50%
Fill in the blanks in the astronaut's highly official (and slightly hungry) Mars mission logbook.
During our first scan yesterday, _________________________ zero signs of alien life.
However, _________________________ a strange glowing rock near the crater that looked exactly like a potato.
By the year 2050, I am absolutely certain _________________________ a permanent pizza restaurant on this planet.
During our first scan yesterday, there were zero signs of alien life.
"Yesterday" indicates the past, and "signs" is a plural noun, so we use there were.
However, there was a strange glowing rock near the crater that looked exactly like a potato.
The context is still in the past, and "a strange glowing rock" is singular, so we use there was.
By the year 2050, I am absolutely certain there will be a permanent pizza restaurant on this planet.
"By the year 2050" indicates the future, so we use there will be.