074 : the 2 (school / the school etc.)

   A   

Compare school and the school:

 

Ellie is ten years old. Every day she goes to school. She's at school now.  School starts at 9 and finishes at 3. We say a child goes to school or is at school (as a student). We are not thinking of a specific school. We are thinking of school as a general idea - children learning in a classroom.	Today Ellie's mother wants to speak to her daughter's teacher. So she has gone to the school to see her. She's at the school now. Ellie's mother is not a student. She is not 'at school', she doesn't 'go to school'. If she wants to see Ellie's teacher, she goes to the school (= Ellie's school, a specific building).

 

 

   B   

We use prison (or jail), hospital, university, college and church in a similar way. We do not use the when we are thinking of the general idea of these places and what they are used for.

 

Compare:

Ken's brother is in prison for robbery. (He is a prisoner. We are not thinking of a specific prison.)	Ken went to the prison to visit his brother. (He went as a visitor, not as a prisoner.)
Joe had an accident last week. He was taken to hospital. He's still in hospital now. (as a patient)	Jane has gone to the hospital to visit Joe. She's at the hospital now. (as a visitor, not as a patient)
When I leave school, I plan to go to university / go to college. (as a student)	I went to the university to meet Professor Thomas. (as a visitor, not as a student)
Sally's father goes to church every Sunday. (to take part in a religious service)	Some workmen went to the church to repair the roof. (not for a religious service)

 

With most other places, you need the. For example, the station, the cinema, (see Units 72C and 73C).

 

 

   C   

We say go to bed / be in bed etc. (not the bed):

• I'm going to bed now. Goodnight.
• Do you ever have breakfast in bed?
• but  I sat down on the bed. (a specific piece of furniture)

go to work / be at work / start work / finish work etc. (not the work):

• Chris didn't go to work yesterday.
• What time do you usually finish work?

go home / come home / arrive home / get home / be at home etc. :

• It's late. Let's go home.
• Will you be at home tomorrow afternoon?

 

 

   D   

We say go to sea / be at sea (without the) when the meaning is 'go/be on a voyage':

• Keith works on ships. He's at sea most of the time.
• but  I'd like to live near the sea.
• It can be dangerous to swim in the sea.

 

 

 

 (American English -> Appendix 7) 

 

74B

BRITISH to/in hospital (without the): Three people were injured and taken to hospital.

AMERICAN to/in the hospital: Three people were injured and taken to the hospital.