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Grammar (/grammar) > A1-A2 grammar (/grammar/a1-a2-grammar) > Articles: 'the' or no article
Do you know when you need to use the in common phrases and place names? Test
what you know with interactive exercises and read the explanation to help you.
1 / 12 23/10/14, 14:02
Articles: 'the' or no article | LearnEnglish https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/a1-a2...
Grammar test 1
Grammar explanation
Here are some ways we use articles in common phrases and place names.
Common phrases
We don't usually use an article in expressions with bed, work and home.
go to bed / be in bed
go to work / be at work / start work / finish work
go home / be at home / get home / stay at home
But we usually use the if someone is just visiting the place, and not there as a
student/prisoner/patient, etc.
My son has started school now. I went to the school to meet his teacher.
I went to the prison a lot when I was a social worker.
I'm at the hospital. My sister has just had a baby.
2 / 12 23/10/14, 14:02
Articles: 'the' or no article | LearnEnglish https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/a1-a2...
Place names
We don't normally use an article for continents, most countries, cities, towns, lakes,
mountains or universities. So, we say:
Some countries are different. Country names with United have the. There are other
countries which are exceptions too. So, we say:
the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States of America
the Bahamas, the Gambia
the University of Cape Town, the University of Delhi, the University of Tokyo
Grammar test 2
3 / 12 23/10/14, 14:02
Articles: 'the' or no article | LearnEnglish https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/a1-a2...
Language level
A1 - Elementary (/taxonomy/term/1510)
A2 - Pre-intermediate (/taxonomy/term/1496)
4 / 12 23/10/14, 14:02
Articles: 'the' or no article | LearnEnglish https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/a1-a2...
Hello,
Please let me know which sentence is correct and why:
Thank you.
Hi Aona,
Jonathan
LearnEnglish team
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5 / 12 23/10/14, 14:02
Articles: 'the' or no article | LearnEnglish https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/a1-a2...
I apologize for being confused, but please help me with this one (also,
articles- a very confusingmatter for me):
Or
Are both of these correct or just the second one and why?
Hello Aona,
Assuming that you are not a prisoner, you should use the second
sentence.
6 / 12 23/10/14, 14:02
Articles: 'the' or no article | LearnEnglish https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/a1-a2...
Hello,
Please let me know why the correct answer of fourth question in
test 2 is every Friday my grandad goes to the prison to teach a
maths class. Isn't it a regular action? Why use the? Is there any
other point? Sorry, I'm confused.
Hi NOTABLE,
For the grandad, who just goes there to teach a class but does
not stay there permanently, "go to the prison" is the better
option.
Jonathan
LearnEnglish team
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the second is correct , if you belong to here , you don't use " The" .
opposite , the situation is that " I went to .... prison to visit my
husband" you just go to the prison to visit my husband, you don't
belong to here , so the answer is that you have to use " the" in the
situation
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