location or introducing something)
- is (the singular form of the verb to be)
It introduces a single person, object, idea, or uncountable noun.
Examples:
- “Here is your receipt.”
- “Here is the information you requested.”
- “Here is my answer.”
- “Here is today’s schedule.”
- “Here is some advice.”
Notice that information and advice are uncountable nouns, so they take is, not are.
Here Are
Here are combines:
- here
- are (the plural form of to be)
It introduces more than one person, object, or item.
Examples:
- “Here are your documents.”
- “Here are the books you ordered.”
- “Here are my suggestions.”
- “Here are the meeting notes.”
- “Here are your children.”
Whenever the noun is plural, are is required.
Why Do People Confuse “Here Is” and “Here Are”?
Many learners assume the verb should agree with the word immediately after here. However, here is not the subject of the sentence.
Consider this example:
Here is the book.
The subject is the book, not here.
Likewise:
Here are the books.
The subject is the books, so the verb changes to are.
The confusion increases because English often places the verb before the subject in sentences beginning with here or there.
Compare these sentences:
| Standard Word Order | Inverted Word Order |
|---|---|
| The book is here. | Here is the book. |
| The students are here. | Here are the students. |
| Your keys are here. | Here are your keys. |
| My phone is here. | Here is my phone. |
Although the order changes, the verb must still agree with the real subject.
The Main Difference Between Here Is and Here Are
The rule is simple:
| Expression | Subject | When to Use | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Here is | Singular or uncountable | One item or mass noun | Here is your jacket. |
| Here are | Plural | Two or more items | Here are your jackets. |
Think about the noun, not the word here.
Singular nouns
Use here is.
Examples:
- Here is my laptop.
- Here is your coffee.
- Here is the answer.
- Here is a letter for you.
- Here is the manager.
Plural nouns
Use here are.
Examples:
- Here are my shoes.
- Here are the answers.
- Here are your classmates.
- Here are the reports.
- Here are several options.
Uncountable nouns
Uncountable nouns use here is because they are grammatically singular.
Examples:
- Here is some water.
- Here is useful information.
- Here is good news.
- Here is fresh milk.
- Here is plenty of evidence.
Many learners mistakenly write “Here are some information.” This is incorrect because information has no plural form in standard English.
Comparison Table
| Expression | Meaning | Grammar | Best Used When | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Here is | Introduces one person, thing, or uncountable noun | Singular verb | One item or a mass noun follows | Here is your ticket. |
| Here are | Introduces multiple people or things | Plural verb | More than one item follows | Here are your tickets. |
When to Use Here Is
Use here is whenever the subject is singular or uncountable.
This expression commonly appears when:
- handing something to someone
- introducing a person
- presenting information
- pointing to one object
- announcing something
Examples from everyday conversation:
- “Here is your phone.”
- “Here is the document you requested.”
- “Here is my friend Daniel.”
- “Here is today’s menu.”
- “Here is the solution.”
Examples in the workplace:
- “Here is the revised contract.”
- “Here is the monthly report.”
- “Here is the client’s feedback.”
- “Here is your meeting invitation.”
- “Here is the final proposal.”
Examples in emails:
- “Here is the file you asked for.”
- “Here is a copy of the invoice.”
- “Here is the updated schedule.”
- “Here is the information from yesterday’s meeting.”
- “Here is the presentation for tomorrow.”
Notice that in each example, only one item—or an uncountable noun—is being introduced.
When to Use Here Are
Use here are when the subject is plural. In other words, you are introducing two or more people, places, things, or ideas.
This expression is common when handing over several items, presenting a list, introducing multiple people, or directing someone’s attention to more than one object.
Common Situations for “Here Are”
You should use here are when introducing:
- Multiple physical objects
- Several documents or files
- More than one person
- Lists or collections
- Plural countable nouns
Examples in Everyday Conversation
- “Here are your keys.”
- “Here are the photos from our holiday.”
- “Here are the groceries you asked for.”
- “Here are your children.”
- “Here are my glasses.”
Examples at Work
- “Here are the meeting notes.”
- “Here are the quarterly reports.”
- “Here are the revised contracts.”
- “Here are the files for today’s presentation.”
- “Here are our latest sales figures.”
Examples in Emails
- “Here are the documents you requested.”
- “Here are the answers to your questions.”
- “Here are several suggestions for improving the report.”
- “Here are the links we discussed.”
- “Here are the updated project timelines.”
Examples in Academic Writing
- “Here are the results of the experiment.”
- “Here are three possible explanations.”
- “Here are the references used in this paper.”
- “Here are the key findings.”
- “Here are the questions you should consider.”
The important point is that the noun following the verb is plural, so the verb must also be plural.
Subject-Verb Agreement: The Rule Behind the Choice
The difference between here is and here are comes from one of the most important rules in English grammar: subject-verb agreement.
Normally, English sentences follow this pattern:
Subject + Verb
Examples:
- “The book is here.”
- “The books are here.”
However, sentences beginning with here use inverted word order:
- “Here is the book.”
- “Here are the books.”
Even though the subject comes after the verb, the verb still agrees with that subject.
Singular Subjects
Correct:
- “Here is the answer.”
- “Here is your ticket.”
- “Here is my notebook.”
Plural Subjects
Correct:
- “Here are the answers.”
- “Here are your tickets.”
- “Here are my notebooks.”
A helpful way to check yourself is to rewrite the sentence:
- Here is the cat. → The cat is here. ✅
- Here are the cats. → The cats are here. ✅
If the rewritten sentence sounds correct, you’ve chosen the right verb.
What About Lists? Which Verb Should You Use?
Writers often become confused when introducing more than one item in a list.
Consider these sentences:
- “Here is a pen and a notebook.”
- “Here are a pen and a notebook.”
Because a pen and a notebook form a plural subject, traditional grammar recommends:
Here are a pen and a notebook.
However, in everyday spoken English, especially in casual conversation, many native speakers naturally say:
“Here’s a pen and a notebook.”
Why?
Because speakers often think of the first item before finishing the sentence, and here’s has become a very common conversational contraction.
Formal Writing vs. Casual Speech
Formal writing
- Here are the documents and the invoice.
- Here are your shoes and your jacket.
Casual conversation
- Here’s your coffee and your sandwich.
- Here’s Mum and Dad.
- Here’s the books you wanted. (Common in speech but considered non-standard in formal grammar.)
In formal English, always match the verb with the complete subject.
Contractions: Here’s vs. Here’re
Contractions make this topic even more interesting.
Here’s
Here’s is the contraction of here is.
Examples:
- “Here’s your receipt.”
- “Here’s the answer.”
- “Here’s my phone.”
This contraction is extremely common in both speaking and writing.
Here’re
Technically, here’re can be a contraction of here are.
However, it is very uncommon.
Most native speakers simply say:
- “Here are your documents.”
instead of
- “Here’re your documents.”
Because here’re is difficult to pronounce, it rarely appears outside linguistic discussions or very informal writing.
As a result:
- Here’s → extremely common
- Here are → common
- Here’re → grammatically possible but rarely used
Correct and Incorrect Examples
The following examples show the difference clearly.
| Correct | Incorrect or Less Suitable | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| Here is your passport. | Here are your passport. | “Passport” is singular. |
| Here are your passports. | Here is your passports. | “Passports” is plural. |
| Here is some advice. | Here are some advice. | “Advice” is uncountable. |
| Here are several ideas. | Here is several ideas. | “Ideas” is plural. |
| Here is today’s schedule. | Here are today’s schedule. | “Schedule” is singular. |
| Here are the instructions. | Here is the instructions. | “Instructions” is plural. |
More Practical Corrections
❌ Here is my keys.
✅ Here are my keys.
Reason: Keys is plural.
❌ Here are the information.
✅ Here is the information.
Reason: Information is uncountable.
❌ Here are my luggage.
✅ Here is my luggage.
Reason: Luggage is grammatically singular.
❌ Here is these books.
✅ Here are these books.
Reason: Books is plural.
❌ Here are my new laptop.
✅ Here is my new laptop.
Reason: Laptop is singular.
How Context Affects the Choice
Although the grammar rule remains the same, here is and here are appear in different situations.
Everyday Conversation
People often shorten here is to here’s.
Examples:
- “Here’s your coffee.”
- “Here’s the remote.”
In casual speech, you may even hear:
- “Here’s your keys.”
Although common, this does not follow standard grammar because keys is plural.
Business Communication
Professional writing usually follows strict subject-verb agreement.
Correct examples:
- “Here are the documents you requested.”
- “Here is the signed agreement.”
- “Here are the latest financial statements.”
Emails
Both expressions appear frequently in emails.
Examples:
- “Here is the attachment.”
- “Here are the files from yesterday’s meeting.”
- “Here is the invoice.”
- “Here are the answers to your questions.”
Choosing the correct form makes your writing look polished and professional.
Academic Writing
Academic English strongly follows grammatical agreement.
Examples:
- “Here are the research findings.”
- “Here is the primary source.”
- “Here are three possible explanations.”
Presentations
Presenters often introduce slides or information using these expressions.
Examples:
- “Here is today’s agenda.”
- “Here are our main objectives.”
- “Here is the final recommendation.”
- “Here are the survey results.”
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Many learners repeat the same errors. Understanding why they happen makes them easier to avoid.
Mistake 1: Matching the Verb with “Here”
❌ Here is the books.
People sometimes think here controls the verb.
Correct:
✅ Here are the books.
Remember: Here is not the subject.
Mistake 2: Forgetting About Uncountable Nouns
❌ Here are some furniture.
Correct:
✅ Here is some furniture.
Other common uncountable nouns include:
- information
- advice
- equipment
- luggage
- homework
- news
- evidence
All of these take is.
Mistake 3: Using “Here’s” with Every Sentence
Because here’s is extremely common, learners sometimes use it before plural nouns.
Informal speech:
- Here’s your shoes.
Formal English:
- Here are your shoes.
Mistake 4: Looking Only at the First Word
Consider:
Here are the manager and her assistants.
Although manager is singular, the complete subject is the manager and her assistants, which is plural.
Always consider the entire subject, not just the first noun.
Mistake 5: Forgetting Compound Subjects
When two singular nouns are joined with and, the subject usually becomes plural.
Correct:
- Here are Jack and Emma.
- Here are the knife and the fork.
- Here are the teacher and the students.
If and joins two separate items, are is normally the correct choice.
Similar and Related Expressions
Once you understand here is and here are, you’ll also encounter similar expressions that follow the same subject-verb agreement rule.
| Expression | When to Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| There is | Singular or uncountable noun | There is a problem with the printer. |
| There are | Plural noun | There are several emails waiting for you. |
| Here was | Singular noun in the past | Here was the old entrance before the renovation. |
| Here were | Plural noun in the past | Here were the documents we discussed yesterday. |
| This is | Introduce or identify one nearby thing | This is my favourite book. |
| These are | Introduce or identify multiple nearby things | These are my new glasses. |
Notice the same agreement pattern:
- Singular → is / was
- Plural → are / were
If you’re unsure whether to use here is or here are, compare it with there is or there are. If one sounds correct, the other usually will too.
Memory Trick: How to Remember the Difference
A simple memory trick is to ignore the word here and focus only on the noun that follows.
Ask yourself:
Is the thing I’m introducing one item or more than one?
If it’s one person, one object, or an uncountable noun, use here is.
If it’s two or more people or things, use here are.
Think of it like this:
- Is = One
- Are = Many
You can also perform a quick substitution test.
Instead of:
Here is the book.
Try:
The book is here.
Or instead of:
Here are the books.
Try:
The books are here.
If the rewritten sentence sounds correct, you’ve chosen the correct verb.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is “here is” always singular?
Yes. Here is is used with singular countable nouns and uncountable nouns. For example, “Here is your ticket” and “Here is some advice” are both correct because the subjects are grammatically singular.
Is “here are” always plural?
Yes. Here are introduces plural nouns. Examples include “Here are your shoes,” “Here are the reports,” and “Here are my friends.” If the subject refers to more than one person or thing, are is the correct verb.
Why do people say “here’s my keys”?
Many native speakers use “here’s” before plural nouns in casual conversation because it’s quick and natural in speech. However, standard grammar considers this non-standard. In formal writing and careful speech, the correct form is “Here are my keys.”
Can I use “here is” with uncountable nouns?
Absolutely. Uncountable nouns such as information, advice, furniture, equipment, luggage, news, and evidence are treated as singular in English. Therefore, you should say “Here is some information” rather than “Here are some information.”
Which form should I use in business emails?
Follow standard subject-verb agreement. Use here is when sending one document or referring to one item, and use here are when referring to multiple documents or items. This makes your writing clear, professional, and grammatically correct.
Is there a difference between American and British English?
No. Both American English and British English follow the same grammatical rule. The choice between here is and here are depends entirely on whether the subject is singular or plural. The only difference you may notice is that speakers in both varieties sometimes use “here’s” informally before plural nouns, although this is less formal.
Here Is or Here Are: Which One Should You Choose?
Choosing between here is and here are is easier once you remember that the verb must agree with the noun being introduced—not with the word here. Use here is for singular and uncountable nouns, and use here are for plural nouns.
Although you’ll occasionally hear “here’s” before plural nouns in everyday conversation, it’s best to follow standard subject-verb agreement in formal writing, academic work, and professional communication.
Keeping this simple rule in mind will help you write and speak with greater confidence and accuracy whenever you introduce people, objects, or information.
Thomas Richardson is an English language writer dedicated to making grammar, vocabulary, and word comparisons simple, accurate, and easy for every learner.