[Grammar] there is the post office

[magic dragon]

I'd appreciate it if someone would answer my question. Thank you in advance.
A: "How can I send these documents by fax?"
B: "OK, there is the post office in the center of the village."
(Both are of my own making.)

Grammar books say you must not use "the" just after "there is", but I occasionally see "there is the". I'd like to know exactly about it.
If the rule is not to state something definite after "there is", then B is wrong.
However, if the rule is to state something carrying new information after "there is", then B can be OK.
Which rule is right?
Or do I misunderstand the rule of "there is"?

 

[GoesStation]

You can certainly say There's the post office. It's in the center of the village — provided you're pointing towards it when you say the sentence.

 

[jutfrank]

We do use definite noun phrases after there is to offer new information, especially when we are making a suggestion.

A: Is there anywhere decent to eat around here?
B: Well, there's the pub down the road.

 

[Rover_KE]

magic dragon, did you notice that both respondents so far wrote there's rather than there is?

We use such contractions all the time in informal English.

 

[GoesStation]

You can certainly say There's the post office. It's in the center of the village — provided you're pointing towards it when you say the sentence.

I've marked "there's" in bold to indicate that it's strongly stressed in this usage.

 

[GoesStation]

I've marked "there's" in bold to indicate that it's strongly stressed in this usage.

Fine, but it is not stressed in this usage:

A: Is there anywhere decent to eat around here?
B: Well, there's the pub down the road.

This stuff gets complicated fast. Magic Dragon, we stress "there's" harder when it's associated with a pointing gesture.

 

[magic dragon]

--- Thank you all. It's enough for me to know you use definite noun phrases after "there is" to offer new information, especially when you are making a suggestion, as jutfrank says.
Concerning "there's" and "there is", I had thought it would be better not to contract in order to be formal when posting, but I find it a wrong idea. Thank you very much.

 

[GoesStation]

Concerning "there's" and "there is", I had thought it would be better not to contract in order to be formal when posting, but I find it a wrong idea.

Your sentences were part of a dialog. In spoken English we nearly always contract there is to there's except when we're stressing is. For example:

A. Is there anywhere nearby where I can buy a stamp?
B. Well, there is a post office around the corner, but it's closed. There's a shop half a mile away where you might be able to get one. Would you like directions?

 

[magic dragon]

Thank you GoesStation. I see very much.