Which fits better in the following sentences, は or が?
A: あそこ に おとこのこ (A) います。
B: その おとこのこ（B) ８さい です。
The most straight forward answers are:
A: あそこ に おとこのこ が います。There is a boy over there.
B: その おとこのこ は ８さい です。That boy is 8 years old.
[place] に [(a) living/moving thing(s)] が います。
= There is/are [(a) living/moving thing(s)] (in/at) [place].
[X] は {Y} です。= [X] is/am/are [Y].
Then what happens if I put は and が the other way around?
A’: あそこ に おとこのこ は います can mean: The boy is over there. However, if I already knew about the boy and if I want to tell where he is, then I would start the sentence with “the boy,” i.e. おとこのこ は あそこ に います。so the sentence: あそこ に おとこのこ は います sounds quite a bit awkward.
B’: その おとこのこ が ８さい です implies that there are many other boys around and that that boy in particular is 8 years old and others are not, so this does not fit the photo.
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