In saying that something doesn't exist, is it unusual to use the
ga particle (が) and a negative verb? For example, would "(Uchi
ni) Terebi ga arimasen" be an unusual way to say "There isn't a
TV (at my house)"? The reason I'm wondering is that lesson 8 of
Japanese For Busy People, which introduces the ga particle and
the existence of people and things, teaches "place ni noun ga
arimasu/imasu" to say "The object exists at this location!". (If
you were talking about a noun whose existance was already known,
and you were just providing additional information, it currently
suggests using "wa" and "desu" - eg "terebi wa ookii desu" -
"the television is big") Also, at the start of chapter 9, it
teaches "place ni noun ga arimasu ka", and tells you how to do
the positive answer "Hai, noun ga arimasu". However, it doesn't
teach "noun ga arimasen/imasen" to say "The object doesn't
exist!". The only time it mentions the negative form is with
"Nani mo arimasen" and "Dare mo imasen", which is to say that
nothing or no-one