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Somebody says: "There are a lot of things on the table."

Then, here comes the question:

What is on the table?

or

What are on the table?

Which is the right expression here? Why?

I was told that "What is on the table?" is the only correct expression, there is never such an expression as "What are on the table?" Is that true? How come?

"There are things on the table!"

"What is on the table?"

"Things!"

I think that "what" is usually counted as singular unless a plural compliment is supplied, although I do think a plural is possible here, because "things" has been mentioned just before.

"There are things on the table!"

"What are on the table?"

"Things!"

Apo

And to supplement what Apo has already stated, it feels awkward to me to say "What are on the table?" I would probably say "What are those things on the table?"

-Tim

I agree, Tim! I think I do hear it every once in a while though!

Apo